Happy April 9

[striker42]

Did not realize George McClellan posted here.

This is the hardest I've ever laughed at a George McClellan joke. Well done.

 

[zitothebrave]

If Lee had commanded the union army, would the south had even lasted a full calendar year? Doubtful

Correct, because Lee is superior to Little Mac. But being better than Steamboat Georgie. He could have ended the Civil war much earlier, but so would Grant. Though as nscapi said, without Grant in the Western theater, things could have been very bad for them out there. Though the Morale of the south was Virginia.

 

[zitothebrave]

Longstreet was treated unfairly. Lee wasn't perfect. He made mistakes. The Lost Cause tried to push these mistakes off on Longstreet because he collaborated with northerners after the war.

Longstreet was actually an excellent general and Lee knew it more than anyone. Longstreet opposed Pickett's charge in the strongest possible terms and was absolutely correct.

Still, Longstreet wasn't Jackson. The death of Stonewall Jackson, not Gettysburg, is the turning point of the war in the east to me. Lee was less audacious after that.

Well Lee was less audacious after because he lost his numbers. You're not wrong that Jackson was huge for him.

Longstreet was generally a superior general to Jackson, Jackson was the more stoic leader.

Longstreet was a solid General. Don't get me wrong.

 

[zitothebrave]

I've read speculation that some of the Union's struggles early on came from the fact that secession depleted its officer corp. That the southern aristocracy had a military tradition that resulted in a disproportionate number of the best trained officers being from the South.

However, I've never seen any numbers to back this up so I don't know if it's true or not.

It's a common anecdote. It's not 100% true. But I think it had more to do with high level generals.

 

[nsacpi]

That the southern aristocracy had a military tradition that resulted in a disproportionate number of the best trained officers being from the South.

Both Grant and Sherman expressed contempt for a certain type of brash young southern officer of aristocratic background. I believe the type (in somewhat altered form) survives to this day. You have probably encountered them in the courtroom.

 

[striker42]

Both Grant and Sherman expressed contempt for a certain type of brash young southern officer of aristocratic background. I believe the type (in somewhat altered form) survives to this day. You have probably encountered them in the courtroom.

Went to law school with a fair number. Frat boys all of them.

 

[striker42]

Well Lee was less audacious after because he lost his numbers. You're not wrong that Jackson was huge for him.

Longstreet was generally a superior general to Jackson, Jackson was the more stoic leader.

Longstreet was a solid General. Don't get me wrong.

Longstreet and Jackson complemented each other well. Longstreet couldn't do what Jackson could do, he could do what Jackson couldn't.

Lee said losing Jackson was like losing his right arm. Longstreet was his left.