Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne—Stonewall Jackson of the West

Wednesday, March 17, 2010, is the 182nd birthday of Patrick Ronayne Cleburne. Do you remember the 1961 weekly television series, entitled The Americans?” This wonderful-educational show centered around two brothers who fought on opposite sides of the War Between the States—Confederate Corporal Jeff Canfield played by Richard Davalos and Union Corporal Ben Canfield played by Darryl Hickman. Their Father, Pa Canfield, was played by the late great John McIntire. The great theme music was produced by Hugo Friedhofer and original music by Bernard Hermann. When I was growing up near Atlanta, Georgia, school children could recite some of the words to the United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, and knew the true history of those who gave us our freedom. Politicians in their speeches proudly quoted from American Patriots like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Robert E. Lee.