Questionable Commemorations

Arkansas is the scene of yet another questionable memorial undertaking, this time honoring a “martyred” teenaged spy. I’m all for marking historical spots, but sometimes the motives of these Confederate commemorators seem suspect. As the article notes, the spy, David O. Dodd, already has some plaques and his name on a local school. His story doesn’t contain any bold Nathan Hale-like last words, nor anything of drama about his life nor the information he had procured. It’s a story that was repeated no doubt hundreds of times during the conflict. Surely Arkansas isn’t so starved for state heroes that it needs to keep beating the Dodd drum.

A state commission’s decision, though, to grant approval for yet another tribute to Dodd has revived an age-old question: Should states still look for ways to commemorate historical figures who fought to defend unjust institutions?

"(Dodd) already has a school. I don’t know why anything else would have to be done to honor him," James Lucas Sr., a school bus driver, said near the state Capitol in downtown Little Rock.

Arkansas’ complicated history of race relations plays out on the Capitol grounds. A stone and metal monument that’s stood for over a century pays tribute to the Arkansas men and boys who fought for the Confederacy and the right to own slaves. Not far away, nine bronze statues honor the black children who, in 1957, needed an Army escort to enter what had been an all-white school.

via Plan to honor Confederate spy splits town – TODAY News – TODAY.com.

Canada – Rogue State

Well, while we could never really be considered any cog in an Axis of Evil, Canada did offer harbour (complete with extraneous “u”) to Confederate agents during the war years. http://www.cfhi.net/WilmingtonsWartimeCanadianConnection.phpthe site I mentioned yesterday details some of the efforts of the Confederate Secret Service, who coordinated cross-border activities during the conflict, including the St. Albans’ Raid and the attempt to burn down New York City.

I’ve added yet another e-book to the Library, this one written by one of the New York conspirators, and goes into great detail on the planning and (failed) execution of this and other raids.

Confederate Operations in Canada and New York