# Why did the CSA pick a capitol city so close to the front lines? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2018, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944 "2018-12-30T21:30:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944/21 "2018-12-31T23:33:07Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > …(Another thing I wonder is why US 1 in Northern VA is called the “Jefferson Davis Highway”, honoring a Mississippian who only brought ruin to the place; not even a proper \*Virginian \*Confederate.) Jefferson Davis also has a statue in the US Capitol, though apparently there’s a campaign to replace him with Elvis Presley (another notable Mississippian). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944/22 "2019-01-01T02:36:09Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Jefferson Davis also has a statue in the US Capitol, though apparently there’s a campaign to replace him with Elvis Presley (another notable Mississippian). He was the US Secretary of War under President Pierce. Introduced camels to the US Cavalry, some of whom supposedly still exist in the American desert. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944/23 "2019-01-01T03:32:44Z")
Carryon, thanks for the informative post — the population figures were revealing. This whole thread is really interesting, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944/24 "2019-01-01T14:54:08Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Introduced camels to the US Cavalry, some of whom supposedly still exist in the American desert. While a few feral camels held out until the 1880s, I don’t believe there are any reports since the early 20th Century. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944/25 "2019-01-01T15:37:24Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > While a few feral camels held out until the 1880s, I don’t believe there are any reports since the early 20th Century. But you know why camels drink so much? To forget. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944/26 "2019-01-01T16:26:22Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > He was the US Secretary of War under President Pierce. And Benedict Arnold was a major figure in the Continental Army, helping to win the key Battle of Saratoga. Why doesn’t he have a statue in the Capitol? ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944/27 "2019-01-02T12:06:51Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > And Benedict Arnold was a major figure in the Continental Army, helping to win the key Battle of Saratoga. Why doesn’t he have a statue in the Capitol? There is a memorial to Arnold in Saratoga, NY. It’s a statue of his boot, and the only Federal memorial to use his name. I guess that doesn’t quite meet the criteria you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944/28 "2019-01-02T12:34:11Z")
No, according to Wikipedia, it doesn’t mention his name. Just his boot. > **[Boot Monument](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_Monument)** > > The Boot Monument is an American Revolutionary War memorial located in Saratoga National Historical Park, New York. It commemorates Major General Benedict Arnold's service at the Battles of Saratoga in the Continental Army, but does not name him. > John Watts de Peyster, a former major general for the New York State Militia during the American Civil War and writer of several military histories about the Battle of Saratoga, erected the monument to commemorate Arnold's contribution to the Continenta... ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944/29 "2019-01-02T16:52:09Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Gettysburg proved the South was willing to go further north. I’m no expert but Lee fancied himself annointed by his forefathers( Lighthorse Harry) and Mary C. Lee was Washingtons grand-daughter (adopted). I _think_ maybe he had visions of grandeur. I can’t know, really. I’ve read D.Southalls Freemans complete biography of Lee ( it’s 4 large volumes) and it seems Lee thought highly of himself and as one of Virginia sons he felt privileged. I don’t think for a minute he would have refused to set Davis up in the Whitehouse. And then ran for President himself, down the line. As Grant did. To the victors go the spoils. Afterall. There is no evidence to show that Lee’s two invasions of the north were ones of conquest. It was done largely to: 1) let the crops grow in VA without Yankees burning, trampling or eating them all, and 2) to show Europe that the South wasn’t a two bit rebellion, but a national power in its own right. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944/30 "2019-01-02T17:26:43Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Note that the war wasn’t expected to last long. The first Battle of Bull Run was going to be the “knock-out” blow that would end the war. > > The arrogance of the South was unbelievable. They knew they were intrinsically better people than the Northerners and would win simply due to their “virtue”. (Guess what other looking-down-on-other-people thing goes with this attitude.) > > The idea of Yankees ever being able to take Richmond was a ridiculous thought for virtually the whole war. To be fair, the North was just as arrogant before Bull Run. They figured they could just march into Richmond and put an end to this secession nonsense. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-csa-pick-a-capitol-city-so-close-to-the-front-lines/826944.md?page=1)