Download Olivia Salela Simun Conference- November 6th, 2010 August 31st

Olivia Salela
Simun Conference- November 6th, 2010
August 31st, 1862 Henry Cornelius Burnett- Kentucky Representative
On the verge of defeat, our proud confederate nation has turned the tables and shattered
the Union’s hope of a quick campaign! What Pope thought would be a decisive victory at
Manassas proved to be as destructive as when Jackson’s army drove the damnyanks back north
and out of Virginia. It is our duty to our proud southern states to secure a confederate victory and
put the Union in its place. The time has come for us to collect our advantages in influence of
trade with Europe, to push the Union out of our harbors and proceed to claim the rights our
proud country deserves, and as a Kentucky representative I intend to transform Kentucky’s softspot for the confederacy into a full-fledged state of support to make these outcomes possible!
A look at previous battles presents the view of the Confederacy on the brink of defeat,
and it is essential that by examining our flaws, we make better decisions in future battles. Our
defeat at New Orleans was humiliating as the city surrendered to the invading army of Farragut.
Although not many lives were lost, our awful preparation and lack of resistance led to the fall of
the largest Confederate city. It is times like these that we must remember to step forward and
bring ourselves to a better footing. Such as early August of this year however, our mighty
general Thomas Jackson led us to a victory that changed the Union’s view of the south as an
inferior opponent. Jackson stood at Cedar Mountain and turned the tables by counterattacking
Union leader General Banks, with his skilled army twice the size of Banks and drove the war
into northern Virginia. Jackson’s preparation and prestige is a model for what we continued in
the battle at Manassas, and what we must continue to do in the future. As a whole, it is things
such as preparation and training as well as strength in the face of defeat that will ultimately lead
us to end this war in victory.
On another note, we need to proceed to secure a victory- starting with the Union blockade
upon on harbors. April 1861 of last year, this blockade began by cutting us off from exporting to
European countries, and in the position of strength which we sit in now, we must seize the
opportunity to strike the Union on our harbors and regain our economic advantages. The state of
Kentucky recognizes the Confederacy to be an important exporter of cotton, and in supplying
European nations with fuel for their industries, we open the opportunity in our economic
advantage with cotton to collect allies and to completely grasp this chance we are given; and to
do so, a break of the Union blockade is necessary. Namely, the French and the British give
support to our oppressed states, and in our attempt at freedom we need all the support we can
obtain despite our victories at Manassas and Cedar Mountain. With all things considered, in the
face of threat from northern oppression, our Confederate states are in the position to shift the
power and create a system of alliances through our advantages, in order to continue our
campaign against northern aggression, and provide for the ultimate victory of the south.
The world’s view of the Confederacy as an inferior opponent to the Union by this point
has been completely undermined. Not longer than a few months ago our southern states suffered
through the fall of the great New Orleans, and turned the tables while on the brink of defeat at
Cedar Mountain. Only a few months back, we not only completely undermined the Union, but
we drove them straight back to the north at Manassas, and turned the tides of the war. With these
successes in such a short time, it is essential for the Confederacy to take necessary steps towards
bettering its economic situation in the blockade, to acquire aid and arms from overseas. Through
further steps the victory for the south will soon come, and with it rights the oppressive north had
denied us!