The Human Side of Civil War Leadership

IM beginning to believe that this is a much more important subject. And deserves a lot more research just last night I started going through old soldiers diaries and books I would like to get a better handle of the people of that time and a better understanding of what they were really thinking and feeling. I know from the books but now I want to hear it from their own lips no middleman.
 
by the way the gentleman speaking is a wonderful individual who I like listening to . He gives insight to the offices being one himself and is funny how he doesn't like to be referred to as Col. go figure.
 
...and is funny how he doesn't like to be referred to as Col.
I met a retired Major General at a function. I had no idea who he was (he was the speaker for the event), but we introduced ourselves and had a nice conversation. Laughed a bit. I think I gave him some candy we had at our sign in table. :redface:

Anyway, he left to get ready for his presentation, and the woman I was working for came over and said, "Isn't it great that General [last name I never learned] is here? He's a wonderful speaker!"

She pointed to this man, and I said, "Oh! You mean Jim?! He's giving the talk?"

:rolleyes: He only gave me his first name. He was in uniform, but I can't tell one rank from another. Fortunately my supervisor seemed to find my cluelessness amusing.
 
The speaker offered up great reminders for those of us who can too easily forget the conditions under which these men and women lived and battled it out.

The comments about sleep deprivation and even having tooth pain stood out for me. I know I keep forgetting to consider dental health. I myself have been spoiled with great care. That many had to endure one or more problem teeth ~ on top of everything else ~ sounds pretty horrific.

Some here will particularly like the assessment of Lee as an overall admirable man who suffered from the sin of pride.
I liked his term "imprisoned" ~ imprisoned by pride and/or the need to redeem or maintain a certain image. Who hasn't battled pride, right? Who hasn't made some really dumb moves motivated by insecurity and/or a desire for something?

Our egos are loud and pesty at best, merciless at worst.
 
I finally watched the video. He gave a great presentation. I especially like the part aboit soldiers dealing with the everyday aches and pains like toothaches or hunger pangs or lack of sleep. Puts it all in perspective.

Yes, we often don't think about these people as real people with all the problems of real people. I mean think about Lee with all his stress, pressure and responsibility and having what many speculate as a heart attack and still commanding at Gettysburg. How could that not affect his decisions? When his horse threw him and he was in so much pain and couldn't use his hands, how did that affect the decisions made? Ou can go through such examples for many from Generals on down.
 
I met a retired Major General at a function. I had no idea who he was (he was the speaker for the event), but we introduced ourselves and had a nice conversation. Laughed a bit. I think I gave him some candy we had at our sign in table. :redface:

Anyway, he left to get ready for his presentation, and the woman I was working for came over and said, "Isn't it great that General [last name I never learned] is here? He's a wonderful speaker!"

She pointed to this man, and I said, "Oh! You mean Jim?! He's giving the talk?"

:rolleyes: He only gave me his first name. He was in uniform, but I can't tell one rank from another. Fortunately my supervisor seemed to find my cluelessness amusing.
most people with self confidence not need titles they know who they are . That doesn't mean they should be proud of their rank when you make it that high it is something that few people can say.
 
What a great lecture! I could listen to Ralph Peters for hours! His non fiction books as well as his novels (under the pen name of Owen Parry) must be a great read, I have just put two of them on my wishlist. The human side was always what interested me most in a war from 150 years ago
Thanks @CMWinkler to share that and thanks @48th Miss. for hinting me to this video. I have enjoyed it enormously. Peters' biographical sketches of John B. Gordon and Francis Channing Barlow were true gems and so was his psychological study of Robert E. Lee.

I also loved what he said about historical correct novels, dramatizing historical events. We had the discussion quite often here, whether historical novels are worth the time needed for reading. I always thought yes, but couldn't explain it well enough. Ralph Peters says his novels are correct even at giving the right temperature on a given day and he says, that as an author of historical novels
“I can make you feel what it means to march in the heat, with an empty canteen ...“

It couldn't be said any better. I think I might order one of his books right now...
 
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