by Ty Seidule
Cities across the South are dealing with the Lost Cause legacy. Statues of Lee in Austin, New Orleans, Baltimore, Dallas, and a host of other cities have been moved from public spaces. Some communities are adding plaques to provide context to the monuments dedicated to white supremacy. Schools have changed their names. There is no one-size-fits-all prescription for dealing with our past.
Virginia passed a bill in 2020 changing the state law that prevented local communities from modifying Confederate monuments. The new law allows local communities the autonomy to “remove, relocate, contextualize, cover, or alter” any monument in a public space.11 Soon, Alexandria’s Confederate monument came down. Yet, Tennessee strengthened its Heritage Protection Act. Cities that remove Confederate monuments would no longer receive state grants for five years. The law was a reaction to Memphis’s removing a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest. The Tennessee legislature punished the city by taking out $250,000 from its state allotment in 2018.
The memory of the Civil War remains contested. As David Blight has written, “As long as America has a politics of race, it will have a politics of civil war memory.”12 Yet, the facts are becoming clear to more and more people. The Confederate States of America and those who fought for it refused to accept the results of a democratic election in 1860. They rebelled against the United States of America to set up a new country founded on the principle of white supremacy to protect and expand the institution of slavery, forever. Then, when white southerners lost, Lee and those who followed him created new ways to install racial control.
Now that we can acknowledge the facts, our conversation can be grounded in reality, not myth and not ideology. An important point to remember is that we don’t own the actions of people who lived in the 1860s or the 1930s. But we do have a responsibility to acknowledge the past, to acknowledge the facts. The past does not have to control us, especially if we understand it.
With superb civil rights, slavery, Jim Crow, and lynching museums in almost every major city, the South is leading the nation toward a more honest engagement with the past. Every time I visit one of those museums, I’m heartened to see a story hidden from me as a southern boy available to schoolchildren. Textbooks are changing too. In so many ways, I’m proud of my country, even though we still have far to go. I believe we will do better in the future, but we must never, ever forget the past.
In Lee Chapel on that steamy September evening in 2017, I finished my talk by telling my alma mater that it must do its duty. After studying and acknowledging its history of white supremacy and racism, W&L must lead the nation toward a more honest understanding of our shared history. The reaction of the overwhelmingly white audience to my speech criticizing Lee? For calling Lee a traitor for slavery in the Shrine of the South? For telling my school to do more, now?
A standing ovation.
I basked in the warm glow of acceptance. Change had arrived in Lee Chapel, of all places. Of course, changing an institution steeped in the Lost Cause proved more difficult than giving a speech. After much anguish, W&L chose to triangulate between a more conservative board of trustees and a more liberal faculty.
W&L’s middle of the road position became more tenuous after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. The global protests against racism dwarfed the reaction to the 2015 Charleston massacre or the 2017 violence in Charlottesville. Far more Confederate statues tumbled to the ground in 2020.
More and more people, especially white Americans, seemed to accept the reality of systemic racism in the United States, epitomized by the Confederacy and the Lost Cause myth. Was this the clarion call that would result in change? Would the country recognize its foundational problem and act?
Racism is the virus in the American dirt, infecting everything and everyone. To combat racism, we must do more than acknowledge the long history of white supremacy. Policies must change. Yet, an understanding of history remains the foundation. The only way to prevent a racist future is to first understand our racist past.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As a soldier, I learned early in my career that no worthwhile project is a solo effort. I’m indebted to so many people who helped me along this journey.
Libraries and archives are the laboratories of history. Chris Barth and his team at the West Point Library remain the soul of the community. Research at West Point was made easy by the amazing Archives and Special Collections team, especially Elaine McConnell, Susan Lintelman, Alicia Mauldin-Ware, Casey Madrick, and Suzanne Christoff. Dr. Mark Danley was “my” research librarian. He not only found sources, he showed me how to find them myself. The West Point Museum staff led by David Reel allowed me access to their archives and their magnificent collection.
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Sherman Fleek, the command historian, found West Point colonels who remained loyal. His research helped me greatly. Scholar Walt Bachman allowed me to use his incredible archive of antebellum pay records. His research and his books have changed our understanding of slavery in the army. At Washington and Lee University, my thanks go to their Special Collections team led by Tom Camden. My W&L classmate Dave Denby talked to me about his recollections. The Center for Military History led by Charles Bowery and Jon Hoffman provided me with their research into Confederate post names. Journalist Wes Swietek allowed me to see his amazing manuscript on the Moore’s Ford lynching.
My bosses at West Point, Brigadier General Cindy Jebb and Lieutenant General Darryl Williams, proved brave and true—even when my research made others anxious. Academic freedom and the military mix uneasily. I needed the best damn lawyers in the army to ensure I could talk about subjects that made some leaders at West Point and the Pentagon uncomfortable. Lori Doughty is the finest lawyer in the army. Her wise counsel allowed me to maintain my army career and present my research. Colonel (retired) Jim Robinette was the best Staff Judge Advocate, ever. He provided top cover to ensure my academic freedom.
My colleagues in the Department of History created a professional and intellectual home. I served in D/History from 1994-2020 with only a six-year break. Colonel Gail Yoshitani and I led the department together for seven years. Her organizational skills and strong leadership allowed me the time to think, research, and write. The other leaders in D/History created the wonderful intellectual haven I cherished for decades. My thanks go to: Colonels Bryan Gibby and Jason Musteen; Lieutenant Colonels Sean Sculley, Nadine Ross, Rick Black, and Dave Siry; Professors Greta Bucher, David Frey, Jen Kiesling, Rob McDonald, Tom Nimick, John Stapleton, Steve Waddell, Sam Watson, and especially Cliff Rogers. Cliff and I worked together for years on The West Point History of Warfare. He showed me how a real scholar works—until the mission is complete. Ms. Neyda Castillo, Ms. Romyer Witten, and especially Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Ray Hrinko ensured D/History ran smoothly and happily. Wisdom through History!
Through the years, I have taught brilliant cadets and officers at West Point. They helped me hone the arguments here. In particular, Michael Barlow’s effort as a cadet to force West Point to acknowledge its past and demand a more inclusive future showed me how change can occur. Percy Squire and David Brice graduated from West Point in 1972 and led the fight against Nixon’s Confederate monument. Their willingness to share their experience made this book a better one. Art Hester saved the only copy of the “manifesto” written by the cadets. I’m grateful he shared his copy with me. Bill Knowlton sent me his dad’s valuable oral history.
Dr. Donald Outing became my friend and comrade while we fought to make West Point a more inclusive community. Friends at West Point, especially the Wallaces, the Brownes, and the Rafterys made our Rockbound Highlands Home a special place. They listened patiently while I railed against Confederates.
Special thanks to my literary agent, Eric Lupfer, who helped me take a rough idea and polish it into a successful book proposal. I’m lucky to have Charles Spicer as an editor. Rarely does an author with my limited track record work with an editor at the top of his profession. Sarah Grill, assi
stant editor, served with distinction. As copy editor, Ingrid Sterner made this book far better. And I apologize for all my capitalization errors. The team at St. Martin’s Press did heroic work during the pandemic.
One of my heroes is Professor Ted DeLaney. He started at Washington and Lee University as a custodian and eventually became a professor there. Ted and Provost Marc Connor invited me to give a talk at W&L, in Lee Chapel, that became the basis for this book. Ted serves as the heart and soul of W&L. His comments on the manuscript made the book better. I’m lucky to call him a friend.
Professors Maria Hoehn and Jim Merritt at Vassar provided me with a venue to give the lecture that served as the basis for this book. Their positive reaction made me think I could turn the lecture into a book. Professor Randy Roberts at Purdue showed me how historians can write successfully for a public audience. As our visiting Ewing Chair in Military History, I appreciated his friendship and his enthusiasm for Army football. Rick Atkinson provided me with more help than he will ever know. As a retired army officer and academic, I wanted to write a book people would read. While I’ll never reach the high standard he set as a researcher and writer, I appreciate his willingness to mentor me.
New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu’s bravery in confronting Confederate idolatry and his amazing book In the Shadow of Statues helped me find my voice. Several incredible historians assisted me. Professor Charles Dew, a fellow southerner, wrote two influential books, Apostles of Disunion and The Making of a Racist, that changed my worldview. His brilliant and honest books showed me that a historian could be part of the history. Charles’s comments about the manuscript made this book far better. Professor Adam Domby, author of a superb new book entitled The False Cause, read the entire manuscript and gave me a brilliant tutorial on the latest Civil War and Lost Cause historiography. Professor James Hogue, an accomplished Civil War historian, provided me with insightful comments. So too did Professor Zach Fry. Professor James M. McPherson, the dean of Civil War historians, read the manuscript and gave me much needed encouragement. So too did Professors John Morrow, Andy Bacevich, Joe Glatthaar, and Doug Brinkley. One historian whom I must thank, I can’t. I never met Elizabeth Brown Pryor before her untimely death. Her book Reading the Man proved invaluable to me, allowing me to understand Lee in a way I had not before reading her opus.
My new intellectual home is Hamilton College. I learned as a soldier: find and follow great leaders. President David Wippman and Dean Suzanne Keen are two of the finest leaders I have met in my career. The terrific historians at Hamilton led by Professor Lisa Trivedi welcomed me to their excellent department. Thanks as well to Professor Maurice Isserman.
I’m thankful to Jonathan Soros and Vivien Labaton for creating and running the Chamberlain Project. The fellowship Jonathan sponsors is named for Joshua Chamberlain, nicknamed “The Lion of Little Round Top.” At Gettysburg, Chamberlain received the Medal of Honor for leading the most famous bayonet charge in American history. Chamberlain also commanded the U.S. Army’s forces when Lee surrendered at Appomattox. As a Chamberlain Fellow, I’m honored to be associated with a name so revered by my fellow soldiers.
Brenda Whitesell, a longtime friend, read the entire manuscript and provided superb insights. My sister Nancy Hauth grew up with the Lost Cause too, but in her wisdom, she was able to see the lie far earlier than I did. She helped me identify the truth that eluded me for too long. The first person to read this book, word by word, was my son Peter. He believed in it before I did. I benefited from his enthusiasm and keen intellect. My son Wade provided me with encouragement throughout the writing process. Peter’s wife, Jill Biskup, and Wade’s girlfriend, Bri Powell, suffered through many meals with my Lee obsession. Together, Peter, Jill, Wade, and Bri brightened our house during the long COVID quarantine.
The person most responsible for this book is my wife, Shari, the most honest person I have ever known. Growing up as a white southerner imbued with the Lost Cause myth meant I learned to lie early in life—and never stopped. She taught me to see the truth. Then when I finally saw it, she helped me discover the courage to speak and write honestly. The truth changed my life. She changed my life. This book became a reality only because of her.
NOTES
INTRODUCTION
1. David Blight, “‘The Civil War Lies on Us Like a Sleeping Dragon’: America’s Deadly Divide—and Why It Has Returned,” Guardian, Aug. 20, 2017, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/20/civil-war-american-history-trump.
2. George W. Cullum, Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, 3rd ed., vol. I (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 1891), 11–12.
3. Act of July 23, 1892, “An Act to Accept a Bequest Made by General George W. Cullum for the Erection of a Memorial Hall at West Point, New York, and to Carry Out the Terms and Conditions of the Same into Execution,” 52nd Cong., 1st Sess., chaps. 236, 237.
4. Robert Penn Warren, The Legacy of the Civil War: Meditations on the Centennial (New York: Random House, 1961), 4.
5. Dan Berry, “In a Swirl of ‘Untruths’ and ‘Falsehoods,’ Calling a Lie a Lie,” The New York Times, Jan. 25, 2017.
6. Alan T. Nolan, “The Anatomy of a Myth,” in The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History, ed. Gary W. Gallagher and Alan T. Nolan (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000), 12.
7. U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 10, “No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation.”
8. David W. Blight, Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory (Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2001); Karen L. Cox, Dixie’s Daughters: The United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Preservation of Confederate Culture (Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2003); Caroline E. Janney, Remembering the Civil War: Reunion and the Limits of Reconciliation (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2013); Adam Domby, The False Cause: Fraud, Fabrication, and White Supremacy in Confederate Memory (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2020).
CHAPTER 1: MY CHILDHOOD: RAISED ON A WHITE SOUTHERN MYTH
1. Bruce Catton, narrator, The American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War (New York: American Heritage Publishing, 1960).
2. Joseph Glatthaar, General Lee’s Army: From Victory to Collapse (New York: Free Press, 2008), 280.
3. Carol Reardon, Pickett’s Charge in History and Memory (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1997).
4. Glatthaar, General Lee’s Army, 283.
5. William Faulkner, Intruder in the Dust (New York: Random House, 1948), 194–195.
6. In his biography, Douglas Southall Freeman has a chapter called “What Can Detain Longstreet?” Douglas Southall Freeman, Robert E. Lee: A Biography (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1934–1935), 3:86; Reardon, Pickett’s Charge in History and Memory; William Garrett Piston, Lee’s Tarnished Lieutenant: James Longstreet and His Place in Southern History (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1987), 177.
7. John Coski, The Confederate Battle Flag: America’s Most Embattled Emblem (Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2005), 3–6.
8. James W. Loewen and Edward H. Sebesta, The Confederate and Neo-Confederate Reader: The “Great Truth” About the “Lost Cause” (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2010), 13.
9. George Henry Preble, Our Flag: Origin and Progress of the Flag of the United States of America (Albany, N.Y.: Joel Munsell, 1872), 416–17.
10. Coski, Confederate Battle Flag, 18.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid., 97.
13. George Swift Trow, Meet Robert E. Lee (New York: Random House, 1969).
14. Ibid., 28.
15. Ibid., 64.
16. Robert J. Cook, Troubled Commemoration: The American Civil War Centennial, 1961–1965 (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2007); John Wiener, “Civil War, Cold War, Civil Rights: The Civil War Centennial in Context, 1960–1965,” in The Memory of the Civil War in American Culture, ed
. Alice Fahs and Joan Waugh (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2004), 248–49.
17. Allan R. Millett, Peter Maslowski, and William B. Feis, For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States from 1607-2012, 3rd ed. (New York: Free Press, 2012).
18. John William Jones, The Davis Memorial Volume (Richmond, Va.: B. F. Johnson, 1889), 438.
19. R. A. Steel, “The Phrase ‘Civil War,’” Confederate Veteran, July 1912, 347.
20. Gaines M. Foster, “What’s Not in a Name: The Naming of the American Civil War” Journal of the Civil War Era 8, no. 3 (Sep. 2018): 416–454.
21. Marion Palmer, Walt Disney’s Uncle Remus Stories (New York: Golden Press, 1968).
22. Robert Cochran, “Black Father: The Subversive Achievement of Joel Chandler Harris,” African American Review 38, no. 1 (Spring 2004): 21-34; Wayne Mixon, “The Ultimate Irrelevance of Race: Joel Chandler Harris and Uncle Remus in Their Time,” The Journal of Southern History 56, no. 3 (Aug. 1990): 457–480.
23. Joel Chandler Harris, Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings, the Folklore of the Old Plantation (New York: D. Appleton, 1881).