Worst Corps Commander in 1863?

[OpnDownfall]

It is my understanding that when Howard assumed direct command of both Corps at Gettysburg on the 1st Day, Howard assigned Carl Shurz to command Eleventh Corps. Instructing Shurz to extend Doubleday's Line )1st Corps) to Barlow's Knoll, overextending Eleventh Corps Line and projecting the line too far forward to be readily supported.
Was it Gen. Howard (acting commaning general) or Gen. Shurz (acting corps commander) who ordered Steinwehr's Division with three batteries of artillery to remain on Cemetary Hill, as a reserve?

[Bobbie]

Originally Posted by OpnDownfall

Was it Gen. Howard (acting commaning general) or Gen. Shurz (acting corps commander) who ordered Steinwehr's Division with three batteries of artillery to remain on Cemetary Hill, as a reserve?

It was Howard : "Accordingly you ordered me to take the 3rd and 1st Divisions of 11th Corps through the town, and to endeavor to take possession of the eastern prolongation of the ridge then partly held by the 1st Corps, while you intended to establish the 2nd Division and the artillery, excepting the batteries attached to the 1st and 3rd Divisions, on Cemetery Hill and the eminence east of it as a reserve"- Maj. Gen. Carl Schurz's report, August 20,1863.

[M E Wolf]

Dear List Members-

Being that Mr. Holmes is buried at Arlingtion National Cemetery--here is what their web site has to offer.

Excerpt-

Fort Sumter was fired on and President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers. Young Holmes, 20 years old and shortly to be graduated from Harvard with the class of '61, walked down Beacon Hill with an open Hobbe's "Leviathan" in his hand and learned that he was commissioned in the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteers.

The regiment, largely officered by young Harvard men and later to be known as the "Harvard Regiment," was ordered South and into action at Ball's Bluff. There were grave tactical errors and the Union troops were driven down the cliff on the Virginia shore and into the Potomac. Men trying to swim to safety were killed and wounded men were drowned.

Lieutenant Holmes, with a bullet through his breast, was placed in a boat with dying men and ferried through saving darkness to the Maryland shore.
His wound was serious, but the sufferer was young and storng. For convalescence he was returned to Boston. On his recovery he returned to the front.
At Antietam a bullet pierced his neck and again his condition was critical. Dr. Holmes, on learning the news, set out to search for his son. The search lasted many worried days and brought the father close to the lines at several points. He found his son already convalescent and brought him back to Boston, where he wrote his experiences under the title, "My Hunt for the Captain," an article that was enthusiastically received as bringing home to Boston a first-hand picture of the trials of war directly behind the lines.

Wounded a Third Time

Back at the front, the young officer was again wounded. A bullet cut through tendons and lodged in his heel. This wound was long in healing and Holmes was retired to Boston with the brevet ranks of Colonel and Major.

The emergency of war over, his life was his own again. There was the question, then, of what to do with it. Writing appealed to him. He had been class poet and prize essayist in college. But he finally turned to law, although it was long before he was sure that he had taken the best course.

"It cost me some years of doubt and unhappiness," he said later, "before I could say to myself: 'The law is part of the universe--if the universe can be thought about, one part must reveal it as much as another to one who can see that part. It is only a question if you have the eyes.'"

Philosophy and William James helped him find his legal eyes while he studied in Harvard Law School and James, a year younger, was studying medicine. Through long nights they discussed their "dilapidated old friend the Kosmos." James later was to write in affectionate reminiscence of "your whitely lit-up room, drinking in your profound wisdom, your golden jibes, your costly imagery, listening to your shuddering laughter."

But while James went on, continuing in Germany his search for the meanings of the universe, Holmes decided that "maybe the universe is too great a swell to have a meaning," that his task was to "make his own universe livable," and he drove deep into the study of the law.
He took his LL. B. in 1866 and went to Europe to climb some mountains. Early in 1867 he was admitted to the bar and James noted that "Wendell is working too hard." The hard work brought results. In 1870 he was made editor of the American Law Review.
[End of excerpt]

Another fine read, along with pictures of O. W. Holmes with his "Harvard Regiment" is at:

harvardregiment.org/holmes.html

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

[5fish]

Originally Posted by J_Man0507

Fish, I'm sorry if I sounded overly impetuous and belittling. I wasn't trying to, and realize that I might have rephrased my response in slightly less caustic tones. For that, I do apologize.

But, I must say that I have not been able to find any indication that he was offered a promotion to division command. As I stated, he left the army a brevet Lt. Col, which is a far cry from at the least a brigadier general. That is mighty hefty promotion to make. To be sure, they had been made (George Custer and Elon Farnsworth are two examples), but I haven't been able to fine it. I went through Gordon Rhea's detailed accounts of the Overland Campaign, and no mention is made as to him being offered promotion to a division commander. He was held a position as an aide to a division commander, Horatio Wright, who was promoted to corps command after the death of Maj. Gen. John Sedgewick at Spotsylvania.

If you have a source that I don't, or know where this is cited, please let me know. But, I can't find a reference to his being offered that promotion. Sorry!

I have located my comment about Olivier Wendell Holmes. It was on pages 306 and 307 in the "Bloody Roads South" by Trudeau..

Just wanted to update you..

[J_Man0507]

Originally Posted by 5fish

I have located my comment about Olivier Wendell Holmes. It was on pages 306 and 307 in the "Bloody Roads South" by Trudeau..

Just wanted to update you..

Well Five, I just got my copy today and headed straight for the pages you refered to. And it wasn't a division commander but a line officer in his regiment, the 20th Mass. It was just a regimental promotion it seems, not division.

[bankerpapaw]

Originally Posted by ole

My bad, and my apologies, gentlemen. I should have referred back to the original post to verify. I will deprive myself of chitlins for the balance of the year as punishment.

Ole

Ole, you certainly have my forgiveness. Just to show you my good intentions, I will give you all my rations of
chitlins for the next 50 years.

[M E Wolf]

Dear List Members;

I have used December 1863 as the cap to my personal judgment as to whom gets my 'Worst Corps Commander of 1863'.

I have looked at Official Records of the Rebellion and used the US Army Rules and Regulations as the boundaries of coming to my conclusions.

I have to say that General O. O. Howard was top of the list for me. The over run of his Camp at Chancellorsville, VA crossing by General Jackson and Rhodes was inexcusable; which then Howard's routed troops went into General Hooker's Corps where General Winfield S. Hancock stopped the rapid and disorganized retreat within his Corps by Howard's Corps.

According to very specific rules for Generals to place advanced Grand Guards, sentries, vedettes --as well as putting extra manpower in such forward positions guarding the entire Corps--the fact that Jackson could split his Corps and mainly 'clap shut' and herd Howard's Corps was inexcusable. The warning system was a failure. According to the US Army Regs; these vedettes, sentries and Grand Guards would be roughly 700-800 yards out with the men relieved hourly and the detail rotated as to rest between their watch; to have men able to cross-over observe one another's field of vision without turning their head--and, to not have one of the sentries, vedettes or grand guards to fire a musket or set a bale of wet straw on fire as a signal--to allow 10-30 minutes warning for the main Corps to assemble and be ready to recieve the enemy's attack--well; I am not impressed.

There are so many other Generals to whom share the 'boob' award however, with Howard's brillant success in New Bern, NC and to do wonderful work in 1861 as to make a simple but fatal error in setting up the surrounding guards to the Corp's security is inexcusable--IMHO.

As for Gettysburg, it is seeminly Howard's lot to retard the progress of the enemy and retreated. Even General Buford knew the town wasn't the highest portion of good ground--it was Cemetery Hill and the rocky heights; of Little and Big Round Top. It was a pattern of behavior of retreating by Howard as well as the tension between Howard and his Corps that wasn't the best either.

As far as the Battle of Gettysburg goes--I think the worst Corps Commander that day was General Sickles - He disobeyed General Meade's command and caused General Sykes to deploy Colonel Vincent's Corps to cover Sickle's beehind--just minutes before Confederate Alabama and Texas troops charged the Little Round Top/Big Round Top.

General Ewell (CSA) certainly failed in getting the heights but, the 'boob' award for the Confederates would be General JEB Stuart and General Henry Heth in my book.

Heth should have not engaged Buford's Brigades but, hold and send back for re-enforcements. And, if Heth had sent advanced flankers and guards, he would have had earlier warning than just a casual march in towards the town of Gettysburg. And, if his troops were disciplined he could have controled their need to get into a scrap. Heth to Lee ...'my boys got their dander up and wouldn't leave...' --A swift kick in some beehinds might have awakened some Junior officers and NCO's and haul back their need to fighting and obey the commanders.

Just some thoughts.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

[diddyriddick]

I have a question. If Howard was such a horrible corps commander, why was he kept on until the very end of the war?

[M E Wolf]

Dear Diddyriddick,


Because there were more 'knuckle heads' after January 1864 to take the lead and surpass General Howard. [Smiles]

Just some thoughts.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

[Bobbie]

It's a constant mystery to me how E. P. Alexander, whose judgements I usually prize, could call Otis Howard "an excellent officer".