The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History by Gary W. Gallagher

The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History by Gary W. Gallagher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a book edited by University of Virginia Professor of Civil War History, Gary W. Gallagher. The "Lost Cause" is a phrase used to describe how some describe the Civil War from a decidedly biased viewpoint from the Confederate point of view and how it has worked it's way into a popular way of defending the southern states during the war. Many of the key belief's are(although not limited to): 1. Slavery had little or nothing to do with the conflict. Common saying is it was about "states rights". Conflict is also described as a revolution rather than a rebellion. 2.Confederate heroes are given a God-like status. Popular figures Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and Stonewall Jackson are prime examples. 3. War was only lost due superior manpower and industry rather than by any skill or doing by Federal Generals or soldiers. General Ulysses S. Grant, overall Union commander, skill and ability was attacked or belittled in comparison to his counterpart Robert E. Lee. Even the common soldier on the ground was described as superior to their Union counterparts.

The individual essays take an interesting look how this happened. It did open my eyes to see how even I may have fallen to some belief's. I can't imagine Confederate apologists would like this book as it tears there enlargements apart. This is just as relevant today with all the recent controversy over Confederate Flags, monuments and so on that many still defend.

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