History Corrected 

Was the War Beteween the States a Civil War?

While many refer to it as such, the conflict from 1861 to 1865 doesn't meet the common definition of a civil war. According to Webster, a civil war is a conflict between different sections or factions within the same nation. However, this wasn't the case during the War Between the States. The North and South were two distinct nations—the United States of America and the Confederate States of America. Before the conflict, Southern states legally passed ordinances of secession to leave the Union and later formed their own nation.

​

Additionally, the term "civil war," as used in reference to other historical conflicts like the English or Roman civil wars, doesn't accurately describe what happened between the North and South. The Southern states had no intention of overthrowing the existing federal government or imposing their will on states like Massachusetts or New York.

​

Instead, the Southern states chose to withdraw from the United States, leaving its government intact, and formed their own confederation. This approach is similar to the one taken by American patriots 90 years earlier, but with an even stronger legal foundation than the revolution celebrated by many who now condemn Southern secession.

Wasn’t the War Between the States fought to end slavery? 

While slavery was a significant issue during the Civil War, it was not the primary reason for the conflict. President Abraham Lincoln, who initiated the war, made it clear that his main goal was to preserve the Union, even if that meant protecting slavery. In a letter to Horace Greeley, Lincoln stated that he would save the Union with or without freeing slaves, depending on what was necessary.

​

The idea that the war was fought solely to free the slaves emerged in 1863 when Lincoln needed to shift the war’s focus. With the conflict at a stalemate and European powers considering support for the Confederacy, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This document had no legal authority to free slaves but was a successful public relations move that redefined the war's purpose.

​

Lincoln’s introduction of slavery as a war rationale came well after the conflict had begun, highlighting that other factors were at play, including a punitive Northern tariff, debates over state sovereignty, and Lincoln’s determination to preserve the Union. Ultimately, the 13th Amendment, passed after Lincoln’s death, was what truly ended slavery.

Isn’t the Confederate flag a symbol of oppression, since it flew over slavery?

The Naval Jack, which most critics call “the Confederate flag,” never did fly over slavery. It was never a national flag of the Confederacy, and its use was confined to military ships and, in some western states, army units. Nor does the square Confederate battle flag have any association with slavery, since it also was restricted to use by troops under fire on the battlefield.

​

But, if critics argue that any Confederate flag is a symbol of oppression because it flew over a nation in which slavery was legal, then they must also be prepared to pull the Stars and Stripes off of every flag pole in the nation. The Confederacy tolerated slavery for just over four years, though the Stars and Stripes flew on slave ships and over a nation condoning slavery for almost 90 years, from its adoption on January 3, 1777, until the 13th Amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865.

Isn’t the Confederate flag a symbol of bigotry and racism?

Even though the Naval Jack, often mislabeled as the "Confederate flag," has been misused by racist groups to appeal to Southerners, it does not lose its honorable history. Born from the Cross of St. Andrew, it was a soldier’s flag, representing the honor and valor of those defending their homes in a war they didn’t seek.

​

When critics claim the Confederate flag is a symbol of racism due to its misuse by groups like the Ku Klux Klan, they must also consider that the Stars and Stripes and the Christian flag have been similarly abused by such groups. Yet, no one calls for banning these symbols because people recognize that their true meanings remain intact despite their misuse. The same standard should apply to the Confederate battle flag.

Did any African Americans fight for the Confederacy?

Yes, an estimated 65,000 African Americans—some free, but most slaves—assisted the Confederate cause. Many served as cooks, teamsters or in other support roles, but almost a third faced the enemy in combat. (One scholar estimates as many as 180,000 African Americans may have assisted the Confederate army.)

​

About 5,000 to 10,000 African Americans, possibly more, served in North Carolina units, according to Weymouth T. Jordan, editor of North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865 for the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. At least 200 African Americans were awarded Confederate pensions from the state government, suggesting that many times than that number actually served. This is because all pensioners faced a substantial burden of proof, with many soldiers not being able to demonstrate their eligibility; even the youngest applicant had to survive to age 79, to be living when the pensions were established; and needed to remain in North Carolina, though many migrated.

​

Much of the documentation about African American soldiers comes from Federal accounts, including this one from former slave Frederick Douglass: “There are at the present moment many Colored men in the Confederate Army doing duty not only as cooks, servants and laborers, but real soldiers, having musket on their shoulders, and bullets in their pockets, ready to shoot down any loyal troops and do all that soldiers may do to destroy the Federal government and build up that of the rebels.”

​

Over the last decade, several volumes have documented the role of African Americans in the war, including work by Dr. Edward Smith, dean of American Studies at American University in Washington, whose academic research has been dedicated to explaining the role of African Americans in the conflict.

Why would any African Americans serve the Confederacy? 

Historians have identified several reasons for African Americans' Confederate service, including loyalty to their state, protecting their homes from Federal troops, personal bonds with free citizens who enlisted, and, in some cases, the promise of freedom in exchange for military service.