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Re: more WBTS



In a message dated 96-07-25 18:07:06 EDT, you write:

<<      A bit melodramatic, IMO -- "home" should
 read "slaveholding plantation" and "right" should
 be "rightly."
     >>

Actually, this is incorrect.  Only 12 per cent of the Southern white
population held slaves.  Having read more than a ton of books on the subject
- - and owning over 1000 in my library - the vast majority of Southern soldiers
did not fight to perpetuate the institution.  They did not think in such
lofty terms - as was the case with most Americans in those days.  Saying that
Southern soldiers fought to keep slavery intact is like saying that Northern
soldiers fought to end it.  Other than some units from New England, the
hotbed of Abolitionism, the vast majority of Union troops thought in terms of
restoring the Union - and not ending slavery.  I can cite the thousands of
desertions after Lincoln issued the Emancipation Procalamation as evidence.
 This was particularly true with troops from the Midwest - they did not fight
to free slaves, and neither did Sherman by the way.  He did not care for
blacks very much in fact.

The Who  (obligatory Who content)

Greg Biggs

PS - The first thing I felt etc. about NYC when I was there was that it did
smell - and badly.  I have lived in Atlanta, LA, Chicago, Tampa/St. Pete and
other places - plus have visited dozens more on business and pleasure.  Other
than when Chicago had the stockyards, or the steelmills of Gary are cranking,
I have never smelled anything like NYC!!!!!   Sorry guys.