Stumped on a 19th-Century Adversary? Crack the Crossword with this Answer!

Certainly! Let’s break it down step by step.

The crossword clue refers to a 19th-century adversary, so we’ll be looking for someone who lived during that time period and was in opposition to another person or group, represented by “80-Across.”

To find the answer, ‘REB,’ we need to understand a bit about American history, specifically the 19th century. In this context, “REB” is a shortened form of Rebel.

In the United States, during the 19th century, there was a significant event called the American Civil War (1861-1865). It was a conflict between the Northern states, known as the Union, and the Southern states, known as the Confederacy.

The Confederacy, or the Confederate States of America, was made up of states that seceded from the Union. They did so for various reasons, with one primary catalyst being the issue of slavery. The Confederate states aimed to preserve slavery as an institution, whereas the Union aimed to abolish it.

Those who supported the Confederacy were commonly referred to as Rebels or, in the case of our puzzle answer, “REB” for short. This term was used to describe individuals who fought against the Union army during the Civil War and supported the Confederacy’s cause.

It’s worth noting that “REB” is not a proper noun representing a specific person but rather a generic term for those who sided with the Confederacy. Nevertheless, it is often used in crossword puzzles as a clue pertaining to the adversaries of the Union forces during the 19th century American Civil War.

So, in summary, ‘REB’ is a term that originated during the American Civil War to refer to the individuals or soldiers who fought against the Union, supporting the Confederate cause.