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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: I spent some time reviewing the results of the Civil War N Facebook poll taken over three tions relating to treason. In one re sponse, the words “Weird that West point taught secession” appeared. It is an unfortunate example of how myths in history have long roots. Studies conducted by the United States Military Academy as well as more modern forums have addressed this particular issue. The reference secession being taught at West Point
servations written by the CWN editors, “the responses indicated a nea total lack of effective teaching abo U.S. history.” A book on constitutional law, wri ten by W. Rawles, was used at West Point. There is a section of this bo that addresses the permanence of the Union which has been cited as the source of secession being taught to cadets, however, this book was only used one year (1826) and then replaced by Kent’s Commentaries. The only officer in the Confederacy who might have used Rawles was Albert Sidney Johnston (Class of 1826). Because the concept of nullification was argued from 1828 to 1832, it is possible that the topic of secession was discussed by cadets.
References to secession being taught at West Point also point out that no indication of questions about secession appeared on the final examina-
tions each year up through 1840. Law was predominantly a First Class or senior course, hence Robert E. Lee, who graduated in 1829, would not have used Rawles as a text book. I am sure that it could be fou in the Military Academy’s library. For other cadets prior to the Civil War back to 1840, there is no indication that Rawles was used as a tex book, hence they were not taught about secession from that source.
Point”, Col. Edgar S Dudley, JAG, U.S. Army, in an article published in Century Magazine, Vol.
and MILITARY ORDER OF THE LOYAL LEGION OF THE UNITED STATES, COMMANDERY OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, by Companion Brevet LTC James W. Latta U.S.V. at a meeting May 5, 1909. Brian McEnany, Class of 1962 Author of For Brotherhood a Duty: The Civil War History of West Point Class of 1862.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: It was with great wonderment that I read M.G. Subhas’ article “Ulysses S. Grant: Migraine and Drunkenness – A Reconciliation” in your I agree wholeheartedly with the author’s clear and well-articulated pr
one additional reference which goes to the heart of the matter. In chapter 4 of John Eaton’s book Grant, Lincoln and the Freedmen, Eaton recalls being present in Grant’s res idence while Julia applied poultices to Ulysses’ head and neck “to reliev the violent sick headache from which he was suffering and to which he was subject.” The event took place at th Gayoso House in Memphis during the early months of 1863. Eaton is a highly credible witness who had uncommon access to General Grant during that period. He follows up this account by flatly dismissing st ries of Grant’s intemperance. Joe Krom Argos, In
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: The United States of America came into being as a contractual con sortium of individual states. Citize
loyalties, however, were to their respective states first and, secondarily to the United States. This pre dominant order of loyalty continued through the Civil War until near the end of the 19th Century and was the reason numerous officers (Robert E. Lee, et al) resigned their U.S. commissions to serve their respective states upon the advent of the War
between the States. Judging their conduct to be traitorous is largely
charged with treason to my knowledge. By the time of World War I, loyalties had switched predominant ly to America first with state loy
ties clearly secondary. James D. We Longview, Texa
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: The lady doth protest too much; methinks (Joan Wenner, J. D., “A Question of Treason”, October 2020). To accuse the Confede treason, one must first wipe on the Declaration of Independence when the thirteen (slaveholding) colonies seceded from the British Empire. Abraham Lincoln did not recognize the Southern States as being out of the Union. He was the one, therefore, not the South, who committed treason under Article II section 3 of the U.S. Constitution Self-defense is not treason, and n
even under the vindictive Radical Reconstruction congress. H. V. Traywick Richmond,
Editor’s comment: Judging from comments, it is po sible some readers misunderstood the whole point of the Wenner arti cle, “A Question of Treason.” The idea was to show how treason was considered in 1861 rather than in 2020.
We have heard from many of you that since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the current state of civil unrest that many cities
across our nation are experiencing, there have been delays in receiving your issue, torn pag-
ceiving your copies of Civil War News. Please know that we have stayed fast to our commitment to not only bring you the best publication the Civil War community has to offer, but we have been on time every time, as has our printer. We have decided to enclose the paper in a polybag with an address insert over the cover. While
this may not help the USPS be more efficient with their delivery times, it should help with papers being mutilated or lost. This service does come at an addition-
cannot take on the additional expense ourselves, so we are asking
the extra expense. Many of you have requested this service and said that you would gladly pay for it. Jack Melton Publisher