Person Of The Year 1861

[UNHWildCats]

Richmond, Va.: 1861's 'Person of the Year'
From Lincoln's White House it's only about 110 miles south to the official residence of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Richmond.

It was in an auditorium near there that a few hundred people gathered for the Museum of the Confederacy's nominations for 1861 "Person of the Year."

One author proposed P.G.T. Beauregard, the general in charge at both Fort Sumter and Manassas, who gave the South two early victories. Another scholar named Kentucky Gov. Beriah Magoffin, saying his efforts keeping that vital border state neutral, and out of the Confederacy, may have tipped the historical scales.

Of course, Lincoln was nominated.

And there were two other eloquent pleas for support.

Dr. Lauranett Lee, curator of African-American history at the Virginia Historical Society, nominated the enslaved blacks who made their way to Union lines. Union officers reasoned that, since they were considered property, they could be taken like anything else being used to support the enemy. They became seized "contraband," and many would eventually aid the Union's ultimate victory and reshape the future for black Americans.

Glancing at the other panelists, Lee noted, "Had it not been for the actions of the 'contraband,' I would not be where I am today."

The last nomination came from historian James I. Robertson Jr., who said the person of that pivotal year was the Virginia volunteer.

This rank-and-file soldier was typically not a "fire-eating" secessionist, but a small farmer grimly determined to resist what he considered invaders. Robertson told the story of one such, and quoted his tender letters home before he succumbed to wounds suffered at Manassas.

"He died to protect that little parcel of farmland in the mountains," said Robertson, his mellifluous Old Dominion accent bringing nods in the crowd.

And now the vote: Audience ballots were marked and tallied. And S. Waite Rawls III, president of the museum, rose to announce the results.

The vote was close, but the winner in the rebellion's capital, 150 years later?
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"The audience has chosen Abraham Lincoln ..."

This was news. Leo Rohr of the museum marketing staff instantly announced it in a tweet.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42391004/ns/us_news-life/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[citdog]

I'd LOVE to see who was counting those ballots. I'd also like to know what else some of those folks who were there were expected to do. If they had voted with their hearts the headline on msnbc would have read.


SLAVE AUCTION NEXT?

[travelinman67]

I'd LOVE to see who was counting those ballots. I'd also like to know what else some of those folks who were there were expected to do. If they had voted with their hearts the headline on msnbc would have read.


SLAVE AUCTION NEXT?

Gotta agree...

...in 1861, if anything, Lincoln could have been described as a mediocre provocateur. The Confederacy clearly had the upper hand when the war began.

[hungarygator]

Hitler was Time's Man of the Year in 1938. Given his importance to world events, its hard to argue with that choice. Same goes for Lincoln. Man of the year doesn't mean you were good. It only means you were important in shaping events.