Ed Sebesta forms Confederate Reenactment Unit

Photo courtesy AP (Authentic Photoshop)

Dallas, Texas – Talk about a change of heart.

When nationally known anti-Neo-Confederate researcher and author Ed Sebesta discovered he was related to a famous Confederate general, he couldn’t believe it. “At first I tried to deny it. But the more I learned about my great-great-great-uncle, the more I came to admire him,” admits Sebesta. “He was just an antique dealer in New Orleans when the war broke out. He joined as a private, but he had such a way with the men that he quickly rose to the rank of general.” The pride on Sebesta’s face is unmistakable.

The smile vanishes, and he turns serious. “Finally, I had to make a choice. When I did, my old acquaintances at the Southern Poverty Law Center and the media were stunned.”

Sebesta’s Confederate ancestor was the famous General Beauregard Q. Highbottom, the master strategist who won the Battle of Brokeback Mountain. His famed Lavender Legion was noted for its unique camaraderie and strict discipline. The legion’s performance in countless battles validated its motto, “We always hold up our end.”

Dressed in the stylish uniform of his ancestor, Sebesta leans back in his wooden rocker, takes a long, thoughtful draw from his cigar, and scans the grassy field where his reenactment unit has bivouacked.

I ask him about his past comments about the Confederacy, and the South in general. He looks me in the eyes before he answers.

“It was all envy," he finally admits. "Here was something glamorous and heroic, and I felt left out.” He stands and grasps a nearby flagpole topped by the Confederate Battleflag. “Just expressions of envy on my part. But no more. Now I’m part of the team.”

“General” Sebesta excuses himself to prepare his men for the day’s activities. “I’m part of a proud legacy,” he says. “And I intend to keep it going.”