Confederate Cavalry at Gettysburg.


As a fellow owner of a copy of Plenty of Blame to Go Around, I couldn't agree more. :D

My point though is that Marshall could be honest and still wrong - I don't care whether he was deliberately making up stuff or just ignorant, Wittenberg's book does a better job of describing Stuart's decisions than Marshall's, whatever merits Marshall's may have for the POV from Lee's HQ.

Also, it gives a good account of what the Union cavalry was up to as far as how it interacted with Stuart. Talking about Stuart's ride without talking about Federal horsemen going to great lengths to inconvenience him is incomplete at best.
 
As a fellow owner of a copy of Plenty of Blame to Go Around, I couldn't agree more. :D

My point though is that Marshall could be honest and still wrong - I don't care whether he was deliberately making up stuff or just ignorant, Wittenberg's book does a better job of describing Stuart's decisions than Marshall's, whatever merits Marshall's may have for the POV from Lee's HQ.

Also, it gives a good account of what the Union cavalry was up to as far as how it interacted with Stuart. Talking about Stuart's ride without talking about Federal horsemen going to great lengths to inconvenience him is incomplete at best.

Yes, Marshall's book is one POV. That's a given. We all have varying points of view. That's why current scholarship, including newly-discovered information, is so nice, especially in the hands of someone who knows how to construct a valid historical argument and defend a point.
 
And, that is my 'intent'/'point' as well. Everyyyyyyyyyybody has their own way of viewing things and everybody has their own way of forming an opinion and or opinions.

According to my father, his father --neighbor to one of the sons of Colonel Marshall in Baltimore, Maryland, was a master printer and book binder, and provided stationary to that son, in times of 'home delivery,' it was no inconvenience as they were neighbors. Father related, that his father had an opportunity to see these actual documents penned by Colonel Marshall (CSA), prior to Major-General Sir Maurice's involvement. What I appreciate through my father's accounts, as he too at times visited the Marshall residence but, as a child, seeing these documents and the many wonderful discussions of the Civil War's history.

My own deep appreciation of Civil War history can be contributed down the paternal line and so very grateful for Colonel Marshall's sons to expose his writings to others.

I cannot help but make note, that any and all documents written by officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers, sailors and Marines are written with a personal insertion, as they see it as they do. In crime scene situations many witnesses can see so many things the same and yet, so many can see different things and or different details. All are extremely valuable to any investigation. Yet, the freshest witnesses to the event that is investigated is filled with much more details. A squad of trained investigators or police officers results in the same -- we see many same things but each of us have picked out different details on top of that.

This is why I appreciate members posting, as there are so many ways to see things and frankly, I don't wish to miss new eyes on old topics.

Just my personal thoughts and opinions.

M. E. Wolf
 
I don't remember seeing any comments about it in Hancock the Superb where I first encountered the story. Hancock had first drawn McClellan's interest on the Peninsula as a brigade commander at Williamsburg and was likely marked from then by his commander for greater things. I don't remember offhand which brigade he was moved from to division command at Antietam but it was one that was either unengaged ( V or VI Corps ) or had already fought.

He was commanding the First Brigade, Second Division, Sixth Corps which was not engaged at Antietam. They only saw light combat at Fredericksburg under the command of General Calvin E. Pratt and the brigade was broken up prior to Chancellorsville (a couple regiments served with the Light Division of the Sixth Corps).

R
 
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