This is too tedious. The American Civil War was not a minor conflict. This is just the mouthings off of some 'patriot' who thinks that Martin Carthy's farts are more artistically significant than every artist on Folkways Records. He probably voted for Thatcher - its that sort of jingoistic myopia.

Ewan MacColl, Alex Campbell, Big Tom, Daniel O'Donnel and his family, and Brendan Shine - none of these people were instrumental in getting young men into the killing grounds of the the First World War.

Rudyard Kipling was. I think 'prat' is a kindly and considered judgement on someone who did what he did. Mind you some of the arseholes on this site are still handing out white feathers to Ewan.