Trivia 9-6-16 True or False

[ami]

True or false:
In 58 of the 60 major battles of the Civil War one or even both armies were commanded by a West Point graduate.

credit: @FarawayFriend

 

[Copperhead-mi]

True. 55 out of the 60 major battles had a graduate of West Point commanding on both sides while the remaining 5 battles were commanded by West Point graduate on one side.

Source: The Civil War Book of Lists

 

[57th Indiana Infantry]

False

 

[Seduzal]

False

 

[JohnDLittlefield]

Technically TRUE (58/60 were commanded by a West Point grad)

however, the source claims all 60/60 were commanded by a West Point grad so the wording of this question could also yield FALSE as an acceptable answer (according to Wiki)

"Nearly every general officer of note from either army during the Civil War was a graduate of West Point and a West Point graduate commanded the forces of one or both sides in every one of the 60 major battles of the war.[1][2][3]"

1. "Mid-Century Time of Trial". USMA Bicentennial. United States Military Academy. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
2. Crackel (2002), p. 135.
3. "Notable USMA Graduates: Did You Know?". United States Military Academy. Retrieved 14 July 2014.

source:

 

[kholland]

False

These sites note all 60 battles.

http://civilwarintheeast.com/west-point-officers-in-the-civil-war/
http://americanhistory.si.edu/westpoint/history_3c.html

 

[MajGenl.Meade]

Dilemma..... my first source says "All 60 major battles...." So it would be FALSE to say only 58 of 60.

But the question doesn't state "only". Since 58 is a sub-set of 60, it certainly must be TRUE that armies in 58 battles were indeed commanded by a West Point graduate which fits with my second source. But did the question mean to be taken literally and was restricted to 58 in which case it is FALSE?

But my 3rd source says that 55 of 60 were commanded on both sides by West Pointers and that one West Pointer commanded an army in the other 5 battles, making 60 out of 60. But if the 3rd source is FALSE and the 1st source copied it, then the number 58 out of 60 may be either TRUE or FALSE.

Final answer is below

The United States Military Academy was established at West Point, New York in 1802 to train the new nation's young men in advanced military and engineering skills and prepare the future leaders of the United States Army. The Academy produced 445 Civil War generals - 294 for the Union and 151 for the Confederacy. Of graduates who were still alive at the start of the war, 105 were killed and 151 were wounded - 25% of the total. A West Point graduate commanded one or both armies in every one of the 60 major battles of the war.

http://civilwarintheeast.com/west-point-officers-in-the-civil-war/

"... the majority of the most decisive battles of the war were commanded by a West Point graduate". http://www.westpoint.edu/library/SiteAssets/wpdtcwp.html Majority of the most is hardly a ringing endorsement.

"West Pointers commanded both sides in 55 of the war's 60 major battles, and one side in the other five"
http://americanhistory.si.edu/westpoint/history_3c.html

FINAL ANSWER - must depend on the intent of the question

If "Were west pointers in charge in only 58 out of 60 battles" that is FALSE according to two sources

If the question means "West Pointers were in charge in at least 58 out of battles" that is TRUE according to all sources

 

[Reb]

This is a trick question. I found a link that says all 60 of the major battles were commanded by a West Point graduate in either one or both armies, North and South. If you know that all 60 were commanded by a West Point graduate, then it is true that 58 of the battles were commanded by a West Pointer plus two more. If the question is insinuating that 58 were, and two were not, commanded by a West Pointer, then the answer is false. If I answer the question without worrying about the total between 58 and 60, then 58 is true, because the fact that the answer is 60 is not relevant. Any number between 1 and 60 would be a correct statement.

Since the question was posed the way it was I am going to assume that it was posed in such a way as to be a trick. My answer is that this statement is False because all 60 of the major battles were commanded by a West Pointer on one or both sides, not just 58 of them.

West Point Officers in the Civil War
The United States Military Academy was established at West Point, New York in 1802 to train the new nation's young men in advanced military and engineering skills and prepare the future leaders of the United States Army. The Academy produced 445 Civil War generals - 294 for the Union and 151 for the Confederacy. Of graduates who were still alive at the start of the war, 105 were killed and 151 were wounded - 25% of the total. A West Point graduate commanded one or both armies in every one of the 60 major battles of the war.
http://civilwarintheeast.com/west-point-officers-in-the-civil-war/

 

[MRB1863]

True. Nearly every general officer of note from either army during the Civil War was a graduate of West Point and a West Point graduate commanded the forces of one or both sides in every one of the 60 major battles of the war.

Source:

 

[Brenal]

True

 

[1stMN]

False, it was every major battle.

Source:

 

[Stony]

False. A West Point graduate commanded the forces of one or both sides in every one of the 60 major battles of the
war.
source-wiki

 

[Chattahooch33]

What constitutes a "major battle"?

I guess I'll take my 50/50 chance and say true

 

[adisciu9]

False:

"Nearly every general officer of note from either army during the Civil War was a graduate of West Point and a West Point graduate commanded the forces of one or both sides in every one of the 60 major battles of the war."

 

[CheathamHill]

False. According to this website All 60 'major' (whatever that means) battles were commanded by WP grads.
"West Point graduate commanded one or both armies in every one of the 60 major battles of the war"
http://civilwarintheeast.com/west-point-officers-in-the-civil-war/

 

[Johnnyreb1864]

True or false:
In 58 of the 60 major battles of the Civil War one or even both armies were commanded by a West Point graduate.

credit: @FarawayFriend

false?

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

True

 

[Michael W.]

True.....?

 

[JOHN42768]

True---West Point graduates filled the general officer ranks of the rapidly expanding Union and Confederate armies.[30] 294 graduates served as general officers for the Union, and 151 served as general officers for the Confederacy.[28] Of all living graduates at the time of the war, 105 (10%) were killed, and another 151 (15%) were wounded.[28] Nearly every general officer of note from either army during the Civil War was a graduate of West Point and a West Point graduate commanded the forces of one or both sides in every one of the 60 major battles of the war.[28][30][31]
Source:

 

[JOHN42768]

Just to correct and clarify my answer above. This source states all 60 battles had a West Point graduate. Question states 58, so if you are sticking to 58 then the answer is False as they were in all 60 . Sorry for confusion