Are you a Yankee or a Reb?

[Isle of Wight County Grey]

Who has a favorite side to the American Civil War?

For instance I totally side with the Confederates all the way, so give us your vote! :grin:

[Isle of Wight County Grey]

Come on people give us your vote, don't be shy. :grin:

[tomh]

I was born in Massachusetts and lived in Texas for a decade so I have one leg firmly planted on either side of the fence. To solve the dilemma I now live in Adams County Pennsylvania (the county border is the Mason Dixon), a county that can be more Southern than parts of Georgia <Grin>.

TomH

[Dr. Beach]

IoWCG, in response to your simple (and complex) question, I must say, “Both . . . and neither.”

Sorry to answer in such a Zen way, but that is the reality of it for me. I am both, in that I honor my heritage in remembering my direct ancestors: three served with the Confederates in Louisiana, and one with a Pennsylvania regiment (and was actually at your Siege of Suffolk!) . . . and yet, while I’m like many, I suppose, who read accounts of the war and suspend disbelief, hoping that the Confederates will somehow pull off a victory against all odds (but knowing how it will end), I am neither a Rebel (using this word in the very narrow sense it is used in this discussion) or a Yankee. For the “I” that wonders, “What would I have done in the battle of X?,” or “What side would I have fought for . . . if either?,” was not there AND could never have actually existed then. I may imagine what “I” would have done, but I think when I (and others like me) do this, what I am really asking myself are questions like, “Am I brave?, courageous?, compassionate? Do I think some things are worth fighting for? Dying for? Killing for? What do I believe in, if anything? Do I challenge any beliefs with my experience and common sense so as to avoid blind allegiance or delusion? So I think when we look back on history, we do so ultimately to learn more about ourselves now--in the now. Seems to me that neither the Confederates nor the Unionists had an exclusive claim to the moral high ground (or low ground!)—and it’s very difficult to say what the war was fought “for,” as many people fought (and didn’t) for many different reasons. Maybe my being born in raised in Texas (which brings up the whole area of the influence of geography on one’s perspective) and now living in my adopted state of California helps shape my perspective—of course it must, in some way. Hmm . . . this may be telling, but here’s a thought experiment one may try in order to gain some insight on your question: If one were forced to join either a Federal or Confederate re-enactor troop (O.K., or costume party!), which would I represent (leaving out the very real pacifist option, if just for this experiment)? If I do this, I answer, with difficulty, Confederate (as I imagine my Union ancestor’s upset!). Is this because I am a "Rebel" at heart (oops, violated my own strict definition of Rebel)? Is my choice informed by my 3:1 CW ancestor ratio?—Could it really be that simple? . . . or that complex?

[DANNY SPENCER]

Dang Horace
I’m not sure if you just preached a sermon or psychoanalyzed a Hill Billy but I had to get up and go drink a beer after reading that! :cry:
I think may be you have been out there in the land of fruits & nuts a little too long, might need to go home to Texas and get back some south in your mouth! :wink:

Tom
The leg you have south of the Mason Dixon is trespassing! :lol:
I won’t even dignify your slanderous comment about Pennsylvania being more Southern than parts of Georgia with an answer! :A

County Grey
Asking a question like “Are You a Yankee or a Reb” is a sure fire way to start a bar brawl in the south!
The term Yankee far precedes the war of northern aggression and persists still today and in this context reference to rebel, there hasn’t been one since Appomattox of 1865. In respect to the fallen dead of our countries worst disaster I take exception to anyone of modern times referring to themselves as either one. We are all citizens of the United States of America! I also take exception to the practice of battle reenactments feeling it is a mockery of the reality endured by our ancestors. To answer your question I am an American of Southern heritage.
By the way, it should be pointed out that in the world view the citizens of the United States are considered arrogant by exclusively calling ourselves Americans.
By definition all the people from Alaska to Care Horn are either North or South Americans!

[tomh]

Horace,

Ahhh ... the dichotomy continues.

Danny,

The leg you have south of the Mason Dixon is trespassing!

On my tenth annivesary of my taking residence in the great State of Texas I was the subject of a immigration ceremony which, I was told by some locals, made me a "Naturalized Texan", with almost all the rights of a native. The ceremony involved thick steaks, a case of long necks and some insane jalapeno peppers.

I won’t even dignify your slanderous comment about Pennsylvania being more Southern than parts of Georgia with an answer!

That statement is based on the number of CS Battle Flags displayed by the residents of Adams county, my neighbors. Or, as a friend is fond of stating, "There's a whole lot of Arkansas between Pittsburgh and Philly". <grin>

Later,
TomH

[SoArk]

I'm a transdenominational amillenialist.....however, not by birth. I'm a Yankee to the Aussies, and a Rebel to my wife.

Take care,

Kim

[Isle of Wight County Grey]

Hey, people I know call me a johnny reb while I call them a billy yank, and I kind of like it and so do they, and also reenactors, like me are suppose to remind people how important and sad the Civil War in America! :x

[Dr. Beach]

Danny, you’re probably right—I try to make a pilgrimage back to Texas (with side trips to Louisiana) every few years or so (and fill up on enough Cajun food to hold me over until the next trip!). Sorry I drove you to drink!

This is a provocative topic—and I mean provocative of things within one’s self. Whenever we try to define ourselves, well, reality makes it tough to do so in a neat way—always something doesn’t quite fit (wait, Danny, come back . . . just gonna psychologize a little . . . you can still drink later!). TomH, speaking of dichotomies, that Pennsylvania CW ancestor that I mentioned bought a farm just after the war, the northern border of which was, literally, the Mason-Dixon Line!—and the cemetery in which he is buried is split by that very same line (he’s buried on the MD side of the cemetery)! The Line also ran directly through the original church where he attended (I guess that the minister could preach from Pennsylvania to those sitting in Maryland!). The church was not only split by the famous 39° 43’ N, but also by the allegiances of the congregation—some favored the South and followed one minister, while the other group followed a Northern-leaning minister.

I am suddenly reminded of the Dr. Seuss story I read to my children the other night: “The Zax”! For those of you who have never had the pleasure, a North-going Zax meets a South-going Zax and neither wants to yield—an interesting impasse then ensues at their Mason-Dixon Line.

--but yes Danny, you’re right--my heart needs to remember my Southern roots to stay true to myself. My “avatar,” as seen here on our site, is a tiny expression of that need.

[Isle of Wight County Grey]

I appreciate your thought too, Horace because many people these days think that confederate were stupid hillbillies(pardon the thought). So I salute you for your deed to your Southern heritage! :grin: