Elsewhere I commented that Ewell was as good as Longstreet and got some push back. So here is why I think Ewell is misjudged. Looking at Gettysburg and later the wilderness, Ewell gets a lot of flak which I think is undeserved because his orders from Lee are not exactly clear. Ewell appears to have had a more realistic view of what his men could achieve than Lee.
After 1st Manassas/bull run Ewell recommended the slaves be freed, no one seems to give him praise for that, yet later Lee calling for slaves to be conscripted is portrayed as some kind of Great emancipator. Was Ewell perfect, of course not but it arguable that he had a more realistic vision of what it would take the confederacy to win and a more realistic view of what the army could actually achieve.
While Lee did remove Ewell from command, he is also the one who appointed him to Corp command.
In conclusion I submit that Ewell was as good as any Corp commander in the Confederate army.
Interested in your opinions and hope everyone has a good new year ahead.
After 1st Manassas/bull run Ewell recommended the slaves be freed, no one seems to give him praise for that, yet later Lee calling for slaves to be conscripted is portrayed as some kind of Great emancipator. Was Ewell perfect, of course not but it arguable that he had a more realistic vision of what it would take the confederacy to win and a more realistic view of what the army could actually achieve.
While Lee did remove Ewell from command, he is also the one who appointed him to Corp command.
In conclusion I submit that Ewell was as good as any Corp commander in the Confederate army.
Interested in your opinions and hope everyone has a good new year ahead.
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