Heroes or Villains?

For 138 years Americans have celebrated and mourned the Civil War that decided the issue of slavery and the subordination of our states. We honor the men that died to free the slaves and maintain the Union that we enjoy today, but should we include men like Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, James Longstreet and Robert E. Lee on our list of heroes?\nTo be completely fair, I would have to examine the hesitance and disobedience of George C. McClellan, Sherman's rather extreme tactics, and Grant's strategies that always managed to bring about a huge casualty rate. Even Lincoln would have to be put under the magnifying glass for his controversial racial beliefs and his unprecedented, at times unconstitutional, actions to maintain our beloved Union.\nBut what about the heroes who gave their lives in the Army of Northern Virginia, whose victory would have ultimately led to the breakup of the Union and the preservation of slavery? Robert E. Lee and "Stonewall" Jackson are looked upon with pride and honor in both the North and the South, just as they were in 1865. The Commonwealth of Virginia even sets aside one day a year when all government agencies, banks and schools close to remember their birthday: King-Lee-Jackson Day. \nThat's right. Virginia has a state holiday that coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. Day to celebrate the life of two heroes who fought to defend their beloved state. (Coincidently, the birthdays of both Lee and Jackson fall on MLK day). Most historical figures have monuments erected in their honor, but Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson has a "shrine" setup in his name at a state park outside of Fredericksburg, Va.\nIn fact, it could be argued that Lee and Jackson enjoy a legendary status surpassing their northern counterparts. This is largely because we can identify with one of their reasons for fighting and sympathize with their plight: These men fought for the defense of their homes. They fought to repel what was seen as an invading army. They had the disadvantage of standing for a vile institution, but they were a part of a vital debate our country was unable to finish 80 years prior during its weakened infantile state: How much sovereignty do the states retain?\nGeneral Lee and Jackson were obviously not abolitionists, but neither were many of their counterparts in the North's Army of the Potomac. Instead Lee and Jackson served their state to defend it against an encroaching federal government. The honorable generals who lead the Army of Northern Virginia grew up believing in a certain ideology they saw as evident in our Constitution. These men grew up with a Calhoun-Jeffersonian ideology that believed states were sovereign and that no conquering army had the right to subordinate them.\nIt is important to understand why we still honor men that should have been our enemies. Their leadership and military skills, their personal reasons for fighting, their religious devotion and their conduct as gentlemen were such that America has since been able to look past the lives lost as a result of their service to the Confederacy or what would have been if they had succeeded. Much of the respect Lee enjoyed that came from the North was the result of his example set forth for fellow Southerners. He consistently preached conciliation and discouraged anti-government sentiment during his tenure as president of Washington College.\nRobert E. Lee and Thomas Jackson among others aren't names Americans should cringe at or feel ashamed of. The behavior, leadership and even loyalty to the defense of their homes are all attributes that should inspire respect and admiration, despite the wicked end their victory would have realized. This is something we should remember when telling their stories in Indiana schools, Virginia schools or any educational institutions that teach American history.