"The State of Jones" Topic

"poor men were forced to fight a rich man's war "
"story of class struggle "
"war in which generals sacrificed thousands through their arrogance and ignorance"
Sounds like writers are left over from 1960's instead of 1860's.
Event was not unique throughout the Confederacy with many communities not supporting secession as a solution to the political problem and ranging from Northern(West) Virginia to Texas. I recall a book, no less than 40 years ago, which also told the tale of the State of Jones (without the breathless prose).
Nothing against sportswriters but it is a different style from History writers.

I agree with everything "Man of Few Words" posted.

I will add:

He was a man with two loves: his wife, who was forced to flee her home simply to survive, and an ex-slave named Rachel, who, in effect, became his second wife.

Wait, so poor men were exploited for a rich man's war, but Rachel was not exploited by an adulterer in the ultimate power disparity of the slave/master relationship?
What a fantastical interpretation by this "…historical writer endowed with the accuracy, drive, and passion of Doris Kearns Goodwin."

Knight's life story mirrors the little-known story of class struggle in the South-

Good grief, "little known"?

..and it shatters the image of the Confederacy as a unified front against the Union.

What image? Anybody who studies the ACW beyond an elementary school textbook can point to a lack of central purpose and authority as one of the causes that doomed the Confederate effort.

…in this surprising account of the only Southern county to secede from the Confederacy.

Didn't the blurb claim she was "accurate"?

Sorry, but
deconstructionist drivel + tabloid level journalist = just about what you'd expect

I believe Winston County in Alabama did the same thing.

I know it is still called "The Free State of Winston." They make sure everyone knows it too – every major road going in or out has a "Welcome to the free state of Winston" or "Now leaving free state of Winston" sign.

They raised several units for the Union during The War of Northern Aggression.

My favorite Union JRIII unit is the 1st US Cavarly (Alabama).

Dan

Man of Few Words got it right the first time. It certainly doesn't sound like history to me.

While the book may be "iffy" on its history, the Free State of Jones did exist in Mississippi (my home state) during the Civil War. After the war the county (Jones) was renamed for a short while before reverting to its original name, Jones, after John Paul Jones, I believe.

Jim

one of THOSE books I think.

'Shatters the Myth that Confererate forces had Laser Weapons'

'The little known Battle of Gettysburg'

'Has Robert E Lee stopped beating his horse.'

Pat

…a historical writer endowed with the accuracy, drive, and passion of Doris Kearns Goodwin…

For the record, I, personally, have never associated "passion" with Doris Kearns Goodwin. link

the only Southern county to secede from the Confederacy.

Unless, of course you degin to notice the whole northwestern third of Virginia.

it shatters the image of the Confederacy as a unified front against the Union.

Unlike, say, "The South vs. the South : how anti-Confederate southerners shaped the course of the Civil War" by William W. Freehling.

This riveting investigative account takes us inside the battle of Corinth, where thousands lost their lives over less than a quarter mile of land, and to the dreadful siege of Vicksburg, presenting a gritty picture of a war in which generals sacrificed thousands through their arrogance and ignorance.

Oh, goody, more 1920's style pacifist B.S.

I've read "State of Jones" and found it interesting, although the author does a lot of guessing to fill in unkown facts. I've heard that there was a book written a few years ago named "The Free State of Jones" which is more scholarly.

which generals sacrificed thousands through their arrogance and ignorance.

IIRC, Sherman wrote that he knew one of his attacks on Vicksburg, first attempt, would fail but that he felt he must have the casualties to show he made the effort. So he launched an attack. Again IIRC, 4000 or 5000 Union troops were lost in that particular futile attack.

Sherman did not have to make that attack. He was the expedition commander. The army spent quite a bit of time and effort approaching Vicksburg and a battle was expected. So he felt he must make the attack for the sake of appearance.

Maybe not arrogance or ignorance but definitely a sad, waste of humanity. I read about that incident several years ago but it stuck in my mine as a perfect example of very large numbers of people paying the price due to the insanity of war.

Of course history does clearly demonstrate, over and over and over, war brimming full of arrogance, ignorance and waste of humanity. I may be a wargamer but I have absolutely no illusions about the "glory" of war.