Slocum- Deliberate or Deliberate?

[Hoplite]

Slocum's performance at Gettysburg. Was it the adjective deliberate or the verb deliberate?
Did he intentionally delay arriving so as to not assume responsibility and command (he was senior), or was he just slow.
He was not called Slow Come for nothing.

I have read that he and his staff could have been at Gettysburg early on July 1. Don't know about his troops- I know Geary arrived some hours before Williams.

 

[infomanpa]

One of the debates that has never been settled.

 

[121st PA Vols]

I imagine Slocum was uncertain about what he should do depending when he got a copy of the Pipe Creek Circular. A preliminary order was issued early July 1st. When did he get it? Being at Two Taverns (by noon via Littlestown) which is barely 5 miles south of Gburg could have had him engaged July 1st. But as Right-Wing Commander (5th, 6th, 12th corps), he may have felt restricted to leave his location, not knowing if Meade was going to fall back on Pipe Creek.
Bottom line, he secured the right flank with William's Division at Benners Hill area and Geary's on the left at Little Round Top. He also posted Cobham's brigade on or near Power's Hill should the rally point on Cemetery Hill crumble. As a well regarded commander, it's hard thinking he shirked responsibility Day-1.

 

[Biscoitos]

I imagine Slocum was uncertain about what he should do depending when he got a copy of the Pipe Creek Circular. A preliminary order was issued early July 1st. When did he get it? Being at Two Taverns (by noon via Littlestown) which is barely 5 miles south of Gburg could have had him engaged July 1st. But as Right-Wing Commander (5th, 6th, 12th corps), he may have felt restricted to leave his location, not knowing if Meade was going to fall back on Pipe Creek.
Bottom line, he secured the right flank with William's Division at Benners Hill area and Geary's on the left at Little Round Top. He also posted Cobham's brigade on or near Power's Hill should the rally point on Cemetery Hill crumble. As a well regarded commander, it's hard thinking he shirked responsibility Day-1.

Wasn't he the postwar Military Governor of Alabama or Mississippi?
What kind of record did he earn there?
Strict and upright or selfcentered corruption master?
I'd like to know, please.

 

[121st PA Vols]

Wasn't he the postwar Military Governor of Alabama or Mississippi?
What kind of record did he earn there?
Strict and upright or selfcentered corruption master?
I'd like to know, please.

I don't know what Slocum did after the war but am sure you can research it online to find out. Sounds like an interesting project!
I know he initially went west under Hooker I believe then ultimately (like Howard) was assigned to Sherman.

 

[Biscoitos]

I don't know what Slocum did after the war but am sure you can research it online to find out. Sounds like an interesting project!
I know he initially went west under Hooker I believe then ultimately (like Howard) was assigned to Sherman.

Thanks for your suggestion but I am too busy doing in depth research on other topics, important to me.
I have hopes that someone who knows Slocumb's post war history and has the ability to summarize it with a good perspective would answer.
Its no big deal.
All the Slocumb posts in thread just made me curious.

 

[rpkennedy]

Thanks for your suggestion but I am too busy doing in depth research on other topics, important to me.
I have hopes that someone who knows Slocumb's post war history and has the ability to summarize it with a good perspective would answer.
Its no big deal.
All the Slocumb posts in thread just made me curious.

Slocum commanded the Department of the Mississippi from April to Septemeber 1865. While there, he ordered the dissolution of the militia formed by provisional governor William Sharkey that was being used to prevent former slaves from exercising their rights and ordered that former slaves had to be given equal rights within the law.

He resigned in September so wasn't present for a lot of the turmoil in the South in the years after 1865.

Ryan

 

[rpkennedy]

Slocum is a sentimental favorite of mine since he was the first regimental commander that a number of my relatives served under but July 1 was not a good day for Slocum. We don't know for sure why he was slow to move to Gettysburg but it's difficult to justify him not getting his troops on the road.

Ryan

 

[Biscoitos]

Slocum commanded the Department of the Mississippi from April to Septemeber 1865. While there, he ordered the dissolution of the militia formed by provisional governor William Sharkey that was being used to prevent former slaves from exercising their rights and ordered that former slaves had to be given equal rights within the law.

He resigned in September so wasn't present for a lot of the turmoil in the South in the years after 1865.

Ryan

Thank you

 

[Jim Heen]

For a long time I had been down on Slocum, having read about his alleged remark to one of Howard's aides that he did not want to go to Gettysburg and take charge (due to his seniority) over what he thought was an unfolding Union disaster. But a few years ago, I read an article in Gettysburg Magazine about Meade's Pipe Creek Circular. According to that article, Slocum had received the circular and was charged with blocking the Baltimore Pike which was not only the direct road to Baltimore but also protected the right flank of the Pipe Creek line which Slocum was supposed to retreat to if Meade ordered the army to that line. Therefore, moving to Howard's assistance may well have uncovered that key road as well as the entire Pipe Creek line. Since Slocum appears to have been a capable officer during the rest of the war, I am inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. As the 121st PA VOLs noted above, Slocum did forward troops to Benners Hill, Little Round Top and Powers Hill while still covering the Baltimore Pike. This provided Howard (and Hancock) with some secondary support while still being in position to pull his forces back to Pipe creek if needed.

 

[Scott Brown]

Bob Himmer wrote an article on Slocum and the First Day (Gettysburg Magazine #43), which may be the one Jim mentioned (I'm away from my set). I highly recommend it, especially if you believe he was unnecessarily 'slow'.