Battles and Leaders of the Civil War

In 1883, less than twenty years after the conclusion of the Civil War, Century Magazine published a series on the biggest battles and events of the war.
What was unique was that they managed to get the leading officers from the battle to tell the story from their point of view.
Abner Doubleday describes being under siege at Fort Sumter, while P.T. Beauregard tells the same story from the besiegers' point of view.
One of the more interesting things I found is how many Generals insist on blaming others. O.O. Howards claims his Corp didn't collapse at Fredericksburg and again at Gettysburg., rather they were forced to withdraw when not properly supported by his fellow commanders.
What I found fascinating is that after each Commander wrote up his memories of events of the day, the opposing Commanders and subcommanders dissected his article.
It was an amazing coup at the time. It increased circulation so much that what was originally intended to be a six-month series stretched out for over thirty-six issues. They even got former President Grant to contribute two lengthy pieces.
If you like American history, these articles will give you a much better understanding of one of the most trying periods in our nations existence.

We old guys are from a time when it was OK to read the history of a war and forget about the motives for the war, who was fighting for what. You could even openly admire something like Blitzkrieg without other people thinking you must be a Nazi

It was similar for reading about our civil war back then, but today it is being taught that it was the Good Guys against the Bad Guys and you can be considered suspect for reading about the war from something that is from both sides. Certainly you wouldn't want to be the teacher who gave Beauregard's side of things at Ft. Sumter.

Trying to find things to do with my niece we have gone to some battlefields. I don’t know, once you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. I finally concluded to her while looking at a sign, so a long time ago some guys were mad about something or other and they met with some other guys over there and they all shot at each other till they were all dead. Great way to solve things huh? So yea I guess your life isn’t so bad.

I am somewhat curious how they documented all this. There seems to be meticulous recounts of how battles unfolded. So this General and X amount of troops came over this hill at this time and fought this many troops and this many died. Then so and so’s battalion came up from this side and fought for 45 minutes against this group. I’m just trying to figure out who remembers how all this unfolded? I mean it’s not like it was on tv with reporters keeping track of things.

For some people to be at the place where so many died , it really affects them

As for knowing what happened, on both sides the officers had to file official reports and these were preserved pretty well

Presentism: the practice of judging the past and those in it by the moral standards of the present. Illogical and unfair because due to the irreversible nature of time, they do not get to judge us. Except for once....

After the surrender agreement at the Appomattox courthouse, the gathered Union and Confederate officers glared at each other with contempt, and berated:

Union officers: "Monsters! You have bought and sold people. You have enslaved people."

Confederate officers: "Monsters! We only did openly what profited you privately. You have destroyed the dignity of our race."

And in walks the Mystery Monkey of Manassas, holding a crystal ball in his outstretched paw-

Monkey: "Gentlemen one and all, gaze into this ball and see the 20th century!"

The officers gather around the ball and peer at the faces and visions that appear within.

Adolf: "Hi!"

Josef: "Hi!"

Mao: "Hi!"

Khrushchev and Kennedy: "Yo, dudes! You thought a cannonball in a schoolhouse was bad? Wait til you see what one of these nukes here can do to a city of 10 million!"

The officers stepped back, aghast, and turned again to one another.

Union officers: "You are not monsters."

Confederate officers: "You are not monsters."

Quote: Sandybestdog

Trying to find things to do with my niece we have gone to some battlefields. I don’t know, once you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. I finally concluded to her while looking at a sign, so a long time ago some guys were mad about something or other and they met with some other guys over there and they all shot at each other till they were all dead. Great way to solve things huh? So yea I guess your life isn’t so bad.

I am somewhat curious how they documented all this. There seems to be meticulous recounts of how battles unfolded. So this General and X amount of troops came over this hill at this time and fought this many troops and this many died. Then so and so’s battalion came up from this side and fought for 45 minutes against this group. I’m just trying to figure out who remembers how all this unfolded? I mean it’s not like it was on tv with reporters keeping track of things.
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When the government takes someone's son or husband, don't you think it owes that person an accounting of what happened to them?
When a General orders a battalion into action, don't you think he wants to know that the unit has 387 men ready for action, rather than the 600 it looks like on paper? Most field officers spend more time on paperwork than leading troops. They need to know how many meals, ammo, and replacements they will need tomorrow.
Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it.

Quote: billryan

In 1883, less than twenty years after the conclusion of the Civil War, Century Magazine published a series on the biggest battles and events of the war.
What was unique was that they managed to get the leading officers from the battle to tell the story from their point of view.
Abner Doubleday describes being under siege at Fort Sumter...

Excellent! I had been totally unaware that Abner Doubleday had anything to do with Fort Sumter. I only know him for what he is more famous for, and didn't actually do.

And if you thought the Cubs' curse of the goat was tragic, or the Red Sox' curse of trading Babe Ruth: (if my analysis is correct) there was not a Major League Baseball team in a former Confederate state for 100 years after the siege of Fort Sumter.

Quote: AutomaticMonkey

Quote: billryan

In 1883, less than twenty years after the conclusion of the Civil War, Century Magazine published a series on the biggest battles and events of the war.
What was unique was that they managed to get the leading officers from the battle to tell the story from their point of view.
Abner Doubleday describes being under siege at Fort Sumter...

Excellent! I had been totally unaware that Abner Doubleday had anything to do with Fort Sumter. I only know him for what he is more famous for, and didn't actually do.

And if you thought the Cubs' curse of the goat was tragic, or the Red Sox' curse of trading Babe Ruth: (if my analysis is correct) there was not a Major League Baseball team in a former Confederate state for 100 years after the siege of Fort Sumter.
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Highly recommend the book The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson. Highly readable history of the events leading up to the Civil War, with a focus on Fort Sumter.

Quote: AutomaticMonkey

Quote: billryan

In 1883, less than twenty years after the conclusion of the Civil War, Century Magazine published a series on the biggest battles and events of the war.
What was unique was that they managed to get the leading officers from the battle to tell the story from their point of view.
Abner Doubleday describes being under siege at Fort Sumter...

Excellent! I had been totally unaware that Abner Doubleday had anything to do with Fort Sumter. I only know him for what he is more famous for, and didn't actually do.

And if you thought the Cubs' curse of the goat was tragic, or the Red Sox' curse of trading Babe Ruth: (if my analysis is correct) there was not a Major League Baseball team in a former Confederate state for 100 years after the siege of Fort Sumter.
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Baseball didn't expand until 1961, and a team was added in Texas. No other city in the former confederacy had the required population to meet MLB's requirements. As Atlanta grew, it was able to attract the Braves, who had never been able to attract fans, either in Boston or Milwaukee.

what happened to the Battle of Gettysburg post?

As for July 4th, that's when Vicksburg fell. Area residents didn't celebrate the 4th of July for a long time. Except maybe the previously enslaved, it might have been a Julyteenth thing ... very quietly toasted if so