Thread: Perfect English (A question to native English speakers)

---

Originally Posted by Lampada

Originally Posted by charlestonian

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

Thats a book of fiction about a love story and probly has very little to do with real life.

Which brings me to my next question about the south. Howcome it seems like people from the south are the most patriotic to be american, but at the same time they want to be their own country?

sometimes the south seems so backwards.

Your English is rather strange... Where are you from?

А ты определенно из Одессы: отвечаешь вопросом на вопрос.

That I 'is"

Originally Posted by Dobry

...his home was agreed to by North and South Generals as a "no-man's land" (absolutely neutral) and served as a hospital to both Confederate, and Federal soldiers. My great-great-grandfather Marks refused to fight for the Confederacy... but both North and South honored this "cease-fire" on his land, so that the wounded, from both sides, could get medical treatment. And my great-great-grandfather remained protected... neither North or South bothered him, his family, or damaged his farm or mill, because of this treaty between North and South commanders. So, he and his family survived the war, without much difficulty.

That's a fascinating story. My question would be this: how was this neutrality made clear to a commander who was from out of the area? If for example, a union army from another state were for some reason come to his home and find 5 confederates in bed and no union troops at that particular time, wouldn't they be a bit suspicious/upset? Was there some sort of an actual written contract (that would have to be an incredible piece of paper to have!), or did all the locals just know that to be the case, or did they simply take him at his word?

---

Originally Posted by charlestonian

Another piece of history. The Confederate HL "Hunley" became the first submarine ever

It was also the first submarine to sink itself and actually sustained higher fatalities than its victim. Oops...

Originally Posted by Бармалей

Originally Posted by Dobry

...his home was agreed to by North and South Generals as a "no-man's land" (absolutely neutral) and served as a hospital to both Confederate, and Federal soldiers. My great-great-grandfather Marks refused to fight for the Confederacy... but both North and South honored this "cease-fire" on his land, so that the wounded, from both sides, could get medical treatment. And my great-great-grandfather remained protected... neither North or South bothered him, his family, or damaged his farm or mill, because of this treaty between North and South commanders. So, he and his family survived the war, without much difficulty.

That's a fascinating story. My question would be this: how was this neutrality made clear to a commander who was from out of the area? If for example, a union army from another state were for some reason come to his home and find 5 confederates in bed and no union troops at that particular time, wouldn't they be a bit suspicious/upset? Was there some sort of an actual written contract (that would have to be an incredible piece of paper to have!), or did all the locals just know that to be the case, or did they simply take him at his word?

I don't know all the details... but here is the story that has been passed down in my family... I don't think any "paper treaty" still exists, but in the military journals of the Federal commander, which are kept in the State Archives, he details the "truce" that was agreed upon by both sides to allow the Marks land to be "neutral", and used for medical care.

There also is a big granite block sitting in the family cemetery, near Fordyce, that details what happened...

He was well-known in the area as the grain miller, and so, he had a lot of "weight" so to speak with the populace. The Marks' were a big family, with his brothers owning a lot of land around that area. And although he did not own slaves (that is another family story), he was wealthy (compared to others living around him), with some political power, and he owned a big 2-story mansion... big enough to be a make-shift hospital.

When the war reached the area, my great-great-grandfather offered to the Confederate commander to use his mansion as a hospital for the wounded, IF the Confederate commander agreed to allow Federal soldiers to be treated also... so, the Confederate commander and Federal commander parlayed, and agreed that the Marks estate was a "cease-fire" zone, and a hospital... for both sides. No shots would be fired and no soldier would be captured while on the Marks land, by either side.

One reason the Confederate commander agreed to this, and you need to understand this... this was a poor area of the South, without many resources or supplies to take care of the wounded. (Also, there is an unwritten "Code of Conduct"... part of our culture in the South... among most Southerners, that is different from Northerners, even today... I think Charlestonian understands what I mean.)

The Federal commander in his journal also echoes this... supplies and medical treatment were very limited for the North's soldiers also, this far south.

So, it was a humanitarian decision from both sides, and both sides desperately needed it, to have a "neutral zone", for safety and medical treatment.

This all may sound strange... but it was a strange war.

---

Originally Posted by charlestonian

Originally Posted by Бармалей

Originally Posted by charlestonian

Another piece of history. The Confederate HL "Hunley" became the first submarine ever

It was also the first submarine to sink itself and actually sustained higher fatalities than its victim. Oops...

If you are trying to pop my bubble, it is not working

Ты часто с дискуссии на личности переходишь. Нехорошо-с.

---

Originally Posted by Dobry

So, it was a humanitarian decision from both sides, and both sides desperately needed it, to have a "neutral zone", for safety and medical treatment.

This all may sound strange... but it was a strange war.

Fascinating story; thanks for sharing!