Messages from John T. Hughes Camp #614 Sons of Confederate Veterans. We are constantly looking for news and information related to Southern Heritage and the War Between The States.
Friday, December 27, 2013
TRAITORS?
TRAITORS?
From: waynedobson51@yahoo.com
Apparently the Macon Telegraph is a willing partner to writers defaming our Southern heritage. A Few days ago they published a letter of mine about Jeff Davis (THEY entitled it "Inaccurate Prediction" slapping at Davis' sound belief that the North and South would never be one country (only the misguided feel we are one today) North and South reunited by constraint, only. Today Macon.com published another attack by our ol' buddy Jim Sandefur of Lizella, Georgia and you can see for yourself (below) what title THEY put on it - shows what side this Macon, GA publication clearly takes. As I have said before, I care nothing for what they say about me, but when they call honorable men who gave their all in defense of the Southland "traitors", well, I believe we should give our best effort to the fight, too. We do not have to stand for this - at least not silently. Please distribute news of this continuing attack to all that you will. Merry Christmas.
Faithful to his oath
John Wayne Dobson takes the 124th anniversary of Jefferson Davis' death to show how hard it was for Davis and Jackson and Lee to become traitors. Well, in a few days we will be able to celebrate the 149th anniversary of Virginia's greatest general's victory at the Battle of Nashville. That general's name was George Thomas.
Like Lee, Thomas was a plantation class Virginian. As a child he played with his families' slaves and illicitly taught some of them to read. When Lee was superintendent at West Point, Thomas was an artillery and cavalry instructor. He and Lee were friends.
Also like Lee, Thomas swore the following oath to become a United States Army officer when he graduated from West Point: "I, George Thomas, appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, do solemnly swear, or affirm, that I will bear true allegiance to the United States of America, and that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies or opposers whatsoever, and observe and obey the orders of the president of the United States, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according the rules and articles for the government of the armies of the United States."
Unlike Lee, George Thomas was not able to betray his solemn oath as a gentleman and officer. Thomas loved Virginia and his family living there, so his decision to not break his oath and not betray his country was probably harder than Davis' and Lee's decision to join the crowd and fight for one of the worst causes in the history of war -- the preservation of slavery.
At the Battle of Chickamauga, Thomas earned the nickname 'Rock of Chickamauga' by saving the Union Army from being completely routed. Later, the army he built in Tennessee was never defeated and he was considered by some to be the best general in the Union Army, but he was never fully trusted by Sherman and Grant because he was a Virginian and they were jealous of his abilities. Some modern historians point out that had Thomas joined Lee, that lethal combination could very well have led to victory for the Confederacy.
So, instead of celebrating the anniversary of Jefferson's death on Dec. 6, I'll celebrate the greatest general from Virginia who attacked, routed and destroyed the Confederate Army of Tennessee at the Battle of Nashville on Dec. 15-16, 1864.
Jim Sandefur
Lizella
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RE: TRAITORS?
From: Scroggins.Steve@mccg.org
It's evident that Sandefur reads Esquire magazine. See this article and note the similarities:
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/what-an-oath-means
Written by a Lt Col. Robert Bateman, it is dated Aug. 14, 2013. I had not seen this before today, or I would have responded already.
I'm working on my response to Sandefur, though obviously not with any hope of persuading him.
--Steve
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Sandefur's silly nonsense
From: Scroggins.Steve@mccg.org
Jim Sandefur never fails to slander Confederate soldiers as 'traitors' or to falsely define their cause, which in truth was self-defense and independence. He applauds Union Gen. George Thomas of Virginia, who is more aptly deemed the traitor.
Thomas, Gen. R. E. Lee and Jefferson Davis were all West Point graduates. Honest people of the time had honest differences on secession and which duties and allegiances were paramount. Each acted according to his conscience.
Many West Point cadets were familiar with a text book used there, 'A View of the Constitution of the United States of America,' written by William Rawle. The 2nd Edition (1829) can be read online at www.constitution.org.
In Chapter 32 entitled, 'Of the Permanence of the Union,' Rawle writes that each state 'depends on itself whether it will continue a member of the Union. To deny this right would be inconsistent with the principle on which all our political systems are founded'¦' He added that, 'Allegiance [to the Union] would necessarily cease on the dissolution [of the Union].'
Though not the only Constitutional reference text at West Point, it's well documented that many graduates of the pre-war period were familiar with Rawle's views --- views that are entirely consistent with those of Madison and the Framers.
Sandefur is as wrong now as the US government was then to slander Davis, Lee and others. Treason charges against Davis and others were dropped in 1869. US prosecutors knew that the facts didn't support their charges. US Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase wrote in July 1867, 'If you bring these [Confederate] leaders to trial it will condemn the North, for by the Constitution secession is not rebellion. Lincoln wanted Davis to escape, and he was right. His capture was a mistake. His trial will be a greater one.'
Sandefur's nonsense notwithstanding, it's well documented that the invasion and blockade of the south were NOT launched to abolish slavery. It was Lincoln and his yankee horde who committed treason as defined in the Constitution.
Steve Scroggins