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Lee's Mistake: Learning from the Decision to Order Pickett's Charge
Defense Number 54 A publication of the Center for Technology and National Security Policy A U G U S T 2 0 0 6 National Defense University Horizons Lee’s Mistake: Learning from the Decision to Order Pickett’s Charge by David C. Gompert and Richard L. Kugler I think that this is the strongest position on which Robert E. Lee is widely and rightly regarded as one of the fin- to fight a battle that I ever saw. est generals in history. Yet on July 3, 1863, the third day of the Battle — Winfield Scott Hancock, surveying his position of Gettysburg, he ordered a frontal assault across a mile of open field on Cemetery Ridge against the strong center of the Union line. The stunning Confederate It is my opinion that no 15,000 men ever arrayed defeat that ensued produced heavier casualties than Lee’s army could for battle can take that position. afford and abruptly ended its invasion of the North. That the Army of Northern Virginia could fight on for 2 more years after Gettysburg was — James Longstreet to Robert E. Lee, surveying a tribute to Lee’s abilities.1 While Lee’s disciples defended his decision Hancock’s position vigorously—they blamed James Longstreet, the corps commander in This is a desperate thing to attempt. charge of the attack, for desultory execution—historians and military — Richard Garnett to Lewis Armistead, analysts agree that it was a mistake. For whatever reason, Lee was reti- prior to Pickett’s Charge cent about his reasoning at the time and later.2 The fault is entirely my own. -
James Longstreet and the Retreat from Gettysburg
“Such a night is seldom experienced…” James Longstreet and the Retreat from Gettysburg Karlton Smith, Gettysburg NMP After the repulse of Lt. Gen. James Longstreet’s Assault on July 3, 1863, Gen. Robert E. Lee, commanding the Army of Northern Virginia, knew that the only option left for him at Gettysburg was to try to disengage from his lines and return with his army to Virginia. Longstreet, commander of the army’s First Corps and Lee’s chief lieutenant, would play a significant role in this retrograde movement. As a preliminary to the general withdrawal, Longstreet decided to pull his troops back from the forward positions gained during the fighting on July 2. Lt. Col. G. Moxley Sorrel, Longstreet’s adjutant general, delivered the necessary orders to Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws, commanding one of Longstreet’s divisions. Sorrel offered to carry the order to Brig. Gen. Evander M. Law, commanding John B. Hood’s division, on McLaws’s right. McLaws raised objections to this order. He felt that his advanced position was important and “had been won after a deadly struggle; that the order was given no doubt because of [George] Pickett’s repulse, but as there was no pursuit there was no necessity of it.” Sorrel interrupted saying: “General, there is no discretion allowed, the order is for you to retire at once.” Gen. James Longstreet, C.S.A. (LOC) As McLaws’s forward line was withdrawing to Warfield and Seminary ridges, the Federal batteries on Little Round Top opened fire, “but by quickening the pace the aim was so disturbed that no damage was done.” McLaws’s line was followed by “clouds of skirmishers” from the Federal Army of the Potomac; however, after reinforcing his own skirmish line they were driven back from the Peach Orchard area. -
Antislavery Violence and Secession, October 1859
ANTISLAVERY VIOLENCE AND SECESSION, OCTOBER 1859 – APRIL 1861 by DAVID JONATHAN WHITE GEORGE C. RABLE, COMMITTEE CHAIR LAWRENCE F. KOHL KARI FREDERICKSON HAROLD SELESKY DIANNE BRAGG A DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History in the Graduate School of The University of Alabama TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA 2017 Copyright David Jonathan White 2017 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT This dissertation examines the collapse of southern Unionism between October 1859 and April 1861. This study argues that a series of events of violent antislavery and southern perceptions of northern support for them caused white southerners to rethink the value of the Union and their place in it. John Brown’s raid at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and northern expressions of personal support for Brown brought the Union into question in white southern eyes. White southerners were shocked when Republican governors in northern states acted to protect members of John Brown’s organization from prosecution in Virginia. Southern states invested large sums of money in their militia forces, and explored laws to control potentially dangerous populations such as northern travelling salesmen, whites “tampering” with slaves, and free African-Americans. Many Republicans endorsed a book by Hinton Rowan Helper which southerners believed encouraged antislavery violence and a Senate committee investigated whether an antislavery conspiracy had existed before Harpers Ferry. In the summer of 1860, a series of unexplained fires in Texas exacerbated white southern fear. As the presidential election approached in 1860, white southerners hoped for northern voters to repudiate the Republicans. When northern voters did not, white southerners generally rejected the Union. -
The Battle of Sailor's Creek
THE BATTLE OF SAILOR’S CREEK: A STUDY IN LEADERSHIP A Thesis by CLOYD ALLEN SMITH JR. Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS December 2005 Major Subject: History THE BATTLE OF SAILOR’S CREEK: A STUDY IN LEADERSHIP A Thesis by CLOYD ALLEN SMITH JR. Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Approved by: Chair of Committee, Joseph Dawson Committee Members, James Bradford Joseph Cerami Head of Department, Walter L. Buenger December 2005 Major Subject: History iii ABSTRACT The Battle of Sailor’s Creek: A Study in Leadership. (December 2005) Cloyd Allen Smith Jr., B.A., Slippery Rock University Chair: Dr. Joseph Dawson The Battle of Sailor’s Creek, 6 April 1865, has been overshadowed by Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House several days later, yet it is an example of the Union military war machine reaching its apex of war making ability during the Civil War. Through Ulysses S. Grant’s leadership and that of his subordinates, the Union armies, specifically that of the Army of the Potomac, had been transformed into a highly motivated, organized and responsive tool of war, led by confident leaders who understood their commander’s intent and were able to execute on that intent with audacious initiative in the absence of further orders. After Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia escaped from Petersburg and Richmond on 2 April 1865, Grant’s forces chased after Lee’s forces with the intent of destroying the mighty and once feared iv protector of the Confederate States in the hopes of bringing a swift end to the long war. -
George Pickett
George Pickett This article is about the American Confederate general. 2 Early military career For the British physicist, see George Pickett (physicist). Pickett was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in George Edward Pickett (January 16,[1] 1825 – July 30, the U.S. 8th Infantry Regiment. He soon gained na- 1875) was a career United States Army officer who be- tional recognition in the Mexican-American War when came a major general in the Confederate States Army he carried the American colors over the parapet during during the American Civil War. He is best remembered the Battle of Chapultepec. Wounded at the base of the for his participation in the futile and bloody assault at wall, Pickett’s friend and colleague Lt. James Longstreet the Battle of Gettysburg that bears his name, Pickett’s handed him the colors. Pickett carried the flag over the Charge. wall and fought his way to the roof of the palace, unfurl- ing it over the fortress and announcing its surrender. He received a brevet promotion to captain following this ac- 1 Early life tion. In 1849, while serving on the Texas frontier after the war, he was promoted to first lieutenant and then to captain in Pickett was born in Richmond, Virginia, the first of the [3] eight children of Robert and Mary Pickett,[2] a promi- the 9th U.S. Infantry in 1855. In 1853, Pickett chal- nent family of Old Virginia of English origins, and one lenged a fellow junior officer, future Union general and of the “first families” of Virginia. He was the cousin opposing Civil War commander Winfield Scott Hancock, of future Confederate general Henry Heth.[3] He went to a duel; (they had met only briefly when Hancock was to Springfield, Illinois, to study law, but at the age of 17 passing through Texas). -
PICKETT's CHARGE Gettysburg National Military Park STUDENT
PICKETT’S CHARGE I Gettysburg National Military Park STUDENT PROGRAM U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Pickett's Charge A Student Education Program at Gettysburg National Military Park TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1 How To Use This Booklet ••••..••.••...• 3 Section 2 Program Overview . • . • . • . • . 4 Section 3 Field Trip Day Procedures • • • . • • • . 5 Section 4 Essential Background and Activities . 6 A Causes ofthe American Civil War ••..•...... 7 ft The Battle ofGettysburg . • • • . • . 10 A Pi.ckett's Charge Vocabulary •............... 14 A Name Tags ••.. ... ...........• . •......... 15 A Election ofOfficers and Insignia ......•..•.. 15 A Assignm~t ofSoldier Identity •..••......... 17 A Flag-Making ............................. 22 ft Drill of the Company (Your Class) ........... 23 Section 5 Additional Background and Activities .••.. 24 Structure ofthe Confederate Army .......... 25 Confederate Leaders at Gettysburg ••.•••.••• 27 History of the 28th Virginia Regiment ....... 30 History of the 57th Virginia Regiment . .. .... 32 Infantry Soldier Equipment ................ 34 Civil War Weaponry . · · · · · · 35 Pre-Vtsit Discussion Questions . • . 37 11:me Line . 38 ... Section 6 B us A ct1vities ........................• 39 Soldier Pastimes . 39 Pickett's Charge Matching . ••.......•....... 43 Pickett's Charge Matching - Answer Key . 44 •• A .•. Section 7 P ost-V 1s1t ctivities .................... 45 Post-Visit Activity Ideas . • . • . • . • . 45 After Pickett's Charge . • • • • . • . 46 Key: ft = Essential Preparation for Trip 2 Section 1 How to Use This Booklet Your students will gain the most benefit from this program if they are prepared for their visit. The preparatory information and activities in this booklet are necessary because .. • students retain the most information when they are pre pared for the field trip, knowing what to expect, what is expected of them, and with some base of knowledge upon which the program ranger can build. -
Distribution Agreement in Presenting This Thesis As A
Distribution Agreement In presenting this thesis as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for a degree from Emory University, I hereby grant to Emory University and its agents the non-exclusive license to archive, make accessible, and display my thesis or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter know, including display on the World Wide Web. I understand that I may select some access restrictions as part of the only submission of this thesis. I retain all ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis. Benjamin D. Leiner April 11, 2014 Rebelling Against the King: Opposition to the Confederate Cotton Embargo in 1861 by Benjamin D. Leiner Dr. James L. Roark Adviser Department of History Dr. James L. Roark Adviser Dr. Patrick Allitt Committee Member Dr. Thomas D. Lancaster Committee Member 2014 Rebelling Against the King: Opposition to the Confederate Cotton Embargo in 1861 By Benjamin D. Leiner Dr. James L. Roark Adviser An abstract of a thesis submitted to the Faculty of Emory College of Arts and Sciences of Emory University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honors Department of History 2014 Abstract Rebelling Against the King: Opposition to the Confederate Cotton Embargo in 1861 By Benjamin D. Leiner In the early days of the Confederacy, Southern politicians, planters, and everyday citizens were discussing how the seceded states would successfully break away from the North and cement their independence. -
Civil War Leadership and Mexican War Experience
Civil War Book Review Winter 2008 Article 10 Civil War Leadership and Mexican War Experience Richard Bruce Winders Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cwbr Recommended Citation Winders, Richard Bruce (2008) "Civil War Leadership and Mexican War Experience," Civil War Book Review: Vol. 10 : Iss. 1 . Available at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cwbr/vol10/iss1/10 Winders: Civil War Leadership and Mexican War Experience Review Winders, Richard Bruce Winter 2008 Dougherty, Kevin Civil War Leadership and Mexican War Experience. University Press of Mississippi, $50.00 hardcover ISBN 9781578069682 The Proving Ground for Civil War Leaders Historians have wondered what effect the Mexican War may have had on participants who later went on to lead the great armies of the Civil War. Kevin Doughertyù1983 West Point graduate, former army officer, and history instructor at the University of Southern Mississippiùis the first author to explore the connection in a book length treatment. He has produced a volume that some will find superficial and others will find groundbreaking. In a sense, Civil War Leadership and Mexican War Experience is both. The superficial characterization stems from the fact that the bulk of Dougherty's research comes from his mining secondary sources for accounts of Civil War generals' service in Mexico. These accounts were paired with events from the Civil War to demonstrate the existence of a connection with their respective past experiences in Mexico. These vignettes, presented as brief, concise nuggets of data that read like military briefing documents, comprise the body of the book. Readers new to Civil War literature will find the information new and exciting. -
The Transmutation of Lee's Plan at Gettysburg
FROM DISASTER TO BRILLIANCE: THE TRANSMUTATION OF LEE’S PLAN AT GETTYSBURG John D. Wedo and Terrence L. Salada It is fitting to start by describing a battle in the American Civil War (ACW) in which the defender stayed behind defenses on elevated ground and waited for the opposing army to attack. When the attack began, it was repelled repeatedly at great loss. The defender maintained a defensive stance throughout the battle even when the attacking army was defeated before him. The defeated general collected his army and departed with no interference or attempted interference from the defender. The victorious general is lauded for his good sense in maintaining his position, whereas the defeated general is derided for attacking such a formidable position. The best example of such a tactical disaster was Fredericksburg, Virginia, fought on December 17, 1862, a Confederate victory. Except for the last sentence, it could also describe Gettysburg. But why are the historical opinions of the generals different for Gettysburg? Professor Warren W. Hassler, Jr., expressed the same thought: “There is probably no other battle," writes General Francis A. Walker, "of which men are so prone to think and speak without a conscious reference to the commanding general of the victorious party, as they are regarding Gettysburg.” Why, it might be asked, does this curious phenomenon exist regarding the commander of the triumphant Union Army of the Potomac, Major General George Gordon Meade?1 The measure of the battle is statistical, and the numbers should speak for themselves, but often do not register. On July 1, 2, and 3, 1863, the Army of Northern Virginia of General Robert E. -
Album Portrays Leading Confederate Generals in Image and Anecdote
Civil War Book Review Winter 2001 Article 26 The Picture Of Confederate Gray: Album Portrays Leading Confederate Generals In Image And Anecdote Wilbur E. Meneray Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cwbr Recommended Citation Meneray, Wilbur E. (2001) "The Picture Of Confederate Gray: Album Portrays Leading Confederate Generals In Image And Anecdote," Civil War Book Review: Vol. 3 : Iss. 1 . Available at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cwbr/vol3/iss1/26 Meneray: The Picture Of Confederate Gray: Album Portrays Leading Confedera Review THE PICTURE OF CONFEDERATE GRAY Album portrays leading Confederate generals in image and anecdote Meneray, Wilbur E. Winter 2001 Cantor, George Confederate Generals: Life Portraits. Taylor Publishing Co. (TX), 2000-09-01. ISBN 878331794 George Cantor twice refers to Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg: once as "one of the great feats of valor in all of American warfare," and later as "a display of courage rarely equaled in the history of warfare." The author himself displays courage in selecting only 16 Confederate generals to highlight in his new work, Confederate Generals: Life Portraits. Civil War historians and buffs will surely have favorites among the 425 men listed in Ezra T. Warner's Generals in Gray that Cantor has omitted. He divides the chosen 16 into five groups: "The Legends" are Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Joseph Johnston, and James Longstreet; "The Cavalrymen" comprise Jeb Stuart, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and John Hunt Mor-gan; "The Western Commanders" are Albert Sidney Johnston, John Bell Hood, and Patrick Cleburne; and "The Difficult Men" are Jubal Early, Braxton Bragg, and Robert Toombs. -
1864 Sandusky Played Role
‘Sandusky’ played critical role in 1864 Virginia house’s name stems from Ohio experience BY JOHN HILDEBRANDT SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER SANDUSKY In the summer of 1790, the Ohio River was a very dangerous place. Determined to keep the Ohio country for themselves, groups of Shawnee Indians patrolled the north shore looking for would-be settlers and other river travelers who they could kill or capture. In March 1790, a Shawnee war party attacked a group of men traveling to Kentucky on a surveying mission. Two of the men were killed outright, and one was burned at the stake. The remaining survivor, 20-year-old Charles Johnston, was taken more than 200 miles north to Lake Erie. His fate would be ransom or death by torture. Luckily for Johnston, he was able to convince a French fur trader, Francis Duchouquet, to ransom him from the Shawnee for 600 silver brooches and other trade goods. On April 28, after five weeks as a Shawnee captive, on his 21st birthday, he and Duchouquet left Sandusky, as the Indians called it, for Detroit and freedom. After such an ordeal, it is easy to understand how the word Sandusky stuck with him. Charles Johnston met with President George Washington on his return to Virginia. Washington was interested in what the post revolutionary British were doing in the Ohio country. He returned to Lynchburg, Va., as a local hero, married, and in 1808 built a beautiful, federal-style home, which he called “Sandusky.” In time, it became the hub of a large and successful 1,200-acre plantation. -
COURSE SYLLABUS POLS 2306: Texas Government Prof. Tony Bartl, Fall 2020 [email protected] (325) 486-6107 Course Descri
COURSE SYLLABUS POLS 2306: Texas Government Prof. Tony Bartl, Fall 2020 [email protected] (325) 486-6107 Course Description: THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS, speaking through their State Constitution, have determined that all citizens, in order to properly perform the duties of citizenship, need to be familiar with the Constitution of the United States and the Texas State Constitution. To fulfill this need, Texas Law requires that six semester hours dedicated to that purpose be completed by all students attending institutions of higher learning receiving state funds. Here at Angelo State University, this requirement is met by taking POLS 2305 and 2306. Constitutions are the central legitimating symbols of Texan and American political life. Texan and American citizens therefore need to understand how their constitutions frame political controversy and how they influence political and social change. To that end, we will study important debates concerning democracy and the meaning of liberty and equality from the Founding until the present day. We will examine the important function of citizenship and of federalism in our democracy. We will also discuss the distinctive political culture of Texas. TEXTS AND READINGS Required Texts: 1. Miscellaneous readings related to DEMOCRACY IN TEXAS linked within each Lesson. 2. Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America Hackett Publishing, ISBN: 978-0-87220-494-2 (hereafter this text will be referred to as DA) 3. Lawler and Schaefer, American Political Rhetoric , Rowman and Littlefield, ISBN: 978-1-4422-3219-8 (hereafter this text will be referred to as APR) GRADING Journal 50% Midterm Exam 25% Final Exam 25% Extra Credit: Movie Blog JOURNAL Each week (except for exam weeks) students will be required to write a Journal entry reflecting on the questions, problems, ideas, etc., which arise from the readings assigned for that week.