PENNSYLVANIA-L Archives

From: "Kathi Reid" <>
Subject: Re: [PA] "War of the Rebellion"
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 08:30:47 -0400

> Who rebelled against who ( or is that whom ) in the war of rebellion. I am
a
> northerner living in Fla so I am sypathetic to both sides.
> More to the point - who's great idea was it to change the name of this war
?
> Bob

The "War of the Rebellion," was used in the title of the Official Records
which were published by the War Department immediately after the war.
Increasingly towards the end of the Nineteenth Century, Southerners fought
for the name "The War Between the States" coined by Confederate Vice
President Alexander Stephens when he wrote his memoirs in 1867. Compromise
in Congress was reached by agreeing to substitute "Civil War" for any other
name.

The adjutant general, Gen. Fred Ainsworth, decided in 1902 to establish that
except in cases specifically mandated by law, the War Department would use
the term "Confederate" in lieu of "Rebel" and "Civil War" in place of "War
of the Rebellion" or "The War Between the States."

Kathi
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/3916/cwpa/
Pennsylvania Civil War Volunteers

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• Re: [PA] "War of the Rebellion" by "Kathi Reid" <>