Gael

Mukremin, For a quick bit of info on CSS Alabama, check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Alabama . Raiders like the CSS Alabama and CSS Shenandoah are said to have impacted the northern shipping owners in convincing many of them to register their ships under other countries' flags in case the South would eventually rise up once more. I don't know anything about a conflict in the Bering Sea. --Gael

Thanks Hussar91. I am really enjoying reading the different perspectives of everyone, especially you guys over in Europe (in your case Poland). We have our monuments, but I am one who sees the many monuments and fortifications in western and eastern Europe and elsewhere on the internet, and wish I could have seen and understood better the many things you and the others have studied and observed. Over here our school history books touch on the Romans and Greeks, and then all of a sudden they talk about the 1800's and our revolution, and those of us who are really intrigued have had to wander all over looking for good books and sources of information. East Asian history is somewhat like attempting to get info from the Moon. Thank you for your perspectives, and to Mukremin, and Andre, and all the many others. --Gael

Hussar91, Where are you from? I currently live in Maryland, northeast of Baltimore. The movie was filmed partly on-site in several locations, and partly off-site to the west. I was there for portions of Pickett's Charge. I am a history buff just like so many (like Mercanto and AP Hill) who pass thru this site. My Great-Great-Grandfather was a private in Co. A, 6th Regiment, North Carolina State Troops, Hoke's Brigade (Robert Hoke had been wounded a few weeks before at Fredericksburg/Chancellorsville, so COL Isaac Avery led the brigade on the 1st and 2nd day - mortally wounded that evening), Early's division, of Ewell's II Corps flanking of XI Corps which regiment participated in the first day's "brickyard fight", and the second day's evening attack onto Cemetery Hill with ~75 of the 6th North Carolina and ~12 of Hays' Louisianan's breaking thru the XI Corps' line and capturing some of the guns of the batteries on the crest before being later pushed back down the hill that night. I thought the presentation on History Buffs was fairly good for the very small amount of time available for the show. The commentaries about the reenactors bringing their own equipment, uniforms, weapons, etc. was totally correct - they had a great deal of authentic items which you see on-screen, and when the actors and prop guys needed something such as a tobacco pouch, one of the reenactors would readily offer to lend the item to the actors. The cannons were real - when I heard one artillery group man-handling their cannon to go down the narrow paved walk-way in order to pick up speed to go up the shallow hill next to the Lee monument, I and EVERYONE got out of the way of the ~1200 lb brass cannon - lot of heavy rumbling by that gun. I was surprised at the one HISTORY BUFFS scene showing one of the make-up ladies powdering one of the re-enactors. The two ladies I remember (this was one of them) were going along the front lines, powdering faces and uniforms to make us look grimy from sweat and dust, and spraying our hair to look matted and grimy. There were other ladies who were reenactors who were in the soldiers groups, and the ~6-person band shown during Pickett's Charge was partially composed of 4 ladies - a couple fifers and a couple drummers. They were asked by the movie-makers to pull down their caps and not look into the camera so no one could readily see they were females. One point that was not shown was the blacks - free and slave. A doctor at Boonsborough right before the Battle of Sharpsburg/Antietam counted about 20% of the composition of Stonewall Jackson's Corps was composed of blacks at that time. Zero mention was made in the movie and most books of the many Yank letters after the battle of Gettysburg mentioning the black corporal (possibly free black Greg Powers?) who lifted the fallen colors of the 57th Virginia and carried them part way up to the stonewall during Pickett's Charge when he was wounded or killed (per one of the articles in GETTYSBURG magazine of about 20 years ago.) Thank goodness for film, as I walked back to the tent city with who I think was the actor Stephen Lang - the gentleman who played Pickett was slightly smaller than me at 5'8", but the uniform makes him look good. He later plays the part of Stonewall Jackson in the movie Gods and Generals. The tent city was composed of a couple hundred white pup tents, but the location was extremely interesting. The woods on the one corner of tent city was where the hospital for AP Hill's III Corps was located during the original battle. Many reenactors complained to the film managers about guys fooling around at night in the woods - screaming and yelling. Management several times had to tell them that they had sent guys out there to prevent that but found no one there ... Other things were occurring such as observing a number of campfires(?) in the nearby fields at night that increased in number as the weeks crept closer to Pickett's Charge Week. Ghosts ...? The thing about Lee was that he was a good judge of ability and very familiar with a number of his former students at West Point, but with George Meade, he had actually shared a tent with him during the Mexican War campaign toward Mexico City under General Scott. For Chamberlain's defense at Little Round Top, he was lucky MG Hood was wounded and BG Law on the extreme right was put in charge. When the Texans encountered stiff resistance at Devil's Den (the movie shows a small portion of the real thing), Law ordered his two right wing regiments (I think 44th and 48th Alabama) to go from the extreme right to his own extreme left to help at Devil's Den. If those two regiments had remained in place, Chamberlain & Vincent's brigade would have been out-flanked by a width of two regiments - leave this to your imagination as to what might have occurred. If anyone has the opportunity to visit the battlefield, be certain to visit the Pennsylvania Monument - go up the stairway, take an immediate left and take the internal stairway up the corner column to go out onto the roof to overlook a major part of the battlefield. The distances to different key features are all marked on top of the wall. Facing toward the Confederate position to the west, the monument to the attack of the 1st Minnesota of the 2nd day is on your left, and the stonewall focal point of Pickett's Charge is on the right. --Gael

Hi Mukremin, A couple insights for the movie "Gettysburg" might be: 1. In my opinion, a better actor for General Lee would have been Sean Connery (instead of Martin Sheen), as GEN Lee had a presence about him that got everyone's attention. 2. In some scenes, the stunt men are semi-obvious as they are the ones with the rubber muskets that flex. The 4,000 re-enactors all had real weapons and real bayonets - it was a real effort for us not to hurt each other. 3. The scenes showing us marching in Pickett's Charge from a start in front of the Spangler's woods thru the cannons - some of those (especially the film from a distance) were performed on the Gettysburg National Battlefield Park grounds on the actual ground that Pickett's Division marched over going toward what is now Business Route 15. We were allowed by Park Rangers to only march halfway to Bus. 15 - although the first time, as we didn't know where to stop, we marched all the way to the picket fence on 15. All the people who had parked along the road hoping to hear and see something, got a real thrill as 4,000 of us marched up in front of them - they were cheering - we reenactors were cheering - the Park Rangers were going nuts as they didn't want us to go that far! The next five times we marched that route, we were only allowed to go half way. 4. When the 23 cannons fired in unison to start the Pickett's Charge, the original intent was to film each cannon going off one-by-one, but each time they attempted it there was always one or two mis-fires, so the guy in charge in his frustration, ordered them to fire all at once. This is a unique moment in the film and otherwise as none of the reenactor gun crews had EVER participated in an event where all 23 discharged simultaneously like this. They, and we 4,000, were all duly impressed! 5. The scene where Pickett says to give him his glass (binoculars) - that red building is the Codori barn on the Park. 6. The scene where the Southerners go up to the stone wall - this wall was built up on site about 1-2 miles west of the National Battlefield Park. 7. A command of "Right Shoulder - Shift" was given as we were about to march. This command is unfamiliar to today's military, but back then, one would maintain a good balance of one's musket on the collar bone. As the soldier behind was to maintain a gap 13 inches behind the in front, in case of the front soldier bobbing or falling wounded or whatever,this would offer some protection from the bayonet to the guy behind 8. The spoken lines were from the book "The Killer Angels", as that was also the initial title of the movie until the marketers determined "Gettysburg" would be the best title. 9. I was "recruited" for the film by my brother to march with his unit, the 116th Pennsylvania, during Pickett's Charge Week. For the two days I participated, we wore Southern gray as the "galvanized" 116th "Virginia". I had been attending school at the US Army War College during two weeks in July, and the local TV news was always showing clips of the filming that was leading up to Pickett's Charge Week in August. 10. In this stunt scene (below) used in Pickett's Charge, on extreme right with full face was the personnel manager for Hershey Park, next to the left is a tall 116th reenactor whose name I forget, next and shorter is my brother, and next to him with the flat hat is me (25 years ago in 1992). It is a memorable moment in my life, and this scene played at about 3/4 speed was used in TNT's TV and theater commercials.

Casacerian, As to an optimal number of guns, I have never calculated this out. In my mind it has always been 2 guns in a section, 4 to 6 guns in a battery, and about 24 in an artillery battalion. In my CSA battalions, I always attempt to build them up to 24 so I match or outnumber the guns in the Federal units, and have massed fire capability in case of attack by the Federal units. Early in a campaign, I form one battalion per division of 2, 3, or 4 brigades of infantry. But, as a campaign wears on, I start building a 2nd (and sometimes a third) artillery battalion so I can hold off those huge mass-attacks that come at me at Cold Harbor and at Washington, DC. When one has less-capable or less-in-number troops than the foe, one must increase firepower by increasing the number of guns, as per one of Napoleon's dictums ~1813-1814 after he had lost huge numbers of experienced troops during the retreat from Russia. The double battalions also provide enough firepower to help clear the way when the inferior numbers of CSA troops launch their own attacks, such as by the artillery knocking the Federal units off the ramparts of the DC forts. See: Good luck! --Gael

map from Wikipedia -- Map by Hal Jespersen, www.posix.com/CW, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9063969 Being a descendant of one of Lee's soldier's, I would offer that the arrangement of Longstreet's highly successful attack and break-through at Chickamauga in 21 September 1863 was the model followed by Emory Upton in 1864. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chickamauga "Wood was perplexed by Rosecrans's order, which he received around 10:50 a.m. Since Brannan was still on his left flank, Wood would not be able to "close up on" (a military term that meant to "move adjacent to") Reynolds with Brannan's division in the way. Therefore, the only possibility was to withdraw from the line, march around behind Brannan and form up behind Reynolds (the military meaning of the word "support"). This was obviously a risky move, leaving an opening in the line. Wood spoke with corps commander McCook, and claimed later, along with members of both his and McCook's staff, that McCook agreed to fill the resulting gap with XX Corps units. McCook maintained that he had not enough units to spare to cover a division-wide hole, although he did send Heg's brigade to partially fill the gap.[78] At about this time, Bragg also made a peremptory order based on incomplete information. Impatient that his attack was not progressing to the left, he sent orders for all of his commands to advance at once. Maj. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart of Longstreet's wing received the command and immediately ordered his division forward without consulting with Longstreet. His brigades under Brig. Gens. Henry D. Clayton, John C. Brown, and William B. Bate attacked across the Poe field in the direction of the Union divisions of Brannan and Reynolds. Along with Brig. Gen. S. A. M. Wood's brigade of Cleburne's Division, Stewart's men disabled Brannan's right flank and pushed back Van Cleve's division in Brannan's rear, momentarily crossing the LaFayette Road. A Federal counterattack drove Stewart's Division back to its starting point.[79] Longstreet also received Bragg's order but did not act immediately. Surprised by Stewart's advance, he held up the order for the remainder of his wing. Longstreet had spent the morning attempting to arrange his lines so that his divisions from the Army of Northern Virginia would be in the front line, but these movements had resulted in the battle line confusion that had plagued Cleburne earlier. When Longstreet was finally ready, he had amassed a concentrated striking force, commanded by Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood, of three divisions, with eight brigades arranged in five lines. In the lead, Brig. Gen. Bushrod Johnson's division straddled the Brotherton Road in two echelons. They were followed by Hood's Division, now commanded by Brig. Gen. Evander M. Law, and two brigades of Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws's division, commanded by Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw. To the left of this column was Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Hindman's division. Brig. Gen. William Preston's division of Buckner's corps was in reserve behind Hindman. Longstreet's force of 10,000 men, primarily infantry, was similar in number to those he sent forward in Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg, and some historians judge that he learned the lessons of that failed assault by providing a massive, narrow column to break the enemy line. Historian Harold Knudsen has described this deployment on a narrow front as similar to the style of the German Schwerpunkt in World War II, achieving an attacker/defender ratio of 8:1. Biographer Jeffry D. Wert also cites the innovative approach that Longstreet adopted, "demonstrating his skill as a battlefield commander." William Glenn Robertson, however, contends that Longstreet's deployment was "happenstance", and that the general's after-action report and memoirs do not demonstrate that he had a grand, three-division column in mind.[80] Longstreet gave the order to move at 11:10 a.m. and Johnson's division proceeded across the Brotherton field, by coincidence to precisely the point where Wood's Union division was pulling out of the line. Johnson's brigade on the left, commanded by Col. John S. Fulton, drove directly through the gap. The brigade on the right, under Brig. Gen. Evander McNair, encountered opposition from Brannan's division (parts of Col. John M. Connell's brigade), but was also able to push through. The few Union soldiers in that sector ran in panic from the onslaught. At the far side of the Dyer field, several Union batteries of the XXI Corps reserve artillery were set up, but without infantry support. Although the Confederate infantrymen hesitated briefly, Gregg's brigade, commanded by Col. Cyrus Sugg, which flanked the guns on their right, Sheffield's brigade, commanded by Col. William Perry, and the brigade of Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson, captured 15 of the 26 cannons on the ridge.[82] As the Union troops were withdrawing, Wood stopped his brigade commanded by Col. Charles G. Harker and sent it back with orders to counterattack the Confederates. They appeared on the scene at the flank of the Confederates who had captured the artillery pieces, causing them to retreat. The brigades of McNair, Perry, and Robinson became intermingled as they ran for shelter in the woods east of the field. Hood ordered Kershaw's Brigade to attack Harker and then raced toward Robertson's Brigade of Texans, Hood's old brigade. As he reached his former unit, a bullet struck him in his right thigh, knocking him from his horse. He was taken to a hospital near Alexander's Bridge, where his leg was amputated a few inches from the hip.[83] Harker conducted a fighting withdrawal under pressure from Kershaw, retreating to Horseshoe Ridge near the tiny house of George Washington Snodgrass. Finding a good defensible position there, Harker's men were able to resist the multiple assaults, beginning at 1 p.m., from the brigades of Kershaw and Brig. Gen. Benjamin G. Humphreys. These two brigades had no assistance from their nearby fellow brigade commanders. Perry and Robertson were attempting to reorganize their brigades after they were routed into the woods. Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning's brigade turned north after crossing the Lafayette Road in pursuit of two brigades of Brannan's division, then halted for the afternoon near the Poe house.[84] Hindman's Division attacked the Union line to the south of Hood's column and encountered considerably more resistance. The brigade on the right, commanded by Brig. Gen. Zachariah Deas, drove back two brigades of Davis's division and defeated Col. Bernard Laiboldt's brigade of Sheridan's division. Sheridan's two remaining brigades, under Brig. Gen. William H. Lytle and Col. Nathan Walworth, checked the Confederate advance on a slight ridge west of the Dyer field near the Widow Glenn House. While leading his men in the defense, Lytle was killed and his men, now outflanked and leaderless, fled west. Hindman's brigade on the left, under Brig. Gen. Arthur Manigault, crossed the field east of the Widow Glenn's house when Col. John T. Wilder's mounted infantry brigade, advancing from its reserve position, launched a strong counterattack with its Spencer repeating rifles, driving the enemy around and through what became known as "Bloody Pond". Having nullified Manigault's advance, Wilder decided to attack the flank of Hood's column. However, just then Assistant Secretary of War Dana found Wilder and excitedly proclaimed that the battle was lost and demanded to be escorted to Chattanooga. In the time that Wilder took to calm down the secretary and arrange a small detachment to escort him back to safety, the opportunity for a successful attack was lost and he ordered his men to withdraw to the west.[85] All Union resistance at the southern end of the battlefield evaporated. Sheridan's and Davis's divisions fell back to the escape route at McFarland's Gap, taking with them elements of Van Cleve's and Negley's divisions. The majority of units on the right fell back in disorder and Rosecrans, Garfield, McCook, and Crittenden, although attempting to rally retreating units, soon joined them in the mad rush to safety. Rosecrans decided to proceed in haste to Chattanooga in order to organize his returning men and the city defenses. He sent Garfield to Thomas with orders to take command of the forces remaining at Chickamauga and withdraw to Rossville. At McFarland's Gap units had reformed and General Negley met both Sheridan and Davis. Sheridan decided he would go to Thomas's aid not directly from McFarland's gap but via a circuitous route northwest to the Rossville gap then south on Lafayette road. The provost marshal of the XIV Corps met Crittenden around the gap and offered him the services of 1,000 men he had been able to round up during the retreat. Crittenden refused the command and continued his personal flight. At about 3 p.m., Sheridan's 1,500 men, Davis's 2,500, Negley's 2,200, and 1,700 men of other detached units were at or near McFarland's Gap just 3 miles away from Horseshoe Ridge.[87] " --Gael The scene now presented was unspeakably grand. The resolute and impetuous charge, the rush of our heavy columns sweeping out from the shadow and gloom of the forest into the open fields flooded with sunlight, the glitter of arms, the onward dash of artillery and mounted men, the retreat of the foe, the shouts of the hosts of our army, the dust, the smoke, the noise of fire-arms—of whistling balls and grape-shot and of bursting shell—made up a battle scene of unsurpassed grandeur. Confederate Brig. Gen. Bushrod Johnson[81] The scene now presented was unspeakably grand. The resolute and impetuous charge, the rush of our heavy columns sweeping out from the shadow and gloom of the forest into the open fields flooded with sunlight, the glitter of arms, the onward dash of artillery and mounted men, the retreat of the foe, the shouts of the hosts of our army, the dust, the smoke, the noise of fire-arms—of whistling balls and grape-shot and of bursting shell—made up a battle scene of unsurpassed grandeur. Confederate Brig. Gen. Bushrod Johnson[81]

AegorBlackfyre, I don't think the CSA would have won the war solely on the basis of winning this battle. The army was so worn out by that time, they couldn't continue on their campaign to deliver a decisive blow to the north. The reasoning is that this battle was fought by Lee and the defense of the South Mountain passes two days earlier solely to shield Stonewall in his effort to capture the 11-12,000 Yanks bottled up at Harpers Ferry. OPINION: To lose a corps like that should have shaken the North but for the propaganda mill at work proclaiming a northern victory and Lincoln hurrying to issue the emancipation proclamation, which seems in hindsight to have distracted much attention. According to the book "North With Lee and Jackson", the army was heading north to destroy the anthracite (hard) coal mines in the six counties east of the Susquehanna River, when the very sudden and unexpected forward movement by McClellan occurred just two weeks after the severe thrashing of Pope's army and the subsequent reorganization of both Yank armies into a single entity. Lee, Longstreet, and Jackson were able to continue after 2nd Manassas and Chantilly (west of and right next to Fair Oaks Mall on Rt 50 is a tiny park with two boulders marking where both Generals Kearney and Stevens were killed) as DH Hill had led 3 divisions up from the Richmond area after the majority of McClellan's troops had shipped out and up north to reinforce Pope, while Lincoln was infuriated with McClellan's footdragging and slowness in reinforcing Pope who was "getting his lunch handed to him". Jackson's strategy on destroying the coal mines had been recommended just before the Peninsular Campaign and the Seven Days, so he had to wait til the Fall, and by then the CSA had to go slow as their shoes and clothes were already wearing out just as they were entering Maryland with its stone-paved roads ... The stone roads and worn-out conditions of the Fall of 1862 were definitely on Lee's and Jackson's minds when planning the 1863 campaign, so when they won at Chancellorsville, Lee within a few weeks sent Ewell off for the mines in Pennsylvania once more, only to bump into the battle at Gettysburg. --Gael

Hi Mukremin, I have been fortunate enough to arrive at Antietam a few times at BG-level and win. Wiping out or shattering the Feds at Shiloh, 2nd Corinth, and Malvern Hill has dealt body-blows to them and they have difficulty in gathering strength for the next battles. At this moment, I have once more wiped them out at Antietam. My starting numbers are: I Corps 12 bgdes 1 skirmish 5 artillery battalions 2 cavalry supply @35,000 22,054 Soldiers 3000 arty with 120 cannons 1,500 cavalry troopers II Corps 12 bgdes 7 artillery battalions 1 cav supply@35,000 21,900 Soldiers 3750 arty with 150 cannons 750 cav troopers III Corps 6 bgdes 4 skirmishers 5 artillery battalions 1 cav supply 13,763 Soldiers 1875 arty with 75 cannons 750 cav troopers Feds victory CSA inf 58,399 58,617 cav 2315 3,000 Guns 306 345 cas/losses inf 43,071 22,096 guns 210 10 cav 1,350 546 missing 3293 0 Some months back I had read about moving my forces up even with the farthest north line of fence of the Miller farm, so I put weak forces there and straight east, and angled up from the farm to the tip of woods of Nicodemus hill on the left. I placed two artillery battalions behind the fence and one in the open space leading to the hill, and sent two groups of skirmishers out to the left and swung behind the Yanks to knock off their artillery battalion there by the group of trees. Played defense until the group of reinforcements arrived, slowed and stopped their forward motion and started pushing them north, while using skirmishers to gradually make a pocket with the north and east map edges. The cavalry and 3-4 skirmish units started going after the supply wagons and slowly destroying Fed artillery battalions, and then destroyed or captured all Fed units to the northeast. When the units at the sunken road appear, (I had read this tactic earlier), I immediately send 4 inf brigades and 2 arty battalions to the middle bridge - placing one on each side facing the bridge with and arty battalion directly behind each, and place a back-up inf brigade behind each arty battalion. A 5th inf brigade is sent to the woods to the north of the previous units to await a 1,000 trooper cav unit that attempts to clear the road to the bridge - and fails. Once the Feds crossing the bridge are all smashed (inf-cav-arty), then move all your units back to form a quarter circle around the area where a few new units will arrive from across the middle bridge. (I never received a Yank attack at the sunken road.) At Burnside's bridge to the south, bring all available infantry brigades and artillery units to the bridge or to the depression or on the hill directly behind and pour all firepower into any Fed attacks. I always take the unit at the southernmost ford to the bridge while leaving its skirmishers to hold the ford. Eventually I bring all CSA units in the north and at the sunken road to the southeast part of the map, driving all remaining Feds into the SE corner and shattering or capturing them. It sure is easier to win when you start off even in numbers ... --Gael

Mukremin, I note you are starting the battle with a very small number of soldiers and no funding. I follow a somewhat different philosophy of accumulating as many troops as possible - which also has a few personal twists of big artillery battalions (24 cannons each) and a few cavalry brigades (750 each) for speed and distance. In starting another new Southern campaign on BG-level I have reached the 2nd Battle of Manassas once again. In response to your frustration in your first note, I have the following numbers to compare to yours in starting this Battle: 1st Corps 4 Div's 3 Inf Bgdes each 1 arty Batt/Div (1st Div has 2 arty batt's) 2 cav Bgdes 28,517 Soldiers 120 guns 1500 cav 26,897 inf 3000 arty supply @ 35,000 2nd Corps 4 Div's 3 Inf Bgdes each 1 arty Batt/Div 1 cav Bgde 24,335 Soldiers 96 guns 750 cav 23,465 inf 2400 arty supply @ 35,000 3rd Corps 2 Div's 2 Inf Bgdes each 1 arty Batt/Div 1 cav Bgde 9,728 Soldiers 48 guns 750 cav 8,858 inf 1200 arty supply @ 35,000 Here you can see the first two corps are fairly stout and ready to receive and give battle, while I am in process of building a 3rd corps to eventually resemble the other two. Seeing that you have nothing available as to funding gives me pause. I hold off on buying fancy but costly weapons, but do so only gradually upon making certain I have emptied the "recruits" box down to zero if at all possible -- I have to watch the "funding" pile and balance each to the other. I tend to wait to see if a large number of weapons and cannons have been captured after a big battle, that I can supply new recruits at zero or minimal cost. Also, as soon as I can I will boost each corps' supply up to the 35,000-level so I don't have to pay attention to it during any following battle or camp (BUT - do NOT allow your supply to captured!!!). I put my leader points after each victory toward army organization and politics. The politics will provide batches of extra recruits to help build the size of your force. Hopefully, the above will provide insight to you of a different perspective that seems to work for me. As the campaign progresses, I start doubling up on artillery battalions - 2-3 per division. (Check my topic BG-level win at Washington in this forum, where I describe what I did for my first BG-level victory there.) Good luck, --Gael

Gmoney7447, you are most welcome! --Gael

Gmoney7447, COL & BG levels: During the 1st moment of 2nd Manassas (or 2nd Bull Run for the Yanks), I always send cavalry units and all available skirmisher units into most all of the wooded areas of the map - skirmishers into the right/East side of the map can go to wooded or built-up areas in front of the CSA fortifications, but not into the little white banner locations on the railroad as those just get your troops shot up. The skirmishers and cavalry on the middle and left/West - I send all I can get my hands on into the wooded areas - spread out - one skirmisher into Groveton, all others into wooded areas - one in the far left woods toward map bottom - two into woods south of Groveton, three spread north to south in the thin woods north of Groveton, and a couple others into wooded areas in middle and middle-south of the water-way. Watch for any and all targets of opportunity to ambush - supply wagons to capture and send back to be used by CSA during the 1st day - and to wipe out Fed artillery units that are not escorted ( this can really play havoc with the other side's ability to conduct battle. Be certain to remember you need to play "hide-and-seek" and to "run" when the Feds come chasing your skirmishers and cavalry.) There is one artillery battalion that shows up SW of Groveton following 3 Yank brigades - I always stalk that battalion and wipe it out - no matter how long it takes and no matter how much cat-and-mouse I have to do. Realize that supply wagons and artillery (and infantry) flow from East (crossing Bull Run) to far West and to north west. When things work well I can capture 4-6 supply wagons and knock off about 2-4 artillery battalions during the first day. Route those supply wagons SAFELY to your artillery units backing the fortifications at middle and ESPECIALLY the East. These captured supply wagons are the ONLY way to keep my troops supplied with ammo and in the fight during the 1st day's heavy fighting in the East section of fortifications. As CSA, I utilize the fortifications north of the tracks - mid-way between the unfinished railroad line and the woods, and on the bottom edge of the woods toward the West. For the fortifications of middle and East, I put brigades into those with the white banner locations, and put another brigade behind each one in the fortifications - the fire of both are sufficient to turn away the Yanks. When the first one gets worn down, put the 2nd into the fortifications and put the first in the rear position. Although the Yanks take quite a beating, they can still eventually push your troops away from the fortifications - at that time position your troops up the hill and into the edge of the woods. Move reserve troops of the West gradually to the East as those CSA of the East will be wearing down fairly fast once the serious mass attacks start rolling. During the next day -- realize the actual terrain of Bull Run is uniquely formed - there is a portion starting a bit north of stone bridge and starting to turn West, where the Eastern bank of Bull Run forms a "cliff" about 15-25 feet higher than the West bank, and this runs almost all the way over to the Sudley Ford / Sudley Church area. (Sudley Church is there, expanded, and still used by the local community. I lived in the Manassas area for about 5 years. ) There is criticism in some books about Stonewall's not pushing hard and attacking after Porter's attack was beaten back. -- Realize, that he/you WANT to trap the whole Yank force against that cliff area - they can't take their artillery and supply wagons into Bull Run's water (the 3-4 foot banks are steep, and then up that cliff - it is there and it is real. Jackson did not want Pope's Army to move away from Sudley Ford / Bull Run "cliff". This is also why Pope's Army (and McDowell in 1st Manassas) was desperate to retreat everyone across the stone bridge area (E.P. Alexander was the engineer in charge of blowing up stone bridge during Johnston's retreat down to Richmond during the Spring of 1862 - it was rebuilt by the National Battlefield Park Service about 20 years ago so all can once again walk on it.) During the retreat there was another of McClellan's Corps that had pulled up and stationed themselves between Cub Run and Bull Run East of the stone bridge area and would have provided covering fire. This is why Longstreet's attack had to swing around Henry House Hill, sweep past stone bridge, and trap Pope's army against those cliffs, while Jackson had to hold his position around the Sudley Ford and Sudley Church area. When the attack did not go thru the woods to the stone bridge, this is the moment the strategic movements of Jackson and Lee/Longstreet failed in this 2nd attempt to surround Pope's Army for either surrender or destruction. In your game, the strategy is the same - block Sudley Ford, have Longstreet swing around - taking Stone Bridge and the two northern fords, and then pull the noose tighter and tighter while destroying as much of Pope's Army as possible. (Easy ....? ) --Gael

Favorite general has to be Stonewall Jackson. Always did more with less, and was always trying to strategize ways to win the war. Next favorite would be Forrest (a great "character"), followed by Longstreet who led 4 of the most devastating attacks for the South: 1. 2nd Manassas - 2nd day 2. Gettysburg - 2nd day 3. Chickamauga 4. Wilderness --Gael

All, Upon thinking about the battles I have played as CSA on UG, the ones where I was fortunate enough to wipe out the Yank army, were the following: 1. Shiloh - almost every time 2. Antietam/Sharpsburg 3. Gettysburg - 1st day 4. Stones River 5. Cold Harbor 6. Washington - 1st day The successes were very dependent upon building the Southern army up to even or larger than the Northern one. Philosophy and style are conservative until I get the upper hand, and then I seem to go into a sort of blitzkrieg mode. Like Forrest said - put a skeer into 'em. Once they start moving backward, don't let up and use the game boundaries and surround them. For 1st Manassas I usually annihilate half their army. For 2nd Manassas I generally come close to wiping them out, but not quite. --Gael

Grimthaur, Upon thinking about your question, I think the best response is that I have a strong desire to wipe out Yankee guns whenever I get an opportunity to go after them with skirmishers and/or cavalry. Even during 1st Manassas I was going counter-battery at the Stone Bridge (I lived in Manassas for 5 years and drove and walked around both battlefields almost every weekend) and knocking out batteries there, and when I flanked them on the left I always go for the battery there. After all those battles, there were many guns in inventory that I didn't have to "buy" during the Washington camp. --Gael

William 1993, Everyone has their own style, and here is what I follow for CSA: 1. Army Organization for the first 4-5 points - to get a sufficient force started that will hold its own, and then have some punch besides 2. Politics - a necessary evil in this game and in the real world, but you need all the extra troops and funds you can obtain over time 3. From now on I emphasize Army Org and Politics at an even pace up to 10 pts 4. Medicine comes in 3rd occasionally to help get those veterans back into the mix 5. Fill in the others as you see fit - I have not noticed any preference for one over the others. In parallel effort, I will follow this sequence: 1. At beginning, build some solid-sized infantry units at first and increase their size and quality of weaponry as time goes on. 2. At beginning, get a couple GOOD artillery units - preferably at least one 12-pounder Napoleon at beginning (6-pounder if necessary) - starting with small numbers and work the numbers bigger over time -- -- you want to pound the crap out of any opposing unit that gets too close ... 3. At beginning, start a small cavalry unit with sword and horse pistol for 1st Manassas - this and skirmishers can play havoc with opposing supply units and artillery units that are not supported (infantry that will be held out of the up-close fight against you). (e.g. during the 1st moment of 2nd Manassas I always send cavalry units and all available skirmisher units into most all of the wooded areas of the map, watching for any and all targets of opportunity to ambush - supply wagons to capture and send back to be used by CSA during the 1st day - and to wipe out Fed artillery units that are not escorted -- this can really play havoc with the other side's ability to conduct battle. Be certain to remember you need to play "hide-and-seek" and to "run" when the Feds come chasing your skirmishers and cavalry.) Increase the unit's size over time and gradually build up other units - eventually switching to carbines 4. Immediately start stashing extra points into the Logistics pile for each Corps as you build them over time - get to that 35,000 number for each and then forget them 5. Be conservative and use defensive positions and woodlands to conserve and build your numbers over time 6. Always be on the look-out to wipe-out or capture the entire (even a big chunk is good) opposing army if an opportunity offers itself. Once you succeed in this, the opposing army will always be weaker and greener than yours for a period of several battles, giving you further opportunities to repeat your success. 7. Watch your leaders and always promote the high-ranking ones til you get Lieutenant-Generals into the Corps commands, Major-Generals into Division commands, Brigadiers/Colonels/Lieutenant-Colonels into brigade commands. After each battle, go thru your officers and cull out the ones who have been promoted high above where their status says they should be - put them in reserve and then move them to the appropriate levels to maximize your leaders' ranks and capabilities. Leaders will get wounded or killed, and your supply of extras will come in very handy after the big battles. 8. If you are concerned about getting your Army's Commanding General killed or wounded, put him into the reserve roster after the first couple battles and keep him there - he will still be mentioned in all the dispatches. Good luck to you, --Gael

Thanks Lava, Andre, and The Soldier! I really respect and appreciate your comments!!! --Gael

Although not as skilled as some, I have won the Battle of Washington as CSA a number of times at the lowest level (COLONEL), and have now found a way that I can win on the BG-Level of difficulty. After winning thru Cold Harbor on CSA BG-level, I was looking several times at losses at Washington as I just did not have enough infantry troops to last thru the 2nd day when the Feds come at you with the rest of their practically double my 80,000 beginning infantry. When re-starting CSA camp after Cold Harbor this time, I applied the 22,000 replacement Soldiers into as many artillery units as I could. The thinking was similar to what Napoleon faced during 1813-1814 -- when the troop quality and numbers go down, one has to raise overall firepower by increasing your number of big guns, which is what I went for in lieu of filling out solely with infantry as I had been doing - one artillery battalion per division (as suggested by some in this forum). This time I was creating divisions with 2-3 artillery battalions each. Then, I raised the infantry numbers in each division with the remaining replacement troops. 4 corps - 4 divisions - 4, 3, or 2 brigades per division (generally 3 per division - 1800 infantry - 1600 - 1600). I did gain the Grand Victory in this manner, with Fed numbers at 160,554 infantry and 812 guns, with losses of 109,306 infantry, 421 guns, and 11,515 missing. CSA numbers started at 79,919 infantry, 805 guns, with losses of 42,160 infantry and 227 guns. I do point out the immense satisfaction of attacking forts on the first day with enough artillery to force the defending infantry on the walls back away from their positions prior to sending in surrounding infantry. (During my losses, I had to send in infantry to storm the forts, with the attendant losses rapidly building up.) When playing defense on the second day, it was my large number of CSA cannons that enabled me to hold lines and fortifications. --Gael ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS of CSA 2nd Day: 1. Bought maximum available 24 lb howitzers and 20 lb Parrots before battle 2. Tactic: NEVER allow Fort DeRussy, Fort Stevens, and the fort in the southeast to be 100% surrounded 3. Place infantry brigades in forts on ground level ONLY. Use the brigade's skirmisher unit on the wall to minimize casualties to artillery. During a Federal storming assault, THEN bring your fresh infantry brigade onto the top of the wall. In addition, aim your remaining brigades inside fort at the coming assault location and they will help rout the attacking force using their weapons. 4. For DeRussy, Fort Stevens, and the fort in the southeast, use 4-5 artillery battalions - in the artillery positions and on top of the rear walls. Use the small howitzers with their short range as a unit in the center of the fort to help repel attackers. 5. Place a 20 lb Parrot battalion on the rear wall of each of the three primary forts. With their power and extreme range use them primarily in counter-battery to keep the Fed artillery at arm's-length and attrit them. Placement in the rear tends to keep them from becoming primary targets of the AI.

Captiva, Your selection of BG Emerson Opdycke leading his Buckeyes at Franklin is a surprise to me. Growing up outside of Stryker, Ohio, the elderly farmer neighbor, Emerson Opdycke, and his family lived on the farm across County Road G from us, and his brother Russell lived two miles down the road. Emerson was named after his Grandfather, pictured with the pistol in this painting you selected. Emerson recounted to us once or twice that during one fierce battle all the field officers dismounted except for COL Opdycke, and as he was the only officer high enough above the smoke who could see where the firing lines were located and could direct the unit's movements, he was later chosen to get his general's star. Emerson's son and one daughter still live in the area. (I grew up surrounded by Yankees ...) --Gael

“Governor, if I had foreseen the use these people desired to make of their victory, there would have been no surrender at Appomattox, no, sir, not by me. Had I foreseen these results of subjugation, I would have preferred to die at Appomattox with my brave men, my sword in this right hand.” --Robert E. Lee -- told to Governor Fletcher S. Stockdale, September 1870, and relayed to Dr. Robert Lewis Dabney source: http://www.confederatecolonel.com/challenges-to-the-quotes/ A near statement was made to Colonel T. M. R. Talcott who said Lee stated he would never have surrendered the army if he had known how the South would have been treated. Mr. Smythe stated that Colonel Talcott replied, “Well, General, you have only to blow the bugle,” whereupon Lee is alleged to have answered, “It is too late now” (29 Confederate Veteran, 7). --recorded by H. Gerald Smythe source: http://www.confederatecolonel.com/challenges-to-the-quotes/ --Gael

MAJ Grigg, I wish to suggest a few of my favorites - but just like everyone else - each contributor's suggestions has their own peculiarities that may or may not appeal to you: 1. Antietam - the Soldier's Battle by John M Priest = great book with tremendous amount of maps showing placement of regiments at different places 2. Co. Aytch - by Sam Watkins = tremendous book by a soldier of the 1st Tennessee Regiment who fought at Manassas and then with the Western army for the rest of the war. Many insights of the common soldier and a lot of humor - written for his kids 10 or so years after the war ended. 3. North With Lee & Jackson - by Kegel = lot of insights from a number of sources including Jed Hotchkiss - Jackson's map-maker who worked on secret maps for future campaigns (such as The Valley campaign - with map showing all the defensive positions for Jackson to study and plan (such as forced marching to Winchester)) & in early Feb 1863 making maps for Jackson of the lower valley including Harrisburg, PA, and then a continuance map(s) for going after the anthracite coal mines in the 6 counties east of Harrisburg and continuing on to include Philadelphia. 4. Return to Bull Run - by John J Hennessy = book by a Manassas Battlefield National Park Ranger who KNOWS his stuff about the 2nd Battle of Manassas / Bull Run of 1862. He covers all the stories and actions - great book. <He does not cover the ghost "Henry" who dresses in a Federal Zouave uniform and occasionally stands at the railroad cut, explaining the action of what was occurring in the Grover attack sector - have to be wary as if you take your eyes off him to see where he is pointing, he will disappear.> 5. Bull Run Remembers - by Hanson = a small book that covers incidents surrounding both 1st & 2nd Battles of Manassas / Bull Run. Unique insights and flavors here, such as the story of John Rice, Federal soldier of Maine, who was hit in the left chest and observed moving slightly by a fence by a passing couple in their carriage (with handkerchiefs over nose and mouth due to the smell) two days after the battle.They took him to their home, nursed him to health and sent him on his way. After the war he contacted them to thank them and asked if they needed anything. They suggested they could use about $30 or more to repair Sudley Church (it still stands at the east end of the defensive line) which had been badly damaged and then used as a field hospital during both battles.. Mr. Rice went home and raised the money and sent it to help the repairs. His doctor always wondering about his left-chest bullet wound, did an autopsy after his passing away only to find that his heart was actually located on the right side of his chest. 6. Barksdale's Charge - by Paul J. Tucker = discusses this charge at Gettysburg on the 2nd day, arguing his point that this was the Confederacy's high-water mark that almost brought the Army of the Potomac to its knees, not the next day's Pickett's Charge. 7. Hood's Texas Brigade - the title says it all. I think we all wish you good reading! --Gael

The myth around the legend and hero is often sweeter than fact. --Gael Be that as it may, having lived in Manassas, VA, between 1987 and 1991, I tromped thru the fields of the Manassas Battlefield National Park over a hundred times. Two batlefields - one on top of the other - what is there not to see? Then, south of town is the Bristoe Station battlefield location, and east of town on Interstate-66 is Fairfax Shopping Center with the tiny little park next to it with two large rocks marking the locations where the Federal division commanders, Kearney and Stevens, were killed during the Battle of Chantilly/Ox-Hill. Go west from Manassas on I-66 and one runs thru Thoroughfare Gap (on the way to Front Royal) where Lee and Longstreet had to punch thru the Federal cavalry to join Jackson during the 2nd Battle of Manassas. Fortunately one of the troops from the local neighborhood knew of a pig trail across the ridge about 6 miles to the north, so a flanking force was marched up there to get behind the cavalry and force them out. With no major defensive geography or position, Evans, Bee, and Bartow could only fight a delaying action around Matthews Hill, and thru the valley of the Stone House along route 29 there also is no geographic feature that helps with the defense ... until you come upon that three to five foot dip in the ground along the ridge-line beyond the Henry house where Jackson placed his troops behind and low, and ordered them to lie down. His thirteen cannon were in line in front of, and thus higher than, the troops lying behind and below in the dip. He was able to preserve his fighting force and their morale by taking minimal casualties against the larger Federal force. This is the lone defensive defilade position of value and Jackson saw and used it, being the West Point grad (Civil Engineer) and artilleryman that he was. It doesn't matter if BG Bee did describe Jackson in a negative way, as he likely never saw the invaluable terrain feature that helped stem the up-til-then-victorious Yankee horde. To me, the most intriguing and fascinating part of the Southern delaying action occurred when Evans placed his 6-700 infantry lying down behind a fence line perpendicular to Sudley Road and waited for the Northern artillery to drive forward and take position along the ridge in front of the fence-line. When driving the guns and placing them in position in front of the deploying Yankee infantry, Evans charged his men into the guns and teams when they were basically defenseless except for the cannoneers' personal weapons and caused a big melee until driven back by nearby infantry. By understanding the tactics and formations that were used at that time, Evans caused a big fracas and loss within the opponent's artillery units, interjected the element of surprise into the Federal force, and delayed their movement until Bee and Bartow came up to help slow them down. Evans was out there on the extreme left all by his lonesome self, and it was fortunate that MAJ Alexander (one of the developers of the US Army's flag-waving signals prior to the war) when stationed on the platform on top of Signal Hill (one of my friends now has a home on the hill), saw the sun's reflection off one of the Northern column's brass cannon and notified Evans to look to his left as he was flanked, and notified Beauregard and the command staff of the fact so their forces could be re-positioned. --Gael

Andre B, Here is my favorite Stonewall Jackson phrase: "Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy" --Gael Along with this list from: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Stonewall_Jackson Quotes The time for war has not yet come, but it will come, and that soon; and when it does come, my advice is to draw the sword and throw away the scabbard. Speech to cadets at the Virginia Military Institute (March 1861); as quoted in Mighty Stonewall (1957) by Frank E. Vandiver, p. 131; this has sometimes been paraphrased as "When war does come, my advice is to draw the sword and throw away the scabbard." If the general government should persist in the measures now threatened, there must be war. It is painful enough to discover with what unconcern they speak of war and threaten it. They do not know its horrors. I have seen enough of it to make me look upon it as the sum of all evils. Comments to his pastor (April 1861) as quoted in Memoirs of Stonewall Jackson by His Widow Mary Anna Jackson (1895), Ch. IX : War Clouds — 1860 - 1861, p. 141; This has sometimes been paraphrased as "War is the sum of all evils." Before Jackson's application of the term "The sum of all evils" to war, it had also been applied to slavery by abolitionist Cassius Marcellus Clay in The Writings of Cassius Marcellus Clay : Including Speeches and Addresses (1848), p. 445; to death by Georg Christian Knapp in Lectures on Christian Theology (1845), p. 404; and it had also been used, apparently in relation to arrogance in a translation of "Homily 24" in The Homilies of S. John Chrysostom on the First Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (1839), p. 331 Then, Sir, we will give them the bayonet! Reply to Colonel Barnard E. Bee when he reported that the enemy were beating them back. At the First Battle of Bull Run (21 July 1861); as quoted in Stonewall Jackson As Military Commander (2000) by John Selby, p. 21 Yesterday we fought a great battle and gained a great victory, for which all the glory is due to God alone. Although under a heavy fire for several continuous hours I received only one wound, the breaking of the longest finger of my left hand; but the doctor says the finger may be saved. It was broken about midway between the hand and knuckle, the ball passing on the side next to the forefinger. Had it struck the centre, I should have lost the finger. My horse was wounded, but not killed. Your coat got an ugly wound near the hip, but my servant, who is very handy, has so far repaired it that it doesn't show very much. My preservation was entirely due, as was the glorious victory, to our God, to whom be all the honor, praise, and glory. The battle was the hardest that I have ever been in, but not near so hot in its fire. Letter to his wife after the First Battle of Bull Run (22 July 1861); as quoted in Memoirs of Stonewall Jackson by His Widow Mary Anna Jackson (1895), Ch. XI : The First Battle of Manassas, p. 178 My dear pastor, in my tent last night, after a fatiguing day's service, I remembered that I failed to send a contribution for our colored Sunday school. Enclosed you will find a check for that object, which please acknowledge at your earliest convenience and oblige yours faithfully. Letter to his pastor after the First Battle of Bull Run (22 July 1861); as quoted in The Religious Development of the Negro in Virginia (1914) by Joseph Brummell Earnest, p. 84 Nothing justifies profanity. A wounded Jackson said to Captain John Imboden, after First Manassas (The Oxford Dictionary of Civil War Quotations, 2006) Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. Captain, that is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave. Speaking to Captain John D. Imboden (24 July 1861), as quoted in Stonewall Jackson As Military Commander (2000) by John Selby, p. 25; sometimes quoted as "My religious beliefs teach me..." In the Army of the Shenandoah, you were the First Brigade! In the Army of the Potomac you were the First Brigade! In the Second Corps of this Army, you are the First Brigade! You are the First Brigade in the affections of your general, and I hope by your future deeds and bearing you will be handed down the posterity as the First Brigade in this our Second War of Independence. Farewell! Farewell address to his brigade, as he left to receive his promotion to Major General (4 October 1861) Our men fought bravely, but the enemy repulsed me. Many valuable lives were lost. Our God was my shield. His protecting care is an additional cause for gratitude. Letter to his wife from Mt. Jackson after the First Battle of Kernstown (24 March 1862), as quoted in Life and Campaigns of Lieut.-Gen. Thomas J. Jackson, (Stonewall Jackson) (1866) by Robert Lewis Dabney, p. 329 I yield to no man in sympathy for the gallant men under my command; but I am obliged to sweat them tonight, so that I may save their blood tomorrow. The line of hills southwest of Winchester must not be occupied by the enemy's artillery. My own must be there and in position by daylight. … You shall however have two hours rest. To Col. Sam Fulkerson, who reported on the weariness of their troops and suggested that they should be given an hour or so to rest from a forced march in the night. (24 May 1862); as quoted in Mighty Stonewall (1957) by Frank E. Vandiver, p. 250 The only true rule for cavalry is to follow the enemy as long as he retreats. Statement to Colonel Thomas T. Munford (13 June 1862); as quoted in Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War (1904) by George Francis Robert Henderson Vol. I, Ch. XI p. 392 Who could not conquer with such troops as these? Remark to his staff (25 August 1862), as quoted in Life of Lieut. Gen. Thomas J. Jackson (Stonewall Jackson) (1866) by Robert Lewis Dabney, p. 266 My men have sometimes failed to take a position, but to defend one, never! Statement to Major Heros von Borcke (13 December 1862), as quoted in Memoirs of the Confederate War for Independence (1867) by Heros von Borcke, p. 301; this has been paraphrased as "My troops may fail to take a position, but are never driven from one!" I see from the number of physicians that you think my condition dangerous, but I thank God, if it is His will, that I am ready to go. … It is the Lord's Day; my wish is fulfilled. … I have always desired to die on Sunday. Words on his deathbed (9 - 10 May 1863); as quoted in "Stonewall Jackson's Last Days" by Joe D. Haines, Jr. in America's Civil War Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees. Last words (May 10, 1863); as quoted in "Stonewall Jackson's Last Days" by Joe D. Haines, Jr. in America's Civil War I like liquor — its taste and its effects — and that is just the reason why I never drink it. As quoted in Personal Reminiscences, Anecdotes, and Letters of Gen. Robert E. Lee (1874) by John William Jones, p. 171 I am more afraid of King Alcohol than of all the bullets of the enemy. As quoted in Personal Reminiscences, Anecdotes, and Letters of Gen. Robert E. Lee (1874) by John William Jones, p. 171 Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy, if possible; and when you strike and overcome him, never let up in the pursuit so long as your men have strength to follow; for an army routed, if hotly pursued, becomes panic-stricken, and can then be destroyed by half their number. The other rule is, never fight against heavy odds, if by any possible maneuvering you can hurl your own force on only a part, and that the weakest part, of your enemy and crush it. Such tactics will win every time, and a small army may thus destroy a large one in detail, and repeated victory will make it invincible. As quoted in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War (1884 - 1888) edited by Robert Underwood Clarence C. Buel, Vol. II, p. 297 War means fighting. The business of the soldier is to fight. Armies are not called out to dig trenches, to throw up breastworks, to live in camps, but to find the enemy and strike him; to invade his country, and do him all possible damage in the shortest possible time. This will involve great destruction of life and property while it lasts; but such a war will of necessity be of brief continuance, and so would be an economy of life and property in the end. To move swiftly, strike vigorously, and secure all the fruits of victory is the secret of successful war. As quoted in Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War (1904) by George Francis Robert Henderson, Ch. 25 : The Soldier and the Man, p. 481 Through the broad extent of country over which you have marched by your respect for the rights and property of citizens, you have shown that you were soldiers not only to defend but able and willing to defend and protect. As quoted in Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants : A History of Frederick County, Virginia (illustrated) from its formation in 1738 to 1908 (1989) by T. K. Cartmell, p. 322 Once you get them running, you stay right on top of them, and that way a small force can defeat a large one every time. As quoted in The Civil War : An Illustrated History (1990) by Geoffrey C. Ward, Ken Burns, and Ric Burns, p. 272 The Institute will be heard from today. Referring to the number of Virginia Military Institute alumni among his officers; to Colonel Thomas T. Munford at the Battle of Chancellorsville (2 May 1863), as quoted in Chancellorsville (1996) by Stephen W. Sears, p. 242 Life and Letters of General Thomas J. Jackson (1891) Life and Letters of General Thomas J. Jackson (Stonewall Jackson) (1891) by Mary Anna Jackson PDF at Google Books My duty is to obey orders. Ch. 4 : The War with Mexico — 1846 - 1848, p. 45 We must make this campaign an exceedingly active one. Only thus can a weaker country cope with a stronger; it must make up in activity what it lacks in strength. A defensive campaign can only be made successful by taking the aggressive at the proper time. Napoleon never waited for his adversary to become fully prepared, but struck him the first blow. Ch. 22 : The Last Happy Days — Chancellorsville — 1863, p. 429 Misattributed Duty is ours; consequences are God's. Though this was a favorite motto of Jackson, and reported as among his last words, it did not originate with him, and was used by others at least as early as in a speech by abolitionist John Jay (8 October 1856) Be content and resigned to God's will. Robert E. Lee, in a letter to his wife (8 May 1861) Easy, Mr. Pendleton. Easy. Good to have your dander up, but it’s discipline that wins the day. These were lines in the film Gods And Generals (2003); they are not actual quotations of Jackson. Jackson's personal book of maxims This was a book of statements by others which Jackson had copied into a small book for his own use; published in Ch. 3 of Memoirs of Stonewall Jackson by His Widow Mary Anna Jackson (1895) they are sometimes quoted as statements by Jackson. You may be whatever you resolve to be. Through life let your principal object be the discharge of duty. Disregard public opinion when it interferes with your duty. Endeavor to be at peace with all men. Sacrifice your life rather than your word. Endeavor to do well with everything you undertake. Never speak disrespectfully of anyone without a cause. Spare no effort to suppress selfishness, unless that effort would entail sorrow. Let your conduct towards men have some uniformity. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. Speak but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself ; waste nothing. Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off unnecessary actions. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and if you speak, speak accordingly. Wrong no man by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries as much as you think they deserve. Be not disturbed at trifles, nor at accidents, common or unavoidable. It is man's highest interest not to violate, or attempt to violate, the rules which Infinite Wisdom has laid down. The means by which men are to attain great elevation may be classed in three divisions — physical, mental, and moral. Whatever relates to health, belongs to the first; whatever relates to the improvement of the mind, belongs to the second. The formation of good manners and virtuous habits constitutes the third. A man is known by the company he keeps. Good-breeding, or true politeness, is the art of showing men by external signs the internal regard we have for them. It arises from good sense, improved by good company. It must be acquired by practice and not by books. Be kind, condescending, and affable. Any one who has anything to say to a fellow-being, to say it with kind feelings and sincere desire to please; and this, whenever it is done, will atone for much awkwardness in the manner of expression. Good-breeding is opposed to selfishness, vanity, or pride. Never weary your company by talking too long or too frequently. Always look people in the face when addressing them, and generally when they address you. Never engross the whole conversation to yourself. Say as little of yourself and friends as possible. Make it a rule never to accuse without due consideration any body or association of men. Quotes about Jackson There stands Jackson like a stone wall — rally round the Virginians! General Barnard Bee, during the First Battle of Bull Run, in an exclamation which was the origin of the nickname "Stonewall Jackson", as quoted in Freedom (1987) by William Safire, p. 60 Variants: There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Rally behind the Virginians. As quoted in Lee's Lieutenants : A Study in Command (1946) by Douglas S. Freeman, Vol. 1, p. 82 Yonder stands Jackson like a stone wall, let's go to his assistance. As quoted in Stonewall : A Biography of General Thomas J. Jackson (1993) by Byron Farwell, p. 180 Yonder stands Jackson like a stone wall. … Rally round the Virginians. As quoted in What They Didn't Teach You About the Civil War (1998) by Mike Wright There stands Jackson like a stone wall! Rally round the Virginians! As quoted in Chancellorsville, 1863: Jackson's Lighting Strike (1998) by Carl Smith, p. 18 Rally around the Virginians, there stands Jackson like a stone wall. As quoted in 25 Best Civil War Sites (2005) by Clint Johnson, Site 6 : Manassas Jackson fought for the constitutional rights of the South, and any one who imagines he fought for slavery knows nothing of Jackson. William C. Chase, in Story of Stonewall Jackson : A Narrative of the Career of Thomas Jonathan (Stonewall) Jackson (1901), p. 203 It cannot well be denied that Jackson possessed every single attribute which makes for success in war. Morally and physically he was absolutely fearless. He accepted responsibility with the same equanimity that he faced the bullets of the enemy. He permitted no obstacle to turn him aside from his appointed path, and in seizing an opportunity or in following up a victory he was the very incarnation of untiring energy. … A supreme activity, both of brain and body, was a prominent characteristic of his military life. His idea of strategy was to secure the initiative, however inferior his force; to create opportunities and to utilise them; to waste no time, and to give the enemy no rest. ...That he felt to the full the fascination of war's tremendous game we can hardly doubt. Not only did he derive, as all true soldiers must, an intense intellectual pleasure from handling his troops in battle so as to outwit and defeat his adversary, but from the day he first smelt powder in Mexico until he led that astonishing charge through the dark depths of the Wilderness his spirits never rose higher than when danger and death were rife about him. With all his gentleness there was much of the old Berserker about Stonewall Jackson, not indeed the lust for blood, but the longing to do doughtily and die bravely, as best becomes a man. His nature was essentially aggressive. He was never more to be feared than when he was retreating, and where others thought only of strong defensive positions he looked persistently for the opportunity to attack. George Francis Robert Henderson in Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War (1904), Ch. 25 : The Soldier and the Man, p. 480 - 481 You are better off than I am, for while you have lost your left, I have lost my right arm. Robert E. Lee, in a letter to Jackson shortly before Jackson died; referring to Jackson as his right arm, as quoted in The Oxford Dictionary of Civil War Quotations (2006) Jackson neither apologized for nor spoke in favor of the practice of slavery. He probably opposed the institution. Yet in his mind the Creator had sanctioned slavery, and man had no moral right to challenge its existence. The good Christian slaveholder was one who treated his servants fairly and humanely at all times. James I. Robertson, Stonewall Jackson : The Man, The Soldier, The Legend (1997)

For your information: The first Medals of Honor were struck during 1862, and a number of years later Congress had them redesigned and offered to exchange the new for the old. Some of the first medals were presented to the volunteers who participated in the Andrews Raid, which later was filmed with Fess Parker as Andrews. One participant, William J Knight of Stryker (my home town where I grew up), OH, was buried about two miles from our farm. Originally from nearby Farmer, OH, he was the Engineer for the captured train. During a recent celebration of the event of his receiving the Medal, photos were taken and are now attached here for your enjoyment. Both back and front images are shown. After the war, when the new medal was offered in exchange, Mr. Knight refused to give up his original medal as it was presented to him by President Lincoln, and nothing could rival that event in Mr. Knight's life -- per his family's oral history. When at the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes for an acquaintance's retirement ceremony, I viewed the big wall plaques around the room and was able to locate Mr. Knight's name. http://homeofheroes.com/photos/1_civilwar/knight_william.html "In April 1862 General Mitchell and General Buell tasked 22 volunteers (including 2 civilians) under the leadership of James Andrews, with a daring raid. The men, later known as "Andrews' Raiders" penetrated 200 miles into enemy territory to capture a railroad train at Big Shanty, Georgia. Their mission was to destroy vital railroad lines and bridges between Chattanooga and Atlanta to disrupt movement of Confederate soldiers and supplies. Partially successful, their capture of the locomotive "The General" resulted in a nearly 100-mile race that became known as "The Great Locomotive Chase". Private Knight was one of these raiders, traveling in small groups for 4 days to reach Big Shanty and then joining the reunited group in the daring sabotage mission. He was one of 2 who engineered the captured train. In the ensuing race, a limited amount of damage was accomplished to bridges and rail lines, and in the end all members of the Andrew's Raid were captured and confined in Confederate prisons. On June 7th James Andrews was hanged as a spy and on the 18th seven more raiders (including the civilian members) were hanged. Knight spent more than a year in Confederate prisons. In the 1950s Disney Studios released the movie "The Great Locomotive Chase" to herald the exploits of Andrews Raiders." Copyright C 1999-2014 by HomeOfHeroes.com 2115 West 13th Street - Pueblo, CO 81003 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED http://homeofheroes.com/moh/index.html --Gael <p class="noscript">This app uses JavaScript. Your browser either doesn't support JavaScript or you have it turned off. To use this app please use a JavaScript enabled browser.</p>

Andre B, You seem like a fun and insightful guy! I did see "In Harm's Way" with Patricia Neal a number of times and enjoyed it immensely. My Great-Great-Grandfather, John Knott, was a private in the 6th North Carolina, Hoke's Brigade, which by virtue of reorganization was in both I Corps and II Corps during 1862. In Hood's Division at the battle of 2nd Manassas, South Mountain, and Sharpsburg/Antietam at the East Woods adjacent to the Miller cornfield, and then in Early's Division at Fredericksburg (1st and 2nd battles). At Gettysburg they participated in the "brickyard fight" of the first day, and actually captured some of the guns on top of Cemetery Hill during the evening assault of the second day. He was badly wounded in the leg and captured at Rappahannock Railroad Station (renamed Remington - where incidentally my granddaughter now lives with her own family) approx November 1863, and spent the next year plus in hospital. He was repatriated in Jan 1865 to rejoin the ANV in time for the retreat to Appomatox, participate in the surrender ceremony, and as no one was paying attention, he went back to the stack of weapons and retrieved his own weapon and walked back home with it. John with .59 Sharps is shown in my icon (colorized by my distant cousin Dave Richardson) at top left. The un-colorized photo of John as an 18-19 year old private has been on display at the Gettysburg National Park museum now for about 25 years - I had sent it to them. A number of years later I was privileged to be asked by my brother the reenactor if I wanted to be in both a reenactment and in a movie? I had just graduated from the 2-year course at the US Army War College in July 1992, and my fellow students (O-6's and O-5's - I was the only "true" civilian out of a class of ~165 graduates) were daily keeping me appraised of what was in the TV news of the filming for the movie "Gettysburg", so I was enthused to be included in my brother's reenactment outfit the 119th(?) Pennsylvania to participate in "Pickett's Charge Week" of August 1992 where we actually got to march in formation ("galvanized" to jokingly be the "119th Virginia") in the front line of Garnett's Brigade on the Park itself - from the edge of Spangler's Woods to Business Route 15 near the Codori farm (did this one time and only half as far the other five times as the National Park rangers were going nuts trying to get TNT to stop us - we didn't know where we were to stop that first time). BUT, the people parked along 15 hoping to get a glimpse of the filming were ecstatic about us 4,000 Southern troops marching all the way up to the fence in front of them!!! We troops cheered (we were instructed to do the Rebel Yell for the filming of the charge) and the people packed along the road cheered, and we all had a great time! --Gael

AP Hill, Possibly because McClellan only directed one battle - Sharpsburg/Antietam? Mac was elsewhere busy moving his supply depot from White House plantation (Lee's son's inheritance thru his mother's side - Custis) to a new location. McClellan has the curious distinction of rising to high position but having had all "his victories" fought by his subordinates, except for his last battle, whereupon he was relieved of command. Too bad they torched the home - I would like to have seen it, just I as have visited the home at Arlington plantation (inheritance of son #2) - made into a cemetery. --Gael