Why are you interested in the Civil War?

[HidekiTojo]

Hey guys,

Although I lived in Europe for a little over five years I didn't really meet anybody interested in the American Civil War. Granted I was still a teenager lol

Once I discovered AACW awhile back it was a pleasant surprise to see that there are people in Europe who find this topic interesting and I wonder why?

For a lot of us here it is a personal connection, originally I just found it fascinating and later I discovered that I've got a relative who fought as a part of the Army of The Potomac in every major battle through Gettysburg.

I also am fortunate in that I am close to some of the bigger more famous battlefields.

I suppose that even though I don't live anywhere near France and the most famous battles of The Great War that doesn't dampen my enthusiasm for studying the conflict endlessly.

So yea I'm wondering why all of you like learning about the Civil War era?

Doesn't mean you have to be European though lol

[tripax]

I've always loved history, but until recently not the Civil War in particular. I've always liked strategy and tactics games, however. A couple years ago I started playing games with very large scope (EU and CKII). I saw AACW and gave it a try. When I was first learning about the Civil War, I liked how this game build connections between regiments, brigades, divisions, corps, armies, and the nation and how it helped me understand the relationship between, say, a company and a corps and how their goals meshed with the goals of the nation. I really appreciated the scope of the game and the US context (I found it similar to games like EU in scope but a more exciting and concentrated context). Once I started playing, I wanted to learn more about the people and now I like the history of the civil war more than the game itself.

In history, I'm most interested in people and their relationships. This is true for my interest in the Civil War. I think it is interesting that 600 or so public leaders became generals and I like to learn how they interacted with the thousands who became Colonels and Majors and the thousands more who were lower ranked officers, commissary officers, engineers, etc. Further how their lives in and out of the war fit together.

And since US censuses became much more detailed in 1850, the Civil War took place during the generation furthest in history that is allows a fairly easy way to which to trace ones own family history. I've figured out what regiments my ancestors served in and a little bit about that, and plan to try to learn more. I like that I can see how people I'm connected to (either by blood or by geography) played a role in the war.

[Mickey3D]

I was interested by history since my teenage (very long time now...) and when you start to read about it, the Civil War appears to be the last "gallant" war (if a war can be gallant...) with great characters (Lee, Grant, Sherman, ...), against the odds victories, both sides fighting for a cause and showing courage and tenacity. The Civil War documentary by Ken Burns was also an eye opener.

With the time a lot of my initial misconceptions disappeared but the passion is still there.

[khbynum]

I was born and raised in the South, so was fed on Civil War folklore from the time I could eat solid food. Eventually, I grew up and began to study the actual history.

It was such a remarkable time of transition in warfare: from wagons to railroads, fortresses to earthworks, smooth bore muskets to rifles to breech loaders, wooden ships to ironclads, stand-up fighting to field entrenchments, cavalry to dragoons, small professional armies to the Nation at War. Wire entanglements, submarines, machine guns, the beginnings of aerial reconnaissance and indirect artillery fire. Some of these changes had already occurred in Europe, especially in the Crimean War, but the American Civil War brought them all together. I can think of no more transitional period until the Germans unleashed blitzkrieg in WW2.

As Mickey3D stated, the war featured a huge cast of unforgettable characters. Regimental colonels and struggling civilians rose to command huge armies in the space of two years. Political appointees on both sides achieved greatness while others never got beyond politics. A people was freed from slavery. The death knell of a society was sounded. A modern nation, for better or worse, emerged from the brink of chaos. If it hadn't happened, someone would have had to make it up.

Don't get me wrong in my enthusiasm. As Sherman said, "There's many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory; but, boys, it is all hell." (1880, Columbus, Ohio, in a speech to Union veterans). Perhaps because I am an American, I think our Civil War was a turning point in history.



Edit: to include the Sherman quote rather than a paraphrase.

[Huckabuck]

As a historian, I studied in college the revisionist views of causes for the war, which included, innate militarism of Southern culture inspired by Europe, the high value placed on federalism - cherished and promoted by the Southern-most founding fathers - the agrarian roots of the South versus the industrialist expansion of the North as dictated by geography and population, and others. Of course, the true cause of the war was the South's economic dependence on slavery, which was supported by the rank racism which persists in that part of the U.S. to this day. I enjoy playing the North because it allows me to re-live the destruction of that scurrilous way of life. There was nothing glorious about the uprising or the South's defense of slavery. To those players who like to live in a fantasy about the heroic fight of the traitorous rebels, I say meet me in The Wilderness where the blood ran deep and Bobby Lee ran for the hills.

[Gray Fox]

Some men who owned slaves fought for the Union. Some who never owned slaves fought for the Confederacy. I'm interested in my nation's Civil War because it has nothing to do with angels or demons and everything to do with simple men who were soldiers, like I once was.

Welcome to the forum, Huck.

[Huckabuck]

Well said, Gray Fox. My prejudice towards the political figures of the South has caused me to overstate my views, perhaps. You are correct, of course. Simple soldiers are the heart of any Army and they fight for each other mostly, rarely for a cause. I respect and appreciate your service. And yet. And yet. I enjoy this game because it allows me to whip Johnny Reb's butt without real bloodshed. I believe those who fought for the South were traitors to our country. I am interested in the Civil War because I believe in Union and I admire Abraham Lincoln. I also have great affection for Grant, who was a decisive, effective (if not efficient) general and a great president, though much misunderstood. Thanks for your reply.

[Durk]

Interesting exchange, I never try to judge the present by the past.
I fell in love with the American Civil War when I first learned that history books were much more interesting than fiction. While my family is all Union and I learn to admire the Grand Army of the Republic and such, I was drawn into the romance of the Glorious Cause. The American Civil War still defines much of our politics and even more of our political rhetoric, but essentially, a war which took more than a dozen of my immediate relatives still has gripping fascination.
One thing I found fascinating in my work on the ancestry of my family who 'never own slaves' and were deeply Unionist, was not only that they owned slaves, but that I have slaves as ancestors.
The title of this thread can lead us into the kind of misconceptions where we judge history from contemporary values. The American Civil War has led us to where we are, but we can love this conflict for what we have learned about so many things. One is, the nature of war.
I am not certain I am adding to this thread, but I think it is important to say, our shared history is interesting, but the quality of those engaged on both sides is to be admired.
My Southern relatives left the South to fight in Union North Carolina regiments, but those who chose a different stance are to be equally admired.

[Gray Fox]

One of my great grand-uncles fought for the Union and was killed. After the war, his father divided up the farm among his surviving sons. They had all fought for the Confederacy. Then my great-great-grandfather gave his dead son's share of the farm and our family name to the freed slave of his dead son. Who was right and who was wrong is a wound that we should allow to heal. Judging the dead is something that should best be left to the Almighty.

[khbynum]

...supported by the rank racism which persists in that part of the U.S. to this day. I enjoy playing the North because it allows me to re-live the destruction of that scurrilous way of life. There was nothing glorious about the uprising or the South's defense of slavery. To those players who like to live in a fantasy about the heroic fight of the traitorous rebels, I say meet me in The Wilderness where the blood ran deep and Bobby Lee ran for the hills.

Definition of trolling.

[havi]

ouch there is someone to deep in mushrooms! well when i watch U.S in here cold scandinavia i see land what where but up of principle of freedom. Everyone is free to do what he wants, and i see south saw their way of live was in jepardy maybe they were to rush no lincoln in white house but they do what they think was right! and that is the why i intrested in CW it was doing the right thing south saw the right thing was save their way of life and they had everru right to it but means were to radical, and north saw they have to keep the country together not free the slaves but keep union intact.
But biggest reason why i intrested in this era is donald duck comic book in the era when i was 7 and tv-show North and south and orr`s family =D

[Chicharito19]

Well truthfully my interest wasn't much until recently. After watching Gettysburg and reading The Angels, AND God's and Generals I developed what I would call a real interest. When I was in school we never learned that much about the Civil War. I am a Black man born and raised in Louisiana, where there are still many remnants of the Civil War. I live in Missouri now.

It also interests me because I am black but am married to someone who is white. She grew up in East Texas. We didn't get the best reception when we told her family we were getting married...for various reasons, but RACE certainly being one of them. But years later we have 5 kids. It's funny how kids can help bring somethings together, at least a little bit.

I'd love to learn more about my family and see where we were during the war, slaves? Free??? Military service? I have no clue. But I do see why in some ways the Civil War seems closer to me as I learn more. It's because it happened here, and with people that we may have been related to.

Although I've learned quite a bit recently and really respect the great generals the Confederate side had like Lee, Longstreet and Jackson, I don't think I could ever bring myself to play as the Confederate side...not just for a change, nor even for simulation purposes. Yes, I know it's just a game. But I am doubtful I could ever do it.

[tripax]

Hello Chicharito19,
Your post reminds me of Ta-Nehisi Coates's explanation of his interest in the civil war. He started studying the war almost 7 years ago now and has probably written over 100,000 words across over 100 articles. You might like it, here is a link to a page outlining all of his articles. Anyway, the first article of the series that I read was, "Why Do So Few blacks Study the Civil War." What I really liked was his idea of taking ownership of the history: "this was our war," he writes.

[Chicharito19]

Interesting sites. I did read the "Why do so few blacks Study the civil War" article. I agree with some things...and not so sure about his take on others. It was still a good read. Thank for sharing with me.

[csiemers]

I've always been a military history buff ever since I was little. I even dabble with a website that I've had since the late 1990s (wwiivehicles.com). My focus has always been on the World War II time frame but I enjoy learning about other military history. I think it has something to do with a war can bring out the worst and the best in humans. It's a dirty ugly business but sometimes good can come out of it.
The Civil War has always fascinated me as it takes place on American soil. All the battles I usually read about are in Europe or Asia. Someday I hope to visit many of those battlefields and pay my respects to the soldiers who fought there.

[Matchu]

Hello all,

I'm from Europe...and well..I have a long standing interest in History. Mainly I have looked at WW1 and WW2 but over recent years have looked into other key military events such as the American War of Independence and the ACW....but other events which follow more British history like the war of 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars.

As for gaming...I've always enjoyed strategy games....going back 25+ Years... Within that I've always had an interest in the "what if's" of history...so I do like to play both sides....yes I know they are only games....but its part of the fun/challenge/interest.

As has been said above...history is more interesting than fiction and the ACW had a wealth of drama, intrigue and characters.

[James W. Starnes]

I love history, but the American Civil War interests me the most by far. I'm from west TN, so when I study, I feel at home because it's just prideful to know that your kinsmen on this very land fought and died for something they believed in. The generals were particularly interesting, which saw some of the best in world history. I also love studying the diaries of soldiers, and the variety of men who fought. Some came from the woods of Maine, some from the mountains of Tennessee, some from the hills of Ireland, some from the highlands of Scotland, some from the plains of Texas.

[Straight Arrow]

Cheap, plastic soldiers were my favorite toy as a child; you hardly ever see them in the stores now.

My love for history grew out of a desire to learn more about those little figurines, the past’s how, where, why, what and when.