Hoyt Cagle
Prisons
Thu Jun 14 06:28:00 2001


When is everyone going to realize that war indeed is hell? It was not the sanitized, glamorized, "black/white, Southern=good/Northern=bad" fable that the historical revisionists would have us believe really occurred. There were horrible atrocities on both sides, as there are in most wars. For one view of Southern prison life (early in the war before the blockade and other measures made supplies hard to come by and regarding civilians, not military prisoners) see the following book:

http://docsouth.unc.edu/aughey/aughey.html

I am not saying this is the final word on this topic; There are many such books that relate atrocities on both sides. I am just trying to bring the discussion into a rational perspective. Before the revisionists pour out of the woodwork in great numbers, howling at the top of their respective lungs, I will only say that if you have a passionate view of this topic (on either side of the issue) then by definition you are not an unbiased student of history but are rather more interested in advancing your own agenda.


Hats off to Mr. Lowe for such a surprisingly fair posting on this issue.