A wonderful book

johan_steele · #1 07-10-2005, 06:56 PM

Thomas Desjardin has written a superb work titled These Honored Dead for those of you studying Gettysburg I suggest this as a must read as it debunks many of the myths.

hoosier · #2 07-10-2005, 07:44 PM

Sounds interesting.

Without giving away too much of the book, could you tell us about one of the myths that it debunks?

floridian · #3 07-11-2005, 05:02 AM

Is it a new or an older book?

johan_steele · #4 07-11-2005, 08:50 AM

It goes a long way towards proving to me that many of my thoughts on the details of Gettysburg are wrong.

It touches upon the myth of the ragged rebel, how the Chamberlain legend got started, how Longstreet got on the wrong end of the Lee legend, how/why the Sickles/Meade feud got going (I had forgotten how much of a dirtball he was), where & when the Lost Cause got started, who was behind the creation of the Gettysburg Park... someone I had never heard of.

I was particularly impressed w/ the way history can be distorted both intentionally and unintentionally. It is put forward in such a way that it is pretty much undisputable. I also shows how history gets written.

I'm not a huge fan of the Eastern Theatre; but I do consider myself peripheraly interested and this book taught me a good bit.

VS on the belt plate · #5 07-11-2005, 08:11 PM

I have seen that book,and will put it on my "Must Have" list.

VS..etc

johan_steele · #6 07-11-2005, 08:48 PM

I just realized I forgot to mention the publish date of 2003. Rarely have I run across a book that caught my attention so completely... I borrowed the audio book from the library to listen to on the drive to Indianapolis and I was so caught up in the book I will get a copy for my own library.

An acquintance from another site suggested the book as he had worked w/ the author at the Gettysburg NP quite a few years ago. Same fella that I lost an argument w/ recently... he keeps asking me if crow tastes better w/ ketchup or tobasco. Devils Tears Hot Sauce...

larry_cockerham · #7 07-12-2005, 05:55 PM

Gen. Steele mentioned the "legend of Chamberlain" earlier in a post. He was a good example of being in the right place at the right time. Yes, he became governor of Maine and had a distinguished career as an educator. At the bottom of Little Roundtop was a man far more interesting, namely former jailbird Col. William C. Oates who commanded with distinction the 15 Alabama Infantry. A few more bullets in his pockets would have allowed Oates to make the papers and get better coverage on these boards today. He perhaps wasn't as good looking as the guy who played Chamberlain, but he did rise to the governorship of Alabama and fought one .... of a war. Oates also wrote the regimental history of the 15th for anyone you might enjoy it. My regards to Col. Chamberlain as well. The charge was a nice move, though it perhaps cost the lives of several good men, both north and south.

VS on the belt plate · #8 07-12-2005, 11:12 PM

Hear Hear about Colonel Oates.

VS..etc

scone · #9 07-14-2005, 02:20 AM

I am not sure of theses but was told that Oates and his men where withdrawing to reform when chamberlan made his attack..

And after Marching and counter marching with very little time for water its no wonder them Alabamians where tuckerd out on that rocky slope of LRT

Steven
3rd great grand nephew of Derrel Cone 48th Alabama

maryingettysburg · #10 07-16-2005, 04:37 AM

Scone,
Yes, I've heard that and a hundred other theories. The water one holds the least water (pun intended) if you ask me. It smacks too much of an "excuse" to me. I haven't read anywhere that the 5th corps arrived in Gettysburg in buses and were furnished with Gatorade...i.e. heat, marching and lack of sufficient hydration occured, regardless of the color of the uniform. It was not 20 degrees colder on the summit, and there were no Dasani trucks pulling up to had out bottled water to the Union soldiers. Saying dehydration did it, or too much marching did it, or they were withdrawing anyway did it, seem to be a way of saving face and at the same time discrediting the 20th.

Chamberlain himself stated this in his "Through Blood and Fire at Gettysburg" ..." It was certainly a narrow chance for us, and for the Round Tops. Had we not used up our ammunition, and had we continued to meet the enemy musket to musket, this "give and take" would soon have finished us by reason of the enemy's superior numbers. Or had the 15th Alabama continued their onset not regarding our preposterous demonstrations, they would have walked over our bodies to their victory. Or, still again, if one more Confederate regiment had come upon our flank, we must have been rolled into a zero figure and swallowed up in the envelopment. It was a psychological success, a miracle in the scheme of military science. Those brave Alabama fellows, none braver or better in either army, were the victims of a surprise, of their quick and mobile imagination..."

He has no delusions of grandeur in regards to this maneuver. It was, in his view, more of a psychological success than anything. Oates should have offered less "we were thirsty" remarks and been as gracious about his loss as Chamberlain was about his victory. Despite the old saying, I do not see that it is any easier to be a gracious winner than it is to be a gracious loser...i.e. not gloating or embellishing your victory is EQUALLY as difficult as not using mundane reasons to justify your loss.

Chamberlain also offered this statement in regards to his detractors: ."I feel therefore under increased responsibility in recounting these things, but assure myself that I know of no demand of personality or partisanship which should make me doubtful of my ability to tell the truth as I saw and knew it, or distrust my judgment in forming an opinion...." JLC

Gracious unto the end.