Vandenstick, I too have been catching as much of the classic Ken Burns film as possible. Gettysburg and Vicksburg last night. My god how did those men in grey find the courage to go across that field on July 3rd. I love Shelby Foote's parts in the film. The way he describes things you'd swear he was actually there.
I am fortunate to live here in Maryland in that we are 20 minutes from Sharpsburg, 40 from Gettyburg, an hour from Bull Run and pretty close to every other major battlefield north of Richmond. Before kids my wife and I toured all of them.
Then you have our resident rebel, Sir JR2. He has quite a bit different perspective on the war as a born southerner. You are right though, fewer of us seem to know much about the conflict for our nations survival. No excuse for that.
