After the Civil War, politicians and many historians consecrated the conflict as a crusade for freedom and the grisly tactics were consigned to oblivion. The habit of sweeping abusive policies under the rug also permeated post-Civil War policy towards the Indians (Sheridan famously declared "the only good Indian is a dead Indian") and the suppression of Filipino insurgents after the Spanish-American War.
Since 1864, no prudent American should have expected this nation's wars to have happy or uplifting endings. Unfortunately, as long as the spotlight is kept off atrocities, most citizens will continue to underestimate the odds that wars will spawn debacles and injustices that return to haunt us.
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http://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/10/james-bovard/shenandoah-burning/