- Joined
- Feb 7, 2006
- Location
- Midlothian, VA
Almost done reading David Welker's book on this little action. Unfortunately basically all of this battlefield is gone. It is in a very dense suburban area just outside of DC. I know it well my wife's sister and her family live within about 5 miles of the small park they have left with the 2 markers for Stephens and Kearny.
The book is a good read. Stephens is a plum example of a high ranking officer being somewhere on the battlefield he had no business being and it cost him his life. Leading up to the battle he is a division commander, but Jesse Reno had been sick for a while so Stephens was the de facto corps commander. The day of the battle, Stephens formulates the union attack plan. Reno shows up at the last moment, hears the plan and basically defers to his subordinate. Reno doesn't perform any corps command level duties throughout the day. Stephens in this role decides to go forward with his old regiment, grad the battle flag to try and rally them, and you can imagine that result. He's killed almost instantly leading a surge forward. He had no business being in that position. But, as Welker points out, that is a man not thinking, he's just reacting.
Kearny as has been talked about on CWT in other places, rides into the Confederate lines and instead of surrendering he tries to make a bolt for it and is shot dead. Welker does a great deal of Kearny's life story. It is quite fascinating to read. Is there a biography out of Kearny?
Side note....any Longstreet detractors....you know who you are Longstreet is supposed to be moving in supporting distance of Jackson's movement, but he's at least a 1/2 day march behind. Jackson was ripe for the picking if Pope had a better idea what was going on. Also, Pope was a world class liar when talking to Halleck. He wanted no part of fighting after 2nd Manassas, but didn't want to be the commander to order a retreat to DC, so he is trying to cajole Halleck into ordering it.
The book is a good read. Stephens is a plum example of a high ranking officer being somewhere on the battlefield he had no business being and it cost him his life. Leading up to the battle he is a division commander, but Jesse Reno had been sick for a while so Stephens was the de facto corps commander. The day of the battle, Stephens formulates the union attack plan. Reno shows up at the last moment, hears the plan and basically defers to his subordinate. Reno doesn't perform any corps command level duties throughout the day. Stephens in this role decides to go forward with his old regiment, grad the battle flag to try and rally them, and you can imagine that result. He's killed almost instantly leading a surge forward. He had no business being in that position. But, as Welker points out, that is a man not thinking, he's just reacting.
Kearny as has been talked about on CWT in other places, rides into the Confederate lines and instead of surrendering he tries to make a bolt for it and is shot dead. Welker does a great deal of Kearny's life story. It is quite fascinating to read. Is there a biography out of Kearny?
Side note....any Longstreet detractors....you know who you are Longstreet is supposed to be moving in supporting distance of Jackson's movement, but he's at least a 1/2 day march behind. Jackson was ripe for the picking if Pope had a better idea what was going on. Also, Pope was a world class liar when talking to Halleck. He wanted no part of fighting after 2nd Manassas, but didn't want to be the commander to order a retreat to DC, so he is trying to cajole Halleck into ordering it.