Comments on: Cult of the Emancipation Proclamation, Part 2

By: Donald R. Shaffer

Donald R. Shaffer — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 01:01:22 +0000

Hi Glenn. One of the things I like about your book is the seamless way you relate the military history of the war with emancipation. But in defense of Finkleman and scholars like my mentor, Ira Berlin, for a long time emancipation and African Americans were largely absent from the military history of the war (along with a lot of other people who were there, as well as the larger social history of the war). Their stories needed first to be told of their own to bring them to prominence. Now it is time to start reintegrating all the players, which your book does, bringing a new level of insight to scholarship on the Civil War.

By: Glenn B

Glenn B — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 23:39:06 +0000

You and I are very much in agreement on the Emancipation Proclamation, and also on the difference between these two articles. However, after reading Finkleman, I have to ask, “where is the war?” Other than discussing the fact that Lincoln intended to use black troops to fight the war, the conflict’s military battles and contingencies are missing. As you know, this type of interpretation of emancipation annoys me.

By: italianmouse53

italianmouse53 — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 22:59:40 +0000

And alot of that occurred way before the war as enslaved folks emancipated themselves and threw the South into a 24/7 tizzy when they got help North of the border and south of the border primarily from other folks of African descent free and enslaved. And at the out break war, a torrent of enslaved folks made it to Union garrisons and created Freedom Towns. I know Paul by the way and will look forward to reading his book.