Statues of Confederates

“I felt like anything rather than rejoicing at the downfall of a foe who had fought so long and valiantly, and had suffered so much for a cause, though that cause was, I believe, one of the worst for which a people ever fought, and one for which there was the least excuse.”

- Memoirs of Ulysses. S. Grant, describing his feelings at Appomattox

In the last few years governments in several cities have removed or hidden statues honoring confederate soldiers.   In some places schools and streets which were named for rebels have been renamed.  Some people applaud this as appropriate while others see it as an example of dogmatic  political correctness, a denial of historical fact, or even a desecration of their heritage. 

Before deciding whether it was proper to honor people such as Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, or Jeb Stuart,  one has to know what  they were being honored for. Lee was an admirable man  and a skilled, formidable,  valiant, and determined commander.   So were some other confederate officers.  Many ordinary confederate soldiers fought bravely and gallantly,  often in very  trying or even desperate conditions.   It is entirely appropriate to respect and admire them for these qualities and deeds.  However these men committed treason against the United States, and the cause they fought for was not merely wrong but despicable.  

To  me the most relevant question on the statues and monuments is  whether they  were intended and serve only or mainly to commemorate historical events and/or honor confederate soldiers  for what they did in the war or more as acts of  defiance and to promote their indefensible lost cause.   The monuments I’ve seen at places such as  Shiloh and Gettysburg  are usually the former and should be left alone, while many of those in city  parks and squares probably were done as the latter.  While I see no necessity for removing them, neither do I see anything wrong with doing so.  I’d certainly rather have statues of Grant or Sherman or Sheridan or others who were on the right side.