Which is most offensive?

[Jamieva]

I'm sure Longstreet would've like to have broken more than a plate over Jube's head after the war

 

[diane]

Had to go with Poe for simple style! I mean, neglecting his duties was neglecting to put on his uniform...or underwear...or boots... But he did remember his sword!

 

[Tom Elmore]

There was once a midshipman so full of mischief and who accumulated so many demerits that he was dismissed from the Naval Academy. He appealed to an Admiral, who made the case that the Commandant of the Academy was "running out every boy of spirit and dash, and favoring and retaining only those who were pedantic goodie-goodies." Even the President got involved and promised to accept the lad into the Navy. When war came, this bold young man sank the enemy's most powerful warship. His name? William B. Cushing. The President? Lincoln. The warship? CSS Albemarle.

It seems that some men who have trouble with discipline also make the most audacious leaders in combat (such as Custer). However, in peacetime such men can also be a constant headache to their superiors. On the other hand, if one subscribes to the concept of being victorious in war, it might ultimately be worth all of the frustration and extra effort to retain them.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

I'm only offended by the fact that it seems armistead didn't hit early hard enough with the plate

And being last in his class suited Custer

As they say in the movie Talladega Nights if you're not first you're last

 

[kholland]

'Edgan' was a typo and 'Allen 'was an ID10T error!

I corrected it, Mike. Being a Poe fan I have always found it incongruous that he even entered West Point. He was a frequent visitor to the infamous Benny Havens tavern.

An interesting FYI -he and Robert E Lee share January 19th birthdays, Lee in 1807, Poe two years later.

 

[MajGenl.Meade]

There was once a midshipman so full of mischief and who accumulated so many demerits that he was dismissed from the Naval Academy. He appealed to an Admiral, who made the case that the Commandant of the Academy was "running out every boy of spirit and dash, and favoring and retaining only those who were pedantic goodie-goodies." Even the President got involved and promised to accept the lad into the Navy. When war came, this bold young man sank the enemy's most powerful warship. His name? William B. Cushing. The President? Lincoln. The warship? CSS Albemarle.

Well, maybe that's so. It's certainly a good point about the need for spirit vs. rigid "rule-following".

But everything I have on Cushing says that it was Gideon Welles, not Lincoln, who permitted him to enter the navy (as Acting midshipman on the USS Minnesota). "The Admiral" was a kinsman, Joseph Smith - and Gideon Welles refused to re-admit Cushing to the Academy despite the family pressure.

The US Navy magazine has an interesting summary of his career at the end of this article:

http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1912-09-0/william-barker-cushing

This is part of Welles' letter describing his dealings and opinion of Cushing (very flattering too):

I well remember the expression of saddened disappointment and grief which shadowed his juvenile face when informed of the fact.

A few weeks later, when hostilities commenced, he promptly applied for permission to re-enter the Navy, said his passion and his life were in it, and that in some capacity he was determined to live and die in the profession. In the emergency of that period, but without legal authority to act, for Congress had adjourned without investing the Executive with any discretionary power to meet the impending crisis, it became necessary to immediately increase the naval force, and, one of the earliest appointments I made, was that of young Cushing. Sympathy for the youth, whose perseverance, enthusiasm and zeal impressed me, had probably as much influence as the recommendations of his friends in this selection. His gratitude for the appointment was earnest. He said he considered it his first step; that he would gain position, and I should never have cause to regret his re-instatement in the service.

Did Lincoln pressure Welles into it, is it known?

 

[War Horse]

West Point permitting Jubal Early and Custer to attend is not on the list? Hm. . ..

If we're going "Which of these involved the greatest awful behavior", I'm going with Poe's. Breaking a plate over Early's head should be considered a good use of a plate.

Make him pay for a replacement and then give him a medal.

 

[major bill]

For me assult and battery has to be the worse. So I go with Armistead.

 

[Tom Elmore]

Well, maybe that's so. It's certainly a good point about the need for spirit vs. rigid "rule-following".

But everything I have on Cushing says that it was Gideon Welles, not Lincoln, who permitted him to enter the navy (as Acting midshipman on the USS Minnesota). "The Admiral" was a kinsman, Joseph Smith - and Gideon Welles refused to re-admit Cushing to the Academy despite the family pressure.

The US Navy magazine has an interesting summary of his career at the end of this article:

http://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1912-09-0/william-barker-cushing

This is part of Welles' letter describing his dealings and opinion of Cushing (very flattering too):



Did Lincoln pressure Welles into it, is it known?

"Will" Cushing's close friend, David B. Parker, described the incident in his book, A Chautauqua Boy in '61 and Afterward (pp. 69-70). I had it wrong, the individual who spoke of "pedantic goodie-goodies" was Captain Boggs, who said it to Captain Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Parker writes: "Captain Fox became interested, and at a time when he was Acting Secretary, in the absence of Secretary Welles, he took Cushing with him to the White House and introduced him to Mr. Lincoln, saying something in his behalf. Will then pleaded his cause with Mr. Lincoln, and told him that if he would place him in active service he would not have any cause to regret doing so and that he would perform his duty with fidelity. Mr. Lincoln put his arm about the boy and told him that he would put him in service, and ever afterwards acted as though Cushing was a protege."

 

[PeterT]

Armistead gets a medal

Custer is where he should be ... But yes low expectations probably even in his own mind

So Poe or Whistler ... Neglecting duties and undisciplined behaviour are not good for the army.

 

[1950lemans]

The poet for neglecting his duties.

I agree. Dereliction of duties would be a major offense considering it's the military.

 

[Mike Serpa]

I corrected it, Mike. Being a Poe fan I have always found it incongruous that he even entered West Point. He was a frequent visitor to the infamous Benny Havens tavern.

An interesting FYI -he and Robert E Lee share January 19th birthdays, Lee in 1807, Poe two years later.

Thank you!

 

[7thWisconsin]

Poe was probably the most miserable young man who ever attended Uncle Sam's Boys School on the Hudson. He was not interested in a military life; he pursued a commission because he admired his adopted father, who had a military background. He was totally unsuited for West Point, but felt he just couldn't quit. Negligence of his duties seemed to be the only way he could get someone else to make the decision that he shouldn't have been there.
As for Custer, well, somebody has to be last. Both George Pickett and Henry Heth were "goats" too.
I've voting for Armistead; as much as Early probably deserved it, there's just something wrong with violence among brother officers.

 

[Georgia Coast]

Well, as a former Navy wife, my initial instinct is to say, "who cares what those Academy pukes did?" But I know that's so wrong....so I guess I'll go with Custer in keeping with the theory that "God forgives sin, but stupid is forever." Less noteworthy but still interesting is the fact that Kirby Smith accumulated ALMOST enough demerits to get kicked out.

 

[John Hartwell]

Poe was probably the most miserable young man who ever attended Uncle Sam's Boys School on the Hudson. He was not interested in a military life; he pursued a commission because he admired his adopted father, who had a military background. He was totally unsuited for West Point, but felt he just couldn't quit. Negligence of his duties seemed to be the only way he could get someone else to make the decision that he shouldn't have been there.

Whistler was also utterly out of place there. His mother got him in just on the strength of his name (his father had taught drawing at West Point and was a personal friend of Commandant R. E. Lee, also several relatives were graduates).

But, Whistler was a bit of a monster: sardonic, sarcastic, deliberately bucking all authority. It's amazing he lasted three years. Lee bent over backwards stretching the rules for him, just for the sake of his friendship with the Whistler family, but it was useless. The last straw apparently was a chemistry exam, in which Whistler identified Silicon as a gas. He later remarked that if silicon had had the decency to be a gas, he would have been a general by now.

In 1890, Whistler published his personal philosophy, entitled The Gentle Art of Making Enemies. Despite some close friendships with leading artists and writers, he was an enthusiastic devotee of this philosophy all his life.

jno

 

[tdftdf]

I'd go with Edgar...neglicting duties.

 

[Private Watkins]

Breaking a plate over Early's head should be considered a good use of a plate.

Plus one for that... if there was an option for "least offensive" that would get my vote!

 

[Private Watkins]

so I guess I'll go with Custer in keeping with the theory that "God forgives sin, but stupid is forever."

You convinced me to cast my vote for Custer...

 

[Rebforever]

I'm sure Longstreet would've like to have broken more than a plate over Jube's head after the war

Longstreet wouldn't do a thing like that. He would ask someone to do that for him!

 

[Nathanb1]

Longstreet wouldn't do a thing like that. He would ask someone to do that for him!

I'm sure Longstreet would have quietly dumped him over the banks of the Hudson, dusted his hands, and walked away.

Guys, I'm torn on this. Whistler is just too much of an artist to quibble with.....Poe is....Poe. I love Armistead and think I'd probably have done the same thing (actually, it SOUNDS like something I've done in real life). And Custer....well, he stuck it out. I'm not sure what's offensive and what's just "boys will be boys."

Can't we think of something Sheridan did?