Hey Tacitus,

You really are in John Sevier and “Over the Mountain Men” country, as I make Bristol on the map. My dad's outfit from 20 Sep 1944 into 1946 was Co. C, 1st Batt. ("Curlew"), 117th Inf. Regt. ("Breakthrough"), 30th Inf. Div. ("Old Hickory" or "Tennessee Volunteers" - not sure which was "official"); from down the road at Cleveland. Now (according to a website updated 1 Jun 2001 !), Troop A, 1st Squadron, 278th ACR, at same place (unless the designations have been changed since).

Looks like it is in line for another "scenic tour" per WVLT-TV (13 May 2008).

One hell of a good military history in that region (and a sad one during the "War of Division").

Small world, isn't it.

----------------------------------
Aaron Burr did mount (attempt to mount) an insurgency; for which, he was indicted and tried for treason. Had occasion to look at those cases, back in the day, since they form the basis for much of Federal treason law. The details I will spare the reader. Burr's neck was saved by John Marshall's decision; undoubtedly correct since JM is my judicial model.

"Marshall had followed a strict reading of the Constitution and excluded all evidence not directly related to the act of treason. He maintained that it took the testimony of at least two witnesses to the same "overt act" of treason to convict."

---------------------------------------
Your namesake's "Agricola" (focused on Tacitus' father in law) is a good source for how the Romans handled insurgents. It contains the speech of the Briton insurgent Galgacus, including:

"Robbers of the world, having by their universal plunder exhausted the land, they rifle the deep. If the enemy be rich, they are rapacious; if he be poor, they lust for dominion; neither the east nor the west has been able to satisfy them. Alone among men they covet with equal eagerness poverty and riches. To robbery, slaughter, plunder, they give the lying name of empire ["government" in my trans.]; they make a solitude ["desert" in my trans.] and call it peace." [Agricola, sec. 30, in ref. below]

No longer acceptable under the rules of land warfare; but my pool league (8-ball) partner Todd (E-7 ret.) likes the concept of make a desert, call it peace and then leave quickly !!

PS/ I disliked (can I make that stronger) Vidal's personality and politics; but enjoyed his novels - go figure !

Refs

278th ACR
http://www.geocities.com/278acr/munits-f.html
http://www.volunteertv.com/news/headlines/18898959.html

Burr and Marshall
http://www.apva.org/marshall/justice...burr_trial.php

Tacitus, Agricola (complete)
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancie...-agricola.html