10 Comments

When did Wilder find out that his brigade had been infiltrated by Confederates? Was it before or after he raised the funds for the monument?

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Kevin, Your excellent take on the important work of historians and the need for our citizenry to know that history notwithstanding, MTG is STILL an idiot, and I say that based on direct observation.

A book recommendation for you, if you've not yet gotten to it: Teaching White Supremacy by Donald Yacovone (Harvard). An excellent work on how we have written about and taught history for the last 200 years.

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Hi Mark. I am reading it now. I recently had the opportunity to talk about the book with him over lunch.

It's really well done and I especially appreciate the focus on northern textbooks and writers, which certainly complicates our understanding of the history of white supremacy in the United States as much as the textbooks themselves.

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It wouldn’t matter what the truth was to these people or the legions who support them. The facts are irrelevant to them, not just in this matter but everything else.

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I agree, but I also think this is old news. What I was trying to get at is that neither side appears to be interested in a narrative of the war that reflects a slightly more nuanced history. It's easy to call out MTG, but not always so easy to place one's own views in sharper focus.

Thanks for the comment.

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Old news but relevant. In this day and age nuance is out. It’s B & W baby. Everyone on their own side of the street.

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Any idea about the composition of the brigade? It’s social history and combat history? If they were from NY, how did they find themselves at Chattanooga? Via Hooker’s division?

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Indiana and Illinois men in the Army of the Cumberland. https://www.in.gov/iwm/battle-flag-collection/the-lightning-brigade/

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Thanks, Ken.

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