Jacob Myers
For Memorial Day, my town puts up crosses with the names of all the local men who've died in war. As you'd expect, most of the deaths are from WWII, followed by WWI. I just saw the first one that said IRAQ.I'm intrigued by the one for Jacob Myers. He died in the civil war, although it may only say that because "War of Northern Aggression" wouldn't fit on the cross. Being in Georgia, you can bet Jacob was not fighting on the union side.
posted by Exador at
11:02 AM
5 Comments:
Unless he was black.
Just sayin'
By
bridgett, at 8:30 PM
It's possible that he was black, but unlikely, simply because the record of his service would not have been as dutifully documented. That said, there were many blacks who fought for the confederacy.
If you're implying that he could have fought for the union, he wouldn't have remained in Georgia, so again, almost certain that there would not be a record of his service.
By
Exador, at 4:07 AM
Then where did the black vets come from that served in the post-war GA legislature? I know that many of the white politicians in the post-war era were northerners, but it's my understanding that the blacks who were elected both were Georgians and former Union vets. But I could be wrong on that.
There are three Jacob Myers listed on the GA Confederate rosters (including what looks at first glance to be an older guy in the home guard). So, you easily figure out who you've got there or at least eliminate the less likely candidates.
http://www.researchonline.net/gacw/index/index361.htm
By
bridgett, at 2:49 PM
Thanks for the link. That was nifty. It's too bad they don't say where the soldiers are from.
I forgot about some of the reconstructionist-era "we're forcing our government on you because we won the war"
That being said, I doubt it would apply to Jacob (I don't know, I'm guessing) for this reason:
I don't actually live in Atlanta. My small town is at least 30 miles from where Atlanta ended in 1865. That would have been in the boonies back then. Atlanta probably had a union army garrison stationed "to keep the peace", but I think a union vet, black or white, would've felt pretty nervous and all alone in the North Georgia Mountains.
Oh yeah, I just remembered. His name is on the cross because he DIED in the war.
Case closed.
By
Exador, at 8:48 AM
Well, duh on me. You are right.
By
bridgett, at 8:13 PM
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