Bothersome debate. And maybe its a symptom of why so Many Americans are kind of put off by the war. Why do you argue about stuff like that . But lets look at those names in a different way. Each of those names represents a perfectly valid perspective on the war. And each is a potential gateway for americans to engage in this story. This worldchanging story. The problem is and for reasons that seem mysterious to many, people who are not inclined toward history the problem is we continue to throw barriers large and subtle in the way of those intellectual gateways into this history. We view the labels, these names as not able to stand side by side but mutually exclusive. If the war is a war of northern aggression, it cant also be a war for emancipation. But, in fact it was. It was all those things. And thats okay. So like our fellow americans our history always challenges us to be better. We draw strength and inspiration from those who risked and gave all for our communitys protection, ou
Authors. Thats live april ninth and 12th here on American History tv on cspan three. Each week, american artifact takes viewers to archives museums, and Historic Sites around the country. On april 9 1865, confederate general robert e lee met Union General Ulysses S Grant village of Appomattox Courthouse and surrendered his army of Northern Virginia. While confederate armies were still active in the field, the surrender of the southpaws most potent remaining fighting force effectively ended the civil war. Next, we tour Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park to learn more about the events surrounding that day. This is the oldest building this was called clover hill before became Appomattox Courthouse. This county was one of the later counties formed and they will take part of the counties in form appomattox county in 1845. This county have about 9000 people, more than half of them were enslaved working on the tobacco farms. As of 1850 about 120 people lived here in Appomattox Cou
Retirement community for Union Soldiers here at Appomattox Courthouse, and they buy up land west of the village. They are unsuccessful in selling off these lots to Union Veterans, and they decide theyre going to dismantle the house and move it to washington d. C. And create a museum out of it. The house is dismantled. And unfortunately there is a financial panic in 1893 and the firm goes bankrupt. And all the supplies or materials outside start to rot away or are taken as souvenirs. The park service, when it takes over the facility in 1940 determines the one thing theyre going to do is rebuild the mcclain house. Fortunately, the same company that took the house apart got the bid to rebuild the house, and they still had the plans so its been rebuilt on the exact location, using the original plans. There are a few bricks to the heart in the basement 5,500 original bricks are used on the front of the house. So when youre walking up to the house, you will pass through bricks that were here
Anyway, that was after reading to appomattox, the only book we had to learn from. I was trying to figure out how the armies actually got around from Sailors Creek in this area where most of the heavy fighting takes place. I remember the editor of the Farmville Herald some historian asked him how the troops got from highbridge to farmville they were wanting to know. I remember he said it would take a philadelphia lawyer to figure out how the armies got through this area. Im not from philadelphia but i think ive figured it out. Would you speak on major henry young . Chris henry young was in the second rhode island infantry. Another thing the Union Cavalry used on this campaign and tracy ably talked about what the Union Cavalry was at this point of the war, they wore confederate uniforms and took the persona of i think they took the ninth virginia cavalry, fake southern accents, and what they would do is they would ride into the confederate line of march. They would tell the teamsters go
Americas meandering Journey Towards freedom justice and equality. Its the foundation from which our nation emerged on to the world stage as a world power. Its the greatest demonstration of both the failure and durability of democracy. It is perhaps the vivid reflection of our virtues, successes and failures all wrapped up into one. These are all things that have shaped the lives of every american and millions and millions of people beyond our nations boundaries have lasted 150 years. In our relentless quest for simplicity an our selective memory that exists on history that flatters or inspires us Many Americans and maybe america at large today fail to see the immense legacy of the civil war in our lives and in our culture. Too many people are interested if the civil war. Problem is not enough are interested in the civil war. Every american should be able to find a gateway into this story for engaging the civil war as part of not only the National Experience but the frame work of their