american civil war

This past weekend we went to an american Civil War period (1861-1865) re-enactment of the front-lines. Atlanta commemorated the 148 years of the Battle of Atlanta, a battle that sealed the fate of the Confederates (11 southern slave states) against the Unionists (25 northern states that supported the federal government). The Unionists won the war and slavery was abolished in all of the United States in 1865.

The re-enactment was centered around the CSA's (Confederate States of America) position in the Civil War, the states that had seceded from the United States to uphold the Old South ways, namely slavery. But no one seems to mention this during the event. Immediately I recalled one of the opening scenes from Gone with the Wind when the men are smoking and drinking and debating the upcoming war. One of the main characters, Ashley Wilkes, says "most of the miseries of the world were caused by wars. and when the wars were over, no one ever knew what they were about". So true. 

And now for some real photos. The Civil War was actually the first major conflict to be extensively photographed in a photo-journalistic manner, being widely displayed viewed and sold all around the country. 

all 3 b&w photos from here