Singleton wrote that 'War Between the States was unusual, misunderstood'

George 'Buster' Singleton

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “War Between the States was unusual, misunderstood,” was originally published in the March 14, 1996 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Much has been said about the War Between the States, and more has been written. Many have voiced opinions about it, knowing little and nothing about the causes of the war. Many read no further than what they want to believe about this great conflict.

This war that lasted four years on the soil of our great country has been the most unusual, the most misunderstood, and the less studied than any other war in history.

No one takes the time to read the “fine print,” so to speak, about the causes and the feelings that spread across this great land. I use the word “feelings” because in many instances, this was all that caused families to be divided – brother fighting against brother, father fighting son. But with all the misunderstanding, this conflict united this country and has been instrumental in the United States becoming the greatest power the Earth has ever witnessed.

As a self-taught scholar on this era in history and from one whose family on both sides was closely associated with many events and battles, I would like to share with you some of the unusual facts about the war that I have researched since early childhood.

For instances, more than 100,000 Federal soldiers were 15 years old or younger. There were numerous “soldiers in gray” too young to climb into their saddles. It might have been called “the boys’ war.” The youngest Rebel serving was 10. The oldest was 75.

The commander at the Union garrison at Fort Sumter (the first battle of the war) was a slave owner. Gen. U.S. Grant had to sign an agreement in the presence of President Lincoln that he would free his slaves before he could command the Union Army.

Capt. S. Isadore Guillet, a young Confederate officers, was fatally shot on the same horse on which three of his brothers had been previously killed.

The conflict known to us as the Civil War was referred to under 29 other names.

George B. Zimpleman of Terry’s Texas Rangers C.S.A., a private by choice, fought in more than 400 battles, had a number of horses shot from under him and suffered two wounds.

Firing on both sides was so inaccurate that soldiers estimated it took a man’s weight in lead to kill a single enemy in battle. A Federal expert said each Confederate that was shot required 240 pounds powder and 900 pounds of lead.

Of the 425 Confederate generals, 77 were killed or died of wounds during the war. The last surviving lieutenant general of the southern armies was Simon Bolivar Buckner, who lived until 1914. His son and namesake was killed as a general in World War II.

Soldiers once, during the Battle of Petersburg, watched Gen. Robert E. Lee dismount his horse while under fire to pick up something from the ground and place it in a tree. When he was gone, the curious men found that he had replaced a fallen baby bird in its nest.

Mary Lincoln, the wife of President Lincoln, had a brother, Dr. George R.C. Todd, who was a volunteer Confederate surgeon. Gen. Ben Hardin Helm, a Confederate general, was killed during the Battle of Chickamauga. He was married to one of Mary Lincoln’s sisters. Two other sisters were married to Confederate officers.

Col. John Singleton Mosby, the Confederate Ranger, slipped into Alexandria, Va. and captured Col. D.H. Dulaney, U.S.A. He had a well-qualified guide in his ranks to show him the way, French Dulaney, the son of his victim.

For the siege of Vicksburg, Miss., the state of Missouri furnished 39 regiments – 17 Confederate, 22 Union. The climax of the war for the 7th Tennessee Regiment Confederate, was the capture of the complete 7th Tennessee U.S.A. – warriors, drummers, cooks and all.

The Confederate general, Nathan Bedford Forrest, classed by some as the war’s most able cavalry commander, had 29 horses shot from under him in the course of the war.

Under the terms of Gen. Johnston’s surrender to U.S.A. Gen. Sherman near Durham, N.C. many more men were surrendered than Gen. Lee gave up at Appomattox. In post-war years, Gen. Johnston served as pallbearer for several prominent Union generals, including Grant. His last such services was for William T. Sherman, his conqueror. While paying his respects to Sherman in the cemetery on a raw winter day, Johnston contracted a severe cold that became pneumonia and caused his death.

The troops of these strangely divided armies were taught tactics from the same book, written by Confederate Gen. W.J. Hardee.

So when all is said and done, each in his own way had his reasons to render his services, and in many instances, to give his life to a cause that he thought was right.

The blood of both sides that has stained the soil of this great land should not be looked upon lightly. Through this blood rose one nation, under God, that hopefully will not perish from the Earth.

The words of the poet Theodore O’Hara would be most appropriate in closing:

“Their shivered swords are red with rust,

Their plumed heads are bowed,

Their haughty banner, trailed in dust,

Is now their martial shroud –

And plenteous funeral tears have washed

The red stains from each brow,

And the proud forms by battle gashed

Are free from anguish now.

“You marble minstrel’s voiceless stone

In deathless song shall tell,

When many a vanquished year hath flown,

The story how you fell.

Nor wreck nor change, nor winter’s blight,

Nor time’s remorseless doom,

Can dim one ray of holy light

That gilds your glorious tomb.”

(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County. He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work and memory alive.)