President Trump Presents American Civil War History Lesson

[David Lockmiller]

(10-15-2018 01:52 PM)L Verge Wrote:  This assessment of Antietam from the website of The American Battlefield Trust - formerly the Civil War Preservation Trust: "The bloodiest single day in American military history ended in a draw, but the Confederate retreat gave President Abraham Lincoln the “victory” he desired before issuing the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation five days later." Please note the word "draw" and also the quotes around "victory..."

There is an important aspect of this Antietam "draw" or "victory" that has not been previously addressed on this thread. A winner of the Pulitzer Prize, historian James M. McPherson, explained this particular aspect as follows:

[Robert E. Lee] invaded Maryland to conquer a peace. The fate of diplomacy rode with Lee in this campaign. The Federals "got a very complete smashing" at Bull Run, wrote Palmerston to Russell on September 14, "and it seems not altogether unlikely that still greater disasters await them, and that even Washington or Baltimore may fall into the hands of the Confederates. If this should happen, would it not be time for us to consider whether . . . England and France might not address the contending parties and recommend an arrangement upon the basis of separation? Russell was ready and willing. On September 17--the very day of the fighting at Sharpsburg--he concurred in the plan to offer mediation, adding that if the North refused, "we ought ourselves to recognise the Southern States as an independent State." But when reports of Antietam reached England (news required twelve days or more to cross the Atlantic), Palmerston turned cautious. When he learned of Lee's retreat to Virginia, Palmerston backed off. "These last battles in Maryland have rather set the North up again," he wrote to Russell early in October. "The whole matter is full of difficulty, and can only be cleared up by some more decided events between the contending armies.

But Antietam did not cool the ardor of Russell and Gladstone for recognition. They insisted on bringing the matter before the cabinet on October 28, despite Palmerston's repeated insistence that matters had changed since mid-September, "when the Confederates seemed to be carrying all before them . . . . I am very much come back to our original view that we must continue merely to be lookers-on till the war shall have a more decided turn." The cabinet voted Russell and Gladstone down. The French weighed in at this point with a suggestion that Britain, France, and Russia propose a six-month armistice--during which the blockade would be suspended. This so blatantly favored the South that pro-Union Russia quickly rejected it. The British cabinet, after two days of discussion, also turned it down.

Thus ended the South's best chance for intervention. (emphasis added.) . . . It had done more, by enabling Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation the battle also ensured that Britain would think twice about intervening against a government fighting for freedom as well as Union.

(Source: "The Illustrated BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM *****The Civil War Era," by James M. McPherson, Oxford University Press, (2003), pages 479-480.)

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(10-16-2018 10:54 AM)My Name Is Kate Wrote:  Anyone who cares to do so, can see and hear for themselves exactly what President Trump said or did not say at the Ohio rally, when he was referring to Grant and Lee. The segment is less than three minutes long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pxPIwqv8AA

Trump never said Grant had "an uncontrollable drinking problem during the American Civil War." It was David Lockmiller who said that in Post #3 above. Trump said Grant "drank a little bit too much" toward the beginning of the segment, then toward the end, he said Grant "had a serious drinking problem." He did not specify whether or not Grant drank during the Civil War.

Aussiemick to David Lockmiller in Post #12: "I think that you have been determined to show that Trump spoke inaccurately. In this case I think you're struggling. I get the feeling that Pres Trump is likely to give you further and more substantial opportunities. Why not wait until then?"

He can't wait.

I watched the video to which you provided a hyperlink. At the approximate 30 second mark, Trump said this: "It also gave you a general who was incredible. . . . He drank a little too much."

Kate, I assume that you realize that Grant was not made a general until AFTER the Civil War began. I couldn't wait to tell you this.