Comments on: Can a Rape on the Northern Neck Explain the Crater Massacre? http://cwmemory.com/2009/07/30/can-a-rape-on-the-northern-neck-explain-the-crater-massacre/ Where History, Heritage, and Education Intersect Thu, 24 May 2012 01:47:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Kevin Levin http://cwmemory.com/2009/07/30/can-a-rape-on-the-northern-neck-explain-the-crater-massacre/#comment-10257 Kevin Levin Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:41:41 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4257#comment-10257 Peter, I was wondering when I might here from you. Thanks for clarifying and that definitely brings us much closer together. I could have been clearer in my response as well. I think distinguishing between "actual" and "potential" helps quite a bit here. The incident on the NN would have easily fit within the broadest contours of their understanding of race and emancipation as well as more recent reports of other encounters between Confederates and USCTs at Fort Pillow and elsewhere. Peter,

I was wondering when I might here from you. Thanks for clarifying and that definitely brings us much closer together. I could have been clearer in my response as well. I think distinguishing between “actual” and “potential” helps quite a bit here. The incident on the NN would have easily fit within the broadest contours of their understanding of race and emancipation as well as more recent reports of other encounters between Confederates and USCTs at Fort Pillow and elsewhere.

]]> By: Peter Luebke http://cwmemory.com/2009/07/30/can-a-rape-on-the-northern-neck-explain-the-crater-massacre/#comment-10256 Peter Luebke Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:34:17 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4257#comment-10256 Kevin, To expand a bit on what I mean by tangible. You s see my article as opposed to what you have argued, when I see it as more complementary. And perhaps the language about “tangible” or “concrete” I employed obscured my meaning somewhat. What I meant to suggest is that Confederate soldiers who had read the article, or heard of it, would have credible evidence to believe that the USCT represented not a potential Nat Turner incident, but an actual Nat Turner incident. One can easily see how this might change their behavior when they confronted USCT; armed blacks presented a threat to southern racial order, but armed blacks raping the wives of Confederate soldiers might personalize the issue for a Confederate soldier in the ranks. I suppose this is what I meant by the newspaper potentially making the abstraction more “tangible” for Confederates. These two posts of your are germane here: http://cwmemory.com/2009/06/26/nat-turner-lived-40-miles-from-the-crater/ http://cwmemory.com/2009/06/23/well-done-john-schmutz/ Kevin,
To expand a bit on what I mean by tangible. You s see my article as opposed to what you have argued, when I see it as more complementary. And perhaps the language about “tangible” or “concrete” I employed obscured my meaning somewhat. What I meant to suggest is that Confederate soldiers who had read the article, or heard of it, would have credible evidence to believe that the USCT represented not a potential Nat Turner incident, but an actual Nat Turner incident. One can easily see how this might change their behavior when they confronted USCT; armed blacks presented a threat to southern racial order, but armed blacks raping the wives of Confederate soldiers might personalize the issue for a Confederate soldier in the ranks. I suppose this is what I meant by the newspaper potentially making the abstraction more “tangible” for Confederates. These two posts of your are germane here:
http://cwmemory.com/2009/06/26/nat-turner-lived-40-miles-from-the-crater/
http://cwmemory.com/2009/06/23/well-done-john-schmutz/

]]> By: David http://cwmemory.com/2009/07/30/can-a-rape-on-the-northern-neck-explain-the-crater-massacre/#comment-10248 David Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:20:03 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4257#comment-10248 Perhaps the answer is found in the absence of any noting of the rape incident amongst the primary research materials you have reviewed over the past five years. While it is while nigh impossible to prove a negative, that nobody mentioned the incident could very well indicate that the rape had no effect and that the murder of Black soldiers is even more deeply rooted in Southern culture. Perhaps the answer is found in the absence of any noting of the rape incident amongst the primary research materials you have reviewed over the past five years. While it is while nigh impossible to prove a negative, that nobody mentioned the incident could very well indicate that the rape had no effect and that the murder of Black soldiers is even more deeply rooted in Southern culture.

]]> By: chris meekins http://cwmemory.com/2009/07/30/can-a-rape-on-the-northern-neck-explain-the-crater-massacre/#comment-10243 chris meekins Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:17:34 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4257#comment-10243 The account of the rape in the newspaper, and my money is on it being called an outrage, struck a chord with me. I did a little digging and found a similar story two years earlier. Just prior to the battle of Sawyer's Lane in Camden County NC (April 1862) a federal expedition went up the Pasquotank River to break up a Confederate recruiting station. A Richmond Daily Dispatch reporter somehow saw the action and filed a story (21 April 1862). While stating a laundry list of grievances against the raiding white federal soldiers he dropped an H-bomb of an accusation - these soldiers were attempting to outrage all the women and daughters. No further evidence came forth and unfortunately Union troops had already demonstrated a lack of restraint at Roanoke Island after it fell. What can you do with something like this? But if its a pattern, a repeated cry of outrage by the press when troops are pressed or forced to retreat, and no further proof, it seems to become a tactic. Something used to rile the readers. But no to be dismissed altogether, unfortunately. The account of the rape in the newspaper, and my money is on it being called an outrage, struck a chord with me. I did a little digging and found a similar story two years earlier. Just prior to the battle of Sawyer’s Lane in Camden County NC (April 1862) a federal expedition went up the Pasquotank River to break up a Confederate recruiting station. A Richmond Daily Dispatch reporter somehow saw the action and filed a story (21 April 1862). While stating a laundry list of grievances against the raiding white federal soldiers he dropped an H-bomb of an accusation – these soldiers were attempting to outrage all the women and daughters. No further evidence came forth and unfortunately Union troops had already demonstrated a lack of restraint at Roanoke Island after it fell. What can you do with something like this?
But if its a pattern, a repeated cry of outrage by the press when troops are pressed or forced to retreat, and no further proof, it seems to become a tactic. Something used to rile the readers.
But no to be dismissed altogether, unfortunately.

]]> By: James F. Epperson http://cwmemory.com/2009/07/30/can-a-rape-on-the-northern-neck-explain-the-crater-massacre/#comment-10241 James F. Epperson Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:43:19 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4257#comment-10241 To quote one of my favorite TV characters: Fascinating! To quote one of my favorite TV characters: Fascinating!

]]> By: rhapsodyinbooks http://cwmemory.com/2009/07/30/can-a-rape-on-the-northern-neck-explain-the-crater-massacre/#comment-10240 rhapsodyinbooks Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:42:20 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4257#comment-10240 Really interesting. Thanks for bringing this matter to our attention! Really interesting. Thanks for bringing this matter to our attention!

]]> By: ‘A monstrous tongue of flame’ | Encyclopedia Virginia: The Blog http://cwmemory.com/2009/07/30/can-a-rape-on-the-northern-neck-explain-the-crater-massacre/#comment-10239 ‘A monstrous tongue of flame’ | Encyclopedia Virginia: The Blog Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:22:12 +0000 http://cwmemory.com/?p=4257#comment-10239 [...] the Battle of the Crater, which was fought near Petersburg, Virginia, on July 30, 1864. Kevin Levin marks the occasion by responding to our post from earlier this week, “Explaining a Massacre.” He has some [...] [...] the Battle of the Crater, which was fought near Petersburg, Virginia, on July 30, 1864. Kevin Levin marks the occasion by responding to our post from earlier this week, “Explaining a Massacre.” He has some [...]

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