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There's a lot going on across the Nation, with politicians wanting to remove sites and statues that remember those who died (or fought) during the Civil War.
I don't understand the schism, as - and maybe it's naivety on my part - but I tend to think that most folks are good, and that most misunderstandings are owed to a lack of communication between people.
I would not want to see any civil unrest here, and I think that there are a handful of people - on any and all sides - who like to stir the pot (the worst of which being news outlets who want to bolster ratings).
I have been here five years, yet am unaware of any historical markers, etc. Are there any?
There is a plaque on S. Tryon commemorating the spot where Jefferson Davis was informed of Lincoln's assassination. There are also several state historic markers Uptown commemorating the last meeting of the Confederate cabinet, Davis' flight south from Richmond, the relocation of the Confederate Navy yard to Charlotte (strange but true).
There is a Confederate Soldiers Monument at Elmwood Cemetery and Old City Hall. There is also one on the grounds of Memorial Stadium built in 1929 that says: "Accepting the arbitrament of war, they preserved the Anglo-Saxon civilization of the South and became Master Builders in a Reunited County." It has been vandalized several times due to those words.
That is it on public land in Mecklenburg County. The one at Old City Hall is relatively small, so it does not have the same display or grandeur as many monuments across the nation that are to evoke glory / power related to the Civil War.
There is a monument in front of the county courthouse for Gaston, Cabarrus, Union, Iredell, Lincoln, and Cleveland Counties for Confederate soldiers as well.
There are numerous historical markers of Civil War events throughout the region, but a historical event marker is much different than a monument.
I think it's important to remember history but to also remember it accurately and empathetically.
The confederacy fought against the human rights of African American citizens. They fought against their humanity. Yes there were other aspects, but keep that in mind when understanding why some people have zero love for relics of that period.
It's like a Jewish person not wanting to see statues of Nazi leaders... of course those were all torn down years ago in Germany, and the people were decent enough to not question why it was necessary.
There aren't many comparatively because our beloved governor Zebulon Baird Vance managed our state well during that conflict and during Reconstruction and the Union Army did not make NC a primary battle ground. Gen Joe Johnson did fight some of the last maneuver battles in the western and piedmont and I think the last battle was a massacre at Shelton Laurel in Madison County but not sure.
So basically there are few Civil War battle sites, but there are many Confederate memorial sites to those who died. NC and TN by agreement were the last states to leave the union but NC provided the most men in the Confederacy to fight and die. Picketts charge at Gettysburg was filled with NC folks for example.
There are theories as to why Lincoln did not require NC as a battle ground as it was required of our sister state (SC) after the march to the sea. One is that it was PsyOps to burn SC and its capital but not the NC capital, pitting one state against the other. One theory was that the war was won, the march to the sea had worked and SC was appropriately punished back to the stone age so even Sherman had no desire to destroy a state that didn't need to be. Some said that once SC was destroyed the Union wanted a quick reunion with GEN Grant to end to whole thing. Some say Pres Lincoln wanted to start the reconciliation. Some even say that since President Lincoln's parents were from NC, he had an emotional bond to family there and was a little soft on them. A now debunked rumor was that Lincoln had been born in NC himself and chose not to destroy his home state.
So you might find a few markers for events in pass through there isn't much military wise. There are group memorials to those who died and were never brought home and if somebody were to treat those memorials badly I would be hurt as I would be if any cemetery memorials were disturbed. It just isn't right for any color, religion, or whatever.
If you want military sites, we do have several Revolutionary War sites...
There is a plaque on S. Tryon commemorating the spot where Jefferson Davis was informed of Lincoln's assassination. There are also several state historic markers Uptown commemorating the last meeting of the Confederate cabinet, Davis' flight south from Richmond, the relocation of the Confederate Navy yard to Charlotte (strange but true).
Quote:
Originally Posted by CLT4
There is a Confederate Soldiers Monument at Elmwood Cemetery and Old City Hall. There is also one on the grounds of Memorial Stadium built in 1929 that says: "Accepting the arbitrament of war, they preserved the Anglo-Saxon civilization of the South and became Master Builders in a Reunited County." It has been vandalized several times due to those words.
That is it on public land in Mecklenburg County. The one at Old City Hall is relatively small, so it does not have the same display or grandeur as many monuments across the nation that are to evoke glory / power related to the Civil War.
There is a monument in front of the county courthouse for Gaston, Cabarrus, Union, Iredell, Lincoln, and Cleveland Counties for Confederate soldiers as well.
There are numerous historical markers of Civil War events throughout the region, but a historical event marker is much different than a monument.
Quote:
Originally Posted by theoldnorthstate
There aren't many comparatively because our beloved governor Zebulon Baird Vance managed our state well during that conflict and during Reconstruction and the Union Army did not make NC a primary battle ground. Gen Joe Johnson did fight some of the last maneuver battles in the western and piedmont and I think the last battle was a massacre at Shelton Laurel in Madison County but not sure.
Appreciate the information, and the time you took to write
There aren't many comparatively because our beloved governor Zebulon Baird Vance managed our state well during that conflict and during Reconstruction and the Union Army did not make NC a primary battle ground. Gen Joe Johnson did fight some of the last maneuver battles in the western and piedmont and I think the last battle was a massacre at Shelton Laurel in Madison County but not sure.
The Shelton Laurel Massacre took place in 1863. It is generally agreed that the last battle of the war was the Battle of Palmito Ranch in Texas in May, 1865.
I think it's important to remember history but to also remember it accurately and empathetically.
The confederacy fought against the human rights of African American citizens. They fought against their humanity. Yes there were other aspects, but keep that in mind when understanding why some people have zero love for relics of that period.
It's like a Jewish person not wanting to see statues of Nazi leaders... of course those were all torn down years ago in Germany, and the people were decent enough to not question why it was necessary.
That's an issue in and of itself.
There's an insistence that the War revolved solely around slavery.
As someone who's not native to the South, after observing those who celebrate Southern history, it is apparent that said individuals acknowledge the evils of slavery and discrimination, and have a conciliatory attitude towards those who have suffered. It is therefore incongruous to celebrate that which you denounce, unless there's more to this issue than meets the eye?
I say all of this as an outsider, who's examining the motives of those who celebrate, and seek to preserve, the history of the Civil War.
As much as I understand the well meaning motives of those who are removing Confederate statues, markers, etc., my main concern about deleting history, is that a society that's ignorant of history repeats it.
Many of the statues and memorials were not erected immediately following the war, but in the Jim Crow era and were celebrated with sentiments like CLT4 mentioned that reference "preserving the Anglo-Saxon civilization". There's a statue at UNC Chapel Hill nicknamed "Silent Sam" and one of the prominent speakers at the unveiling and dedication of that statue, Julian Carr, in 1913 made similar remarks and much worse. A lot of folks think the statues are all about honoring war dead and don't realize there was anything more going on when they were put up, but there was often more to it than that. Don't want to get into it too much here, but worth doing some of your own research about it and making up your own mind.
I wouldn't object to a memorial to all the folks who died and suffered in slavery and during the Civil War on both sides, and I'd like to think most people would feel the same way. It was a terrible time and I think we can acknowledge that history without nostalgia.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by theoldnorthstate
There aren't many comparatively because our beloved governor Zebulon Baird Vance managed our state well during that conflict and during Reconstruction and the Union Army did not make NC a primary battle ground. Gen Joe Johnson did fight some of the last maneuver battles in the western and piedmont and I think the last battle was a massacre at Shelton Laurel in Madison County but not sure.
So basically there are few Civil War battle sites, but there are many Confederate memorial sites to those who died. NC and TN by agreement were the last states to leave the union but NC provided the most men in the Confederacy to fight and die. Picketts charge at Gettysburg was filled with NC folks for example.
There are theories as to why Lincoln did not require NC as a battle ground as it was required of our sister state (SC) after the march to the sea. One is that it was PsyOps to burn SC and its capital but not the NC capital, pitting one state against the other. One theory was that the war was won, the march to the sea had worked and SC was appropriately punished back to the stone age so even Sherman had no desire to destroy a state that didn't need to be. Some said that once SC was destroyed the Union wanted a quick reunion with GEN Grant to end to whole thing. Some say Pres Lincoln wanted to start the reconciliation. Some even say that since President Lincoln's parents were from NC, he had an emotional bond to family there and was a little soft on them. A now debunked rumor was that Lincoln had been born in NC himself and chose not to destroy his home state.
So you might find a few markers for events in pass through there isn't much military wise. There are group memorials to those who died and were never brought home and if somebody were to treat those memorials badly I would be hurt as I would be if any cemetery memorials were disturbed. It just isn't right for any color, religion, or whatever.
If you want military sites, we do have several Revolutionary War sites...
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