Marine Commandant David Berger
On February 17, 2020, Marine Commandant David Berger ordered the removal of all Confederate flags or icons from all U.S. Marine bases. I can understand why. After the showing the Marine Corps put on at the Battle of Manassas against a bunch of untrained, barely organized Confederate farm boys. Those bad Marines at Manassas ran like school girls. I would want to erase that memory also, if I was commandant of that group. During the war, it was said that President Lincoln asked General Winfield Scott why he beat a larger Mexican Army and took Mexico, but couldn't subdue the far weaker Confederate nation. Scott replied, "Because those men you want me to subdue are the very ones that I used to take Mexico." Maybe Berger shouldn't burn any bridges. He may need some Southern Marines to help him win a war some day.
Some of those fearless Marines of the North
Of course David Berger is from the wishy-washy state of Maryland which couldn't decide which side to take during the war. Well, Berger is making a stand. Now don't think I'm putting down Marines, but they will never make a Marine that can go through what those Confederate soldiers went through. Eating and sleeping on the ground, fighting horrible diseases (smallpox, yellow fever, just to name a few), and beginning a four year war with a full company of 100 men, only to surrender four years later with 6 of those having survived. He needs to read the book Co. Atych and then he may learn a little history.
This brings me to the second part of this blog. An old friend of mine was in the Marine Corps. He almost had twenty years of service and was ranked First Sergeant if my memory is correct or it may have been Sergeant Major. He quit the Marines. I asked him why he would get out with just a few years left. He explained to me how the Marines allow certain groups of people (minorities) special privileges that the white Marine doesn't receive. His exact words to me was the Marine Corps today is racist and not the way you think. If this is indeed true, Lord help us if we ever get into a real war, not one that you just push buttons. That Marine Corps flag doesn't much impress me anymore if they stand for political correctness.
Now I know I will be attacked for writing such a blog, but allow me to demonstrate how the changing of history occurs. Twenty years ago, people understood the Civil War was about more than just slavery. They understood that unfair taxation was involved. They understood that fear of an overbearing Federal government (too bad those evil Southern slave supporters were right on this one) was involved. You tell lies enough and sooner or later you will convince the weak minded and a few intelligent people.
Here is how the Marine Corps is beginning to justify their stance on this subject. Recently they've began their own campaign to rewrite history. A Gunnery Sergeant named Thomas Williams is spreading tails that the Marines didn't really embarrass the Corps at Manassas. I guess he's right. In twenty years it will be taught in school that they drove Stonewall Jackson off of Henry Hill that day. Do you see how its done now?
One article I read claims the Marines fought ferociously. Well, let's check the numbers. There were 353 Marines that charged across Henry Hill. Out of that number there were 9 killed and 19 wounded with 6 missing for a total of 34. That's a little over 9%. Now let me show you what a unit fighting ferociously in that war would have looked like. My grandfather was in Company B, 35th Alabama Infantry and they advanced across the field at Franklin with 24 men. After the battle there were only 2 that weren't wounded. That is 92% and that is an example of ferocious fighting. Within twenty years I'm sure these politically correct historians and military commanders will have the roles reversed and the Marines suffered 90% casualties that day on Henry Hill.
While I read one book that stated the Marine Corps played a minor role in the Civil War, I've found an article by a Marine that explains how the war couldn't have been won without the Marines. One of these have to be the truth, both can't be right. He ends his self serving article with the words "Semper Fi."
