Historian Loves a Good (Civil War) Rumor

[snopes]

Did you hear the one about Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's hubris costing him his life?

They said the Yankee general died on a surgeon's table in July 1864, shortly after a rebel cannonball ripped his arm from his body. Since Southerners billed the Civil War as a personal battle between Grant and Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, the Union leader's death certainly showed the South would win, thus proving its superiority.

Not only did "they" spread good news of Grant's agonizing, bloody death, but reports also were dispersed about the North's stock market collapse and England's and France's decision to support the Confederacy.

These non-events didn't make the cut for students to read in modern history books, not that Confederate soldiers and civilians would have cared. They were spreading the tall tales as a means of survival -- to keep Southern morale high and to help convince themselves their preferred reality existed.

The actual reality of Confederate rumors is the topic of a new book by Jason K. Phillips. An assistant history professor at Mississippi State University, his "Diehard Rebels: The Confederate Culture of Invincibility" is scheduled for release by the University of Georgia Press.

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/533731/

[barbrainey]

The rumor of Grant's dying in surgery in 1864 wouldn't have lasted very long since after the war Grant went on to elected president in 1868 and re-elected in 1872.


B. A. Rainey

[snopes]

Originally Posted by barbrainey

The rumor of Grant's dying in surgery in 1864 wouldn't have lasted very long since after the war Grant went on to elected president in 1868 and re-elected in 1872.

I'd say the reason behind the rumor -- maintaining Confederate soldiers' morale -- pretty much became moot once the war ended in 1865.

- snopes

[Jahungo]

Originally Posted by barbrainey

The rumor of Grant's dying in surgery in 1864 wouldn't have lasted very long since after the war Grant went on to elected president in 1868 and re-elected in 1872.


B. A. Rainey

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