Dr Jerry Hunter seems to have stirred up a Cymric Confederate Contraversy, his new book on Welsh involvement in the American Civil War has caused the hackles of ''Confederate Sympathisers'' Roystan Jones of Abergynolwyn and Billy E. Price of Alabama to rise up in defence of the Welsh who fought under the 'Stars and Bars' and 'Southern Cross'.
Of course both have good points and also make the point that history is subjective, is that not the truth? I include here our own history of course or how else would Glyndwr be all but forgotten for five centuries, sent into the shadows as a ''papist rebel'', then just how is it Dic Penderyn ends up a Martyred Hero and the Radical Insurrectionists Lewis Lewis is also sent to the shadowy corners of Welsh History. Today, it's more the case of again the rebels history retreats whilst Y Crachach roll out their own history of cultural nationalist struggle with a nod to 'Cofia Dryweryn' as being respectable but radical revolt against an English Prince of Wales not so? In the 60's, I but a young patriot and for while member of Plaid Cymru, I fell for the Liberal Nationalist myths that would see the Boer as heroes in gallant struggle against English Imperialism. So it was such not an huge leap to in time to come to favour the history of the gallant rural ''Old South'' against the might of the Industrial North, I still have this sneaking sympathy for the Southern Soldiers when watching films as 'Gods and Generals' or 'Gettysburg' (both fantastic film for incredible battle scenes and amazing military strategies as Rolling up the enemy from the flank and 'the Hinged Gate' used at Gettysburg). Jeffrey Hunter throws out the casual remark about Southern President Jefferson Davies being of Welsh Descent but there were indeed many others not least Roger Catesby ap Jones, surgeon commander of the CSS Virginia in the final clash with the Northern iron clad, Monitor. On the extreme side there is Jesse James, was he not of Welsh Descent but hardly a character to be proud of claiming, both he and ''Old Tom Brown'' were equal in their acts of bloody brutal terrorism (see the Bleeding of Kansas and Jesse's post Civil War career). My own interest in the ''Old South'' is not one just of Miltary Interest regards the Civil War but more so regards Battlefields preservation etc, which is pretty good in America when it comes to the Civil War. See I'r Gad Welsh Battlefield Campaign Blog http://brwydr.blogspot.com In researching the web for information in such connection of use to my I'r Gad work, I have discovered major issues on presentation of the Civil War particuarly in regard to the ''Old South'' and what is today called the ''New South''. Into this mix has arisen an huge and bitter campaign regards flying of the old Confederate Battle Flag both ''Offficially'' and in it's ''unofficial'' use, the issue of flying the Union Jack in Wales pales compared to the battle over to fly or, not to fly ''The Southern Cross''. Just do search on the web and you will see what I mean, of course the whole issue over ''The Southern Cross'' has become tarnished regards it's later use by the Ku Klux Klan and a later ''Segragationist South''. Before we become lost in all this, I must remind Welsh Patriots that there is also the matter of Slavery and Slave Rebellion, as that of Nat Turner in 1831. An history that stretches from then to the post Civil War period to the Civil Rights struggle of the 1960's, not least note the Atlanta Olympics has a great turning point, in turning away by some from the ''Old South'' to a ''New South''.
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Nat Turner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nat, remembered today as Nat Turner, (October 2, 1800 – November 11, 1831) was an American slave whose failed slave rebellion in Southampton County, ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nat_Turner - 38k - Cached - Similar pages
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I guess in a Welsh Context, I would be the ''Old Wales'' and such as Adam price the ''New Wales''. Yes! I guess I am the ''Dinosaur? or maybe one of the ''Legion of the Rearguard'' as my Old Comrade would prefer to call those about to fade away or die, but still a few Grey Wolves about to snap at the heels of all those ''Gombeens' and ''Shoneens'' born and bred in this ''New Wales'' of the Sham Senedd. Yes! I wandered away for a moment, please excuse the lapse, now where was I? Oh Yes!
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One more Welsh Conferate, to haunt Dr Jerry Hunter.The picture opposite of a grave stone in a Welsh Cemetary is of a number of members of the same family. What is very interesting is also noted on the grave stone is the name of a son, not bueried but memorialised on this stone. For this Son of Wales, died fighting for the Conferacy and was buried in the ''Old South'' in a Confederate Civil War Cemetary. If anyone may have an interest in following this up, perhaps Billy E. Price of Alabama (if any one knows of how to contact he, please inform him of this item) for it will take some one Southern based to add some final detail. This is one piece of research I am happy to pass on, I already have one major Confederate Welsh Connection project on line, which has been taking me years working on and I am far from finnished. for information on Dr Jerry Hunter and his work, see links below. Also I have added link to the Rythems of Resistence Multi Cultural Carnival in Abertawe this month of August. Although myself would preferr Tartan Taff Druming to Salsa Drumming, to repeatitive, but still otherwise Carnival A-OK!
Dr Jerry Hunter - School of Welsh at the University of Wales, Bangor
Dr Jerry Hunter is a Celtic scholar who possess an international perspective. ... His eagerly awaited study of Welsh writing from the American Civil War, ...www.bangor.ac.uk/adran_cymraeg/staff/jerry.php.en - 26k - Cached - Similar pages
News and Events at the University of Wales, Bangor
Jerry Hunter, Sons of Arthur ,Children of Lincoln: Welsh Writing from the ... Welsh Writing from the American Civil War is the first book-length treatment ...www.bangor.ac.uk/news/full.php.en?Id=289 - 14k - Cached - Similar pages[ More results from www.bangor.ac.uk ]
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Swansea Bay Summer Festival - Swansea MAS Carnival 2007 'Rhythms ...
Swansea MAS Carnival 2007 'Rhythms of Resistance'. Saturday 25th August. Location: Walter Road to National Waterfront Museum. MAS Carnival Kids MAS Carnival ...www.swanseabayfestival.net/index.cfm?articleid=3670&articleaction=print - 5k - Cached - Similar pages
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For those of you interested in some Living history, check out:
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American Civil War Society (UK) Ltd - ACWS Home Page
ACWS - American Civil War Society - UK Re-enactment (ACWS) Home Page. Largest UK American Civil War Re-enactment Society, Voted 'Best Large Re-enactment ...www.acws.co.uk/ - 5k - Cached - Similar pages
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Gethin.
