Did you read them? My avatar is the regimental flag of the 40th Alabama Infantry in which my paternal gg grandfather on my mother's side served honorably. He didn't own any slaves. He didn't even know how to read or write. Trying to derail this thread?
It doesn't look like a flag? But kudos to your ggg. My ggg was an influential businessman, grandson of a British Knight who lived in Charleston, SC. He and some other gentleman witnessed the first shot at Fort Sumter from an outpost on Goat Island where they had "encamped" to aid General Bueragard if needed That according to his memoirs.
The interesting thing though is the
first cannon ball was the internationally accepted "shot across the bow" of one of the three Union warships that Lincoln had surreptitiously sent along with supply ships.
Across the bow meaning show your colors or announce your intentions.
Instead, of acknowledging the warning, Major Robert Anderson, Commander of Fort Sumter, opened up on the city. According to the memoires one ball ended up on my ancestor's property and another destroyed a brick wall separating his home from a neighbor. That one also brought the neighbor's chimney down.
So yes, Honest Abe wasn't all that honest. More of a war monger.