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I just looked it up on wikipedia and it said he passed away in '05. Like you said regardless rather all his stuff was completely accurate or not he was a good television personality.
I always thought Foote's strength was not as a historian, but as a story teller. To many people, he made the documentary. He was engaging and is what many people came away with from the documentary. I think that is why Ken Burns used him. He could hold the camera. Having gone to one of his speeches in person, he knew how to hold a crowd.
His three volume history of the Civil War is not great history, but it is great story-telling. And that is how history started out....
__________________ "There must be more historians of the Civil War than there were generals figthing in it... Of the two groups, the historians are the more belligerent." David Donald, Lincoln Reconsidered (1961)
I always thought Foote's strength was not as a historian, but as a story teller. To many people, he made the documentary. He was engaging and is what many people came away with from the documentary. I think that is why Ken Burns used him. He could hold the camera. Having gone to one of his speeches in person, he knew how to hold a crowd.
His three volume history of the Civil War is not great history, but it is great story-telling. And that is how history started out....
I agree completely. Shelby's trilogy is a work of art. And like I said, I keep watching the Burns series--though I usually cringe when Shelby starts talking.
Wonderful ... have you read Civil War Medicine: Challenges and Triumphs? Do I get to ask you why Chickamauga ... maybe, George Henry Thomas?
Thanks,
clara
Dear Miss Clara,
Actually, I'm an admirer of the unfortunate William Starke Rosecrans.
I started studying Chickamauga as research for my novel (a long time in the writing, and still pre published!) I thought that the Eastern Theater had been done to death, so I chose the Western Theater for the setting.
I have nindeed read Dr. Bollet's book -- one of the best on the subject.
How good do you guys think the Ken Burns documentary got the war (at least in regards to the battles).
The Ken Burns documentary has always been my main source of history on the war that I have looked at (havn't ever read many books about it).
This messageboard is cool by the way. I have always been interested in the Civil War but generally it is hard to discuss it because most people don't know a whole lot about it. It's also nice to see that this board looks to be pretty active as well.
About the only thing most Civil War books agree on is where the battles were fought, and when; athough you will notice that the Union and the Confederates usually had different names for the same place. That said, Ken Burns' highly publicized documentary was as accurate and as inaccurate as most Civil War offerings. The only aspect of the war I would consider myself an expert on, having published a book on T. S. C. Lowe would be the Balloon Corps. I did notice that when Burns flashed a picture of Lowe's generator wagons, used for inflating the balloons, parked on the mall in Washington D. C., he referred to them as sutler's wagons. But then Professor Lowe, despite his significant contributions, has been pretty much left out of history. In Bruce Catton's The Civil War, which has several photographs of Lowe's observation balloons, including one with Lowe himself, T. S. C. Lowe's name does not even appear in the index. If you are interested in learning more about Lowe, and his efforts to establish a balloon corps you might enjoy my book The Balloonist, The Story of T. S. C. Lowe, Inventor, Scientist, Magician, and Father of the U. S. Airforce, available at most libraries, or from Amazon.com. Stephen Poleskie
In addition, Professor Lowe sent the first telegram from the balloon "Enterprise" to the men on the ground. Making history for first air to ground communications.
Although the balloons were extremely useful, they do have weaknesses which is the fact that once shot at--punctures the balloon--it crashes.
In addition, Professor Lowe sent the first telegram from the balloon "Enterprise" to the men on the ground. Making history for first air to ground communications.
Although the balloons were extremely useful, they do have weaknesses which is the fact that once shot at--punctures the balloon--it crashes.
Just some thoughts.
M. E. Wolf
Dear M.E. Wolf;
You are correct. On June 18, 1861, T. S. C. Lowe did indeed send down the first aerial telegraph message from his balloon "Enterprise" to President Lincoln. Lowe's balloon was tethered on the mall at the site that is now the Air and Space Museum. The balloon was then pulled down, and towed to the lawn of the White House, where Lincoln greeted Lowe from an upstairs window and invited him to dinner. I have published a pamphlet describing this event, which is an excerpt from my book The Balloonist, which I would be happy to send you, or anyone else, at no charge. Just send your address to me by e-mail at SPoleskie@aol.com.
Lowe's balloon was forced down only once. This was on the only free-flight he attempted during the war. He was shot at by pickets from his own side while atempting to return. The troops had not been alerted of his mission, as he was not being blown back to where he had begun. They did not, however, shoot holes in his balloon. Preparing to land Lowe had let most of the air out of his balloon and was not able to clear a hill that was in his way. He crashed behind Confederate lines, and was rescued by his wife, Leontine, a French actress, who drove out in a wagon disguised as a farm woman. Most of the time his balloon, and those of the other members of his corps were flown higher than the Rebel guns were capable of reaching. The danger came when the balloons were ascending, or being pulled down. This information is detailed in my book, The Balloonist, The Story of T. S. C. Lowe, Inventor, Scientist, Magician, and Father of the U. S. Airforce, Frederic C. Beil, Publisher, Savannah, availabe at most libraries or from Amazon.com.
When I lived in the South not a day went by that I didn't see Confederate bumperstickers, HELL NO WE AIN'T FERGETTIN' was a popular one or DON'T BLAME ME I VOTED FOR JEFF DAVIS. When I got to Chicago I expected to see HELL YEAH WE WON bumperstickers or CONSTITUTION OR NOT BULLETS WIN! but- nothing.
When the Burns documentary came out all that changed. I started running into people who were reading about the war and could talk to them about it.
But you know, there was a whole lot in that series about Abe Lincoln. Almost nothing about Jefferson Davis! That's like covering World War 2 and forgetting to mention Hitler! (Not that I compare the two mind you)
No question it got a lot of people interested in the war. But the Southern side was the least accurate of the show!
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