General Discussion

OK, let's honor Virginian David Farragut of "damn the torpedoes" fame, the US Naval officer who took New Orleans and Mobile during the Civil War. When he was approached to lead the Confederate navy he said "I'll see you roast in hellfire first!"

Or how about the "Rock of Chickamagua" George Thomas? He was from Virginia, and was a great military leader. He turned defeat into victory at Stone's River, saved the Union army at Chickamagua, led the charge up Missionary Ridge outside of Chattanooga, was the "hammer" in Sherman's advance on Atlanta, and utterly destroyed Hood's army at Nashville.

Then we have all of the white men from northern Alabama and Georgia, from western North Carolina and Virginia, from eastern Tennessee and Kentucky, who supported and fought for the Union in overwhelming numbers.

Most importantly, we have the 150,000 sons of the South who fought so courageously for the Union, despite not even being recognized as citizens of the country they fought for - former slaves.

That is the "southern heritage" that should be honored.