The American Civil War was not an area that I tended to do much reading about or tourism of important scenes from the war. That's not because I was not a supporter of the war; to the contrary, I have always been an ardent supporter of the Union's cause, both to keep the union of the USA together and to defeat slavery. But to me this was familiar territory, and not because "I'm a reincarnated bozo from the Civil War era." It was familiar to me because in the 1950's and 1960's it was still taught in the schools with great scholarly detail in both history classes and in English (the literature part) classes. Kids of my era were pretty educated in the Civil War, so it did not have a mystique that would pique a collecting, traveling or lore interest. Further, a Civil War vet actually lived in my grandparents' hotel. While that was before my time by a few years, it shows that when I was growing up there was actually only one generation removed from people who remembered the Civil War first hand. It was the same for many Afro-Americans in those days whose parents would know family members who remembered slavery and the War to end it first hand.
But like most well educated Americans at that time I did have a "hero" from that time, being Ulysses Grant, commander of the Union army and later two term President. I admired Grant and was interested in him the same way one of my favorite historical figures is George Washington. I admire people who have incredible greatness of calling thrust upon them and who respond in an admirable way. These are not people who are "entitled" to "glory" or "responsibility." They are people who through patriotism, fortitude, faith and a particular set of skills find themselves with the huge responsibility of the country's very well being and existence placed upon their shoulders. It is for that reason that I've always admired General Grant. Further, he made very forceful actions to protect the rights and lives of the freed slaves; he did not drop his interest in their well being after achieving the necessary military victories. He was ahead of his time (and under appreciated).
Grant wrote a tour de force book, his "Memoirs," which I highly recommend. I have a copy in storage and picked it up several times to finally read, but didn't get the chance as yet. You can read a very excellent and balanced summary of Grant on Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_Grant
When I got my first car in college and did some bird watching and camping, there was exactly one place that I wanted to visit regarding the Civil War, however, and so I followed the map and found it. It is the courthouse at Appomattox where General Lee surrendered to General Grant. That I just wanted to see. On the way there I was touched by the small signs along roadsides marking where a certain number of Confederate or Union soldiers were buried.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appomattox_Court_House
I knew several Civil War enthusiasts. That's cool. Like I said, to each his own about what chapters of history they are interested in. But what really turns me off are the many freaks who are interested because they believe in reincarnation, and not only claim those roles for themselves but assign them to others. As regular readers know, New Age reincarnation believers disgust me and make me puke. I can't wait until it is my time in heaven and there are none of them in sight or smell, since belief in reincarnation is refuted and forbidden by God. (Again, I have no quarrel with those of legitimate traditional faiths whose belief includes reincarnation. But they are not to live as if they "know" who "they really are" and who "you really are." That is abomination under any faith).For years I have seen a moron who likes to walk or drive past me acting out his belief that he is reincarnated Grant. Nothing puts a sane, clean and sober person more off another person than a malicious retard who defies God and assigns recycled sausage souls to his or her self and to others. That has done a huge part in eliminating my interest in any historical era or figure. These scum buckets drool over every book I buy or historic site I visit thinking "Oooh, maybe she's 'remembering' who we 'really are.'" It makes me sick how they probably cackled with glee when I bought a garnet cross shaped pin that was owned by a relative of Lincoln's. No, but God's going to remind YOU who you really are when you die and are judged unworthy for claiming souls of people while not even tending to the authentic one that you have been given.
Anyway, I hope you young readers of my blog will give American history another chance and do some reading on figures like General Grant. You'll really enjoy it if you think in terms of the enormous challenges that these people met with honor, especially in the context of the times. Ken Burns did a marvelous job with his "Civil War" series on PBS. You'll also enjoy it if you have not been contaminated by your sick parents or their friends into thinking that you need to study the historic figures to know 'who you really are.' You really are yourself, asshats: one soul, one life, one God you are responsible to, that's it.
