1) The South always uses "States Rights" when it is outvoted on a National level, then hopes to make things National law after it rigs Congress (see abortion rights). The Missouri Compromise was one such rigging, it made slavery a 50/50 Congressional issue when the National majority was against slavery.
2) As far as warfare is concerned, its rather easy to see why the Rebels had early success...they could march much faster into position (Stonewall's men had lighter packs and were in better shape) and thus were able to continually outflank the slower/less organized Northern troops with "daring" maneuvers (actually just faster which gave them positional advantages). Head to head they obviously didn't do very well. This was much like the Revolution where our Patriot forces also suffered in head to head engagements, had to use more guerilla/war of attrition tactics.
3) I've always wondered about Lee, Longstreet, and other Virginian's "I must be loyal to Virginia" stance. Re: slavery it seems a "I may be against what you do, but I'll defend your right to do it" position, perhaps ok for free speech but not slavery. Longstreet continues to amaze me, he was the Southern general who best understood defensive positions and cooperated with Reconstruction (and is vilified for it in the South...his only statue at Gettysburg presumably put up by Northerners). He seems the most honorable Rebel General, yet if he's so good why was he fighting to maintain slavery?
4) Not sure about this, but why on earth would slaves fight for the South? Its like Reuben Navarrette's comment on the "Hispanics for Trump" PAC..."isn’t this like 'chickens for Colonel Sanders'?"
5) Just saw documentary on B. Arnold, a case could be made that we wouldn't have won the Revolution without his efforts at Saratoga & elsewhere, while he got screwed over by arrogant weenie General Gates, people need to see broader perspective, etc. I agree about some of the bad symbolism but am hesitant to create "statue police". Perhaps a few popular statues need to stand...removing them might be like taking slave Jim out of "Huckleberry Finn".
