Dawn Aberg: Another Expert on the War Between the States

The James Deshler Monument

       Boy did my proposal for a monument to James Deshler stir up a hornets nest around here. I never realized there were so many ignorant people in the world. This Dawn Aberg I'm mentioning in the title wrote a letter to our local newspaper about being offended herself about another "Confederate Monument." I guess she has trouble with reading and writing because we proposed a "Military Monument" to Brigadier General James Deshler. Of course like others, she must place her own spin on things. Never mind the truth, that would get in her way. 

       First let's review a few things she claimed in her letter. Her first twist comes with the fact that Deshler's father came to Tuscumbia, Alabama to cash in on the booming cotton trade to get rich off products provided by slave labor. David Deshler came to Tuscumbia in 1825. What did he move here to do? To build a railroad linking Tuscumbia to Decatur, Alabama. He served as director of that railroad. He was a strong advocate of building up Tuscumbia to become a major town at that time. So, where is the twist? Well Ms. Aberg says he made his money off slave products. That is quite a spin there. Because the man built a railroad means he made a fortune off slave products? Has this woman lost her ever loving mind. With that line of reasoning, we should shut the entire town of Tuscumbia down today because at the time it was making money off slave products. Let's not stop there, but shut down the entire South. That was one of her more remarkably stupid comments, but there's more. 

       Ms. Aberg claims the real reason James Deshler is famous today is because of his father's wealth. Where in the hell did she get this information? Let's look at the Deshler family that moved to Alabama. David Deshler and his wife moved here in 1825. They had three children, David, Charlotte, and James. Charlotte grew sick at age 13 and died. David went to West Point and while bathing in the Hudson River, he drowned. He rests in the National Cemetery there today. James Deshler then graduated high in his class at West Point. There were several notations by high ranking government officials about his intelligence. He served in the United States Army and was with Sidney Johnston during the Mormon Expedition. Now this is the part that only really educated people can understand, because you have to be capable of looking at history the way it was, not as you see it from today. Ms. Aberg, never can. 

       Ms. Aberg claims she has deep roots to Colbert County, Alabama (her mother grew up here), but has spent the majority of her life in Massachusetts, California, New York, Sweden, and France. Now someone with that much extensive travel surely knows what the definition of a state happens to be. A state is a country. When Hitler was rallying Germany what did he cry, "Das Gans." The State. Before the War Between the States, each state was it's on country first and attached to the Federal government second. So when the Southern States began to leave the Union, what did all the officer's from those states do? They left to join the military forces of their home state to defend it against an unconstitutional invasion. (By the way, it was constitutionally illegal for a state to invade another state until Lincoln took control). 

       James Deshler came home and fought giving his life for his native state (country) as I would hope anyone at that time should have done. Thus you have these idiots today that look at history through modern eyes. I have a few questions for Ms. Aberg that I would love for her to answer for me. 

       First, why is it just the Southerner's who are offensive? There were slaves in the North, but they get a free pass. I've never understood that. Why do the cities of Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, and many more get a free pass when they all owned ships that raced back and forth between Africa and America selling slaves? They too get a free pass from being offensive. What about the thousands of Irish children snatched off the streets and sent to the Northern states to work in factories at ages as young as eight and forced to work 20 hours a day for a nickel per day, only to find that they'd owe the company more than they made at the end of the week by taking meals? They were worked until they were completely broken down and then discarded on the streets to fend for themselves. This of course doesn't bother Ms Aberg in the least. That is fine with her, she'll take all the Northern brainwashing she can get. 

       I hate to bring up race in all this, but several have taken this argument there, so I will answer one of the above questions for you. Why do we not care for those poor Irish children who were treated much worse than slaves? Because, they are the wrong color, they don't sit around and cry about they way their ancestors were treated, and they are mature enough to not cry every time something offends them. 

       Oh, and by the way, when David Deshler finally died, he left everything he owned to the city of Tuscumbia. I hope you don't shop in that racist town, Ms. Aberg. I also noticed Ms. Aberg is one of those who was moving to Sweden when Trump was elected president, but like the rest, she's still here. 

Sammie Lane and her world of Idiocracy

Brigadier General James Deshler

       As for those of you who do not know, our local SCV camp in Tuscumbia, Alabama have raised the money to erect a monument to the greatest man that ever came out of our county. The above mentioned Sammie Lane is some idiot girl on facebook that knows about as much about history as my dog. Miss Sammie Lane claims that Deshler died to defend his right to own slaves, however as was pointed out to her, he owned no slaves. But, don't let any of this stop Miss Sammie's image of the perfect North against the Evil South. She'll just jump to something else, another excuse perhaps and she does. 

       She claims she loves good research and then publishes a paragraph (repeatedly mind you) that explains how Deshler and his father and all Confederate's didn't feel the black race was equal to the white. This one always kills me, because looking back from today without any imagination about what life then was like is way over Miss Sammie's head. Everyone in that day and age believed the black race was inferior. One of the most racist men in the country was a politician named Abraham Lincoln, but don't tell Sammie. 

       This same Sammie then goes into this diatribe about how we should give the money we raised ourselves for the monument and give it to school teachers. I'd be happy to do just that if they would teach history correctly and not just from Sammie's point of view. How about the one billion dollars annually the Federal Government (according to wikianswers.com) gives to the NAACP yearly? How much of a raise would that give to those poor school teachers?

       Sammie says it took her just 30 minutes of research online to discover that the South was all evil and racist and the North was Holy, ad nauseam. The point is, if you do your research online (and we all know everything we read online is correct) in 30 minutes and use the same stupid paragraph over and over, Miss Sammie's not too bright. 

       I have a few questions I'd like Miss Sammie Lane to answer for me since she is such an expert on the War Between the States. Caution: This may take longer than 30 minutes for the airhead to accomplish and will take much longer for her if she has to put some sort of spin on it. 

       The war was all about slavery? Then please explain the Corwin Amendment to me? Please explain the Morrill Tariff? Perhaps, since the Holy North was right, Miss Sammie would feel fine paying 85% of the Federal taxes while everyone else only pays 15%. After all, we all know that war was about slavery, there's never been a war about money, ever. 

       Commissioner David Black stated that we must put something in place to limit which groups can place monuments on the courthouse lawn. So, what type group are we? Well, we respect men who were brave enough to fight for their homes and families against an unconstitutional invasion. These same idiots like Miss Sammie who call Confederate's traitors are the first to celebrate July 4th each year when the United States seceded from England. However, Miss Sammie can place some twist on that too I'm sure. By the way, when was the slave trade outlawed? Well, Sammie, the year was 1807 and when did the North begin forming abolitionist groups against the evil institution of slavery? Try 1808, and why then? Because they could no longer make money off of slavery, they were ready to be rid of it. Of course, I'm sure in her 30 minutes of researching an entire era, she missed the fact that ships owned by the cities of New York, Philadelphia, and even Chicago made tons of money travelling back and forth to Africa bringing slaves over to be sold to the South. 

        Now, back to the type of organization we happen to be. A black lady named Mary (a slave) had a tombstone crumbling to pieces about thirty miles south of where I live. My organization paid to replace the tombstone. How much money did the NAACP donate to this noble endeavor? You guessed it right if you guessed $0. How much in donations did we receive from African-Americans at all? You'd be right if you guessed $0 again. How many African-Americans attended the re-dedication of her monument? Again, not a single one. For a group of people that are so upset with the treatment of their ancestors, you'd think they would have given at least a dollar to such a noble cause, but you'd be wrong.

Sammie Lane's Great Emancipator

       Since Sammie Lane is such an expert on that war and the "great emancipator" surely she won't mind me quoting him here a bit. 

"I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races … I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people..."

                                                                      In a debate with Stephen Douglas in 1858

"I have no purpose, directly or indirectly to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."

                                                                     Lincoln's inaugural address

"The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess, the property, and places belonging to the Government, and to collect the duties, and imposts (Taxes!!!!!); but, beyond what is necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion---no using of force against, or among the people anywhere."

                                                                                Lincoln's inaugural address

"You and I are different races. We have between us a broader difference than exists between almost any other races. Whether it be right or wrong, I need not discuss; but this physical difference is a great disadvantage to us both, as I think. Your race suffer very greatly, many of them by living amongst us, while ours suffer from your presence. In a word, we suffer on each side. If this is admitted, it affords a reason at least why we should be separated."

                                                                                  Lincoln speech to freed blacks, August 14, 1862

       Poor people like Sammie Lane can never admit to any of this or it would destroy her perfect world scenario she has placed before herself. Yet, she is more than willing to attack others having very little knowledge of what she is even speaking about. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the idiocracy that is today's Americans are spoon fed by the television what to believe or spend 30 minutes online to become experts on everything, thus Sammie Lane.

Confederate General's with ties to Colbert and Lauderdale Counties

Brigadier General James Deshler

       I was recently reading a local history book about the Confederate general's with ties to Colbert and Lauderdale County. The author left a few out and I just thought it would be fun to list some that he missed. Of course, most people around the area are familiar with James Deshler who attended West Point and was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga just after his promotion to brigadier general. Another local boy was Brigadier General John Gregg who was born in Leighton and graduated from Lagrange College. He then moved to Texas and soon commanded a brigade of infantry. He was killed in the fighting around Richmond, Virginia late in the war.

Brigadier General John Gregg

       Both of those generals were born in Colbert County, but Lauderdale County also was the home to two Confederate general officers. Brigadier General Edward Asbury O'Neal was born in Madison County, Alabama but soon made Florence his home. He would fight under Lee in Virginia until he made a mess of his attack at Gettysburg and was eventually returned to the west where he continued to serve. 

Brigadier General Edward Asbury O'Neal

       Brigadier General Sterling Alexander Martin Wood (nicknamed Sam because of his initials) was born in Florence. He would fight at Shiloh and later served in Cleburne's hard hitting division beside of James Deshler. After losing control of his brigade during the night assault he resigned his commission and moved to Tuscaloosa where he practiced law. Ironically, Wood Avenue in Florence is named after his brother who was an attorney there. 

Brigadier General S.A.M. Wood

       Brigadier General Thomas Neville Waul moved to Florence from South Carolina and taught school at the Florence Male Academy. He would teach here a couple of years before moving on to Vicksburg and eventually on to Texas. He would spend his Civil War service in the Trans-Mississippi Department (everything west of the Mississippi River was called the Trans-Mississippi). 

Brigadier General Thomas Neville Waul

       Major General William Wirt Allen had no prior ties to the area until after the war. He was born in New York and graduated from Princeton. During the war he rose to Major General in Joseph Wheeler's cavalry. He moved to Sheffield, Alabama in 1893 and died there a year later in 1894. First buried in Florence, he was eventually exhumed and buried in Birmingham's Elmwood Cemetery (the same place where Coach Bear Bryant rests today). 

Major General William Wirt Allen

       Another cavalry officer who had ties to the area was Brigadier General Lawrence Sullivan Ross (nicknamed Sul) who fought under Nathan Bedford Forrest. Ross was a Texan who traveled to the area to attend college at Wesleyan University in Florence, Alabama. The school eventually became the University of North Alabama. The building he took classes in is still there (in fact its where I took all my Political Science classes) and is called Wesleyan Hall today. 

Brigadier General Lawrence Sullivan Ross

       Brigadier General Edmund Winston Pettus also lived in Colbert County for a brief period of time. After finishing college he studied law in Tuscumbia, Alabama. He is most likely related to the Winston's who lived in Tuscumbia at the time. Sadly, the bridge named in his honor is recognized today more than he is. 

Brigadier General Edmund Winston Pettus

       Another Confederate General I thought I would include was Brigadier General Gideon Johnson Pillow although he never lived in the area. He was a Tennessean who fought in the Mexican War where he was laughed at because of having his soldiers dig their breastworks facing the wrong direction (if we're to believe Ulysses Grant). He was a self proclaimed military genius and was mostly responsible for the loss of Fort Donelson. He would be accused of cowardice at the Battle of Murfreesboro and there his career basically ended. 

Brigadier General Gideon Johnson Pillow

       At the insistence of his aide Sergeant Robert Patton, Pillow used the Sweetwater mansion in Florence as his headquarters. It was the fall of 1864 and Hood's army was poised to march into Tennessee. General Pillow was at this point given the position of commanding the Volunteer and Conscription Bureau of Hood's army (a fancy title given him after he failed as a field commander earlier in the war). 

Fountain in front of the Sweetwater Plantation

       According to the daughters of future Alabama governor Robert Patton, Pillow was pacing up and down the walk in front of the fountain in deep thought when he tripped and fell into the fountain, bruising himself and scaring the fish. The truth would be a lot different than that told in the Victorian Era. According to former slaves, there was a party at Sweetwater that night and General Pillow was intoxicated when he fell into the fountain. It was also reported that he broke his arm in the fall. One thing I'd be willing to bet about the incident, if he was indeed drunk, I bet he sobered up in a hurry hitting that cold water on a November night.

The Mysterious James Deshler Photograph

Brigadier General James Deshler

       Above is a photograph of Brigadier General James Deshler that appears in all Civil War books that furnish a picture of the man. It shows heavy signs of being retouched, which means an artist took the photograph and painted over the picture covering up any blemishes and most likely painting on the officer's coat. Ironically, he wears the coat of a Confederate brigadier general which is exactly what his rank was at the time of his death. He was only a brigadier for a couple of months before being killed at the Battle of Chickamauga and probably never had his image taken in that particular uniform. This is actually a quite common occurrence for the time. 

Two photos of Brigadier General John Adams

       In the photo of General John Adams above on the left is an original photo of the man without retouching. The photograph on the right is the same man but the picture has been heavily retouched by an artist. The artist did an excellent job of making Adams eyes clearer, skin extremely smooth and his mustache is about five times as thick. The coat he has painted on the man is obviously not a coat at all. Notice how perfect the collar is, how smooth the coat lies across his chest and shoulders. 

James Deshler Mystery Photo

       A few months ago, a friend of mine, Historian Richard Sheridan provided me with a copy of the above photograph that he obtained from some of Deshler's living relatives. This picture has given me a headache attempting to figure out what it is. In the original, the coat looks real, it doesn't appear to be retouched. The above photo doesn't do the original much justice. The next problem is the fact that he is wearing a coat that would be worn by a major general or above because the buttons are grouped in three's. If you notice his face shows heavy signs of being retouched and most troubling of all, his head seems a little off centered with his neck. The mystery remains about the history of this photograph. Did he borrow a senior officers coat to have his photograph taken? Did an artist paint Deshler's face over another general officers so the family would have a uniformed picture of their lost loved one? There's a very good possibility that we will never know.