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re: Just found out I had two ancestors in Pickett's Charge
Posted on 4/4/15 at 7:54 am to RollTide1987
Posted on 4/4/15 at 7:54 am to RollTide1987
That's cool. Ive got a few that were in the Confederate army....also have one that fought with Washington at Yorktown and his son fought with Andrew Jackson at Horseshoe Bend.
I also have a relative (living) who was in the Bay of Pigs invasion.
I also have a relative (living) who was in the Bay of Pigs invasion.
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Posted on 4/4/15 at 9:00 am to RollTide1987
My great grandfather was a Sgt. in the 2nd Arkansas Infantry, Company G. Three of his brothers enlisted also. Only two, my g grandfather and a brother that was captured at Franklin, TN and subsequently spent time at Camp Douglas prison in Illinois, made it home.
Chickamauga was among the many battles they were in.
Chickamauga was among the many battles they were in.
Posted on 4/4/15 at 9:39 am to RollTide1987
Visiting Gettysburg really is an amazing experience.
Standing at the top of Little Round Top, looking down on the Devil's Den, and imagining the Confederate soldiers repeatedly storming that position will put you in a reflective mood regarding the courage (or stupidity) we humans sometimes display.
Although I don't know of any direct ancestors that fought in the Civil War for either side, I do know that my great great grandfather fought under Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans and his father was a French soldier who came to Fort Toulouse near present day Wetumpka, Al., back when Alabama was part of France.
He fought in some of the battles between the French/Creek Indians and the English/Cherokee Indians during the French and Indian War. He then married the fort commander's daughter and migrated to New Orleans when the English took over Alabama in the 1760's. That's how my dad's family made it to what would eventually become the United States.
My great great uncle (the grandson of the French soldier mentioned above) fought at the Battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution. He was 18 at the time and died 3 weeks later from what was probably yellow fever.
My mother was a genealogist and she spent years in libraries (before the internet) in Texas, Louisiana, and all over the Southeast researching our family. It really is a pretty cool thing to get into and to know the history of one's family so well.
Standing at the top of Little Round Top, looking down on the Devil's Den, and imagining the Confederate soldiers repeatedly storming that position will put you in a reflective mood regarding the courage (or stupidity) we humans sometimes display.
Although I don't know of any direct ancestors that fought in the Civil War for either side, I do know that my great great grandfather fought under Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans and his father was a French soldier who came to Fort Toulouse near present day Wetumpka, Al., back when Alabama was part of France.
He fought in some of the battles between the French/Creek Indians and the English/Cherokee Indians during the French and Indian War. He then married the fort commander's daughter and migrated to New Orleans when the English took over Alabama in the 1760's. That's how my dad's family made it to what would eventually become the United States.
My great great uncle (the grandson of the French soldier mentioned above) fought at the Battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution. He was 18 at the time and died 3 weeks later from what was probably yellow fever.
My mother was a genealogist and she spent years in libraries (before the internet) in Texas, Louisiana, and all over the Southeast researching our family. It really is a pretty cool thing to get into and to know the history of one's family so well.
Posted on 4/4/15 at 11:30 am to RollTide1987
No matter what side they were on the amount of bravery it took to fight in that war is hard for me to imagine with the brutality and the level of casualties
Yes you do sir, yes you do
I challenge anyone to point out a finer military leader
quote:
I'm a descendant of RELee. I win.
Yes you do sir, yes you do
I challenge anyone to point out a finer military leader
This post was edited on 4/4/15 at 11:32 am
Posted on 4/4/15 at 12:09 pm to Wishnitwas1998
I can and in the same war. Nathan Bedford Forrest might well have been the finest cavalry commander we have had before or since, his politics aside.
General Lee made some pretty big mistakes, just about the entire Gettysburg campaign comes to mind. But in his defense he wasn't in the best of health for a lot of the war. During much of his time he had some serious digestive tract issues and probable dehydration, heart problems and sciatica.
IMO the worst was Braxton Bragg, Civil War wise.
General Lee made some pretty big mistakes, just about the entire Gettysburg campaign comes to mind. But in his defense he wasn't in the best of health for a lot of the war. During much of his time he had some serious digestive tract issues and probable dehydration, heart problems and sciatica.
IMO the worst was Braxton Bragg, Civil War wise.
This post was edited on 4/4/15 at 12:17 pm
Posted on 4/4/15 at 1:09 pm to antibarner
Forrest might have been a great commander, but by most accounts I've read he was an equally horrible person. RELee was a good man as well as a great commander.
Posted on 4/4/15 at 1:11 pm to Masterag
Forrest was a great commander (which is interesting cause he basically had zero military training going into the war) but he could've never commanded a whole army in the way Lee did
Ppl forget all the handicaps lee had to deal with whether it be from health, the CSAs lack of resources, and even dealing with Davis himself was a massive pain in his arse
Ppl forget all the handicaps lee had to deal with whether it be from health, the CSAs lack of resources, and even dealing with Davis himself was a massive pain in his arse
Posted on 4/4/15 at 1:22 pm to Wishnitwas1998
I don't know a whole lot about the war or even Lee himself. I've never looked at it as a source of pride, just a cool fact to spill when people are talking about the CW.
I went to the Carnton Plantation tour a few years ago, and the guide we had was amazing and really piqued my interest in learning more. But procrastination. :/
I went to the Carnton Plantation tour a few years ago, and the guide we had was amazing and really piqued my interest in learning more. But procrastination. :/
Posted on 4/4/15 at 1:34 pm to Masterag
Jefferson Davis was a disaster as CSA President. I think General Lee would have made a far better one. It was strength of character alone that got him through the war years in the field he had so many health problems that he probably doesn't face living at home in Richmond.
Albert Sidney Johnston as overall commander in the West, Joe Johnston commanding the Army of Northern Virginia Beauregard in place of AP Hill and Jackson alive and in charge of Ewell's Corps.
ANYONE but Braxton Bragg in Tennessee, and Forrest over all cavalry units in the West.
Albert Sidney Johnston as overall commander in the West, Joe Johnston commanding the Army of Northern Virginia Beauregard in place of AP Hill and Jackson alive and in charge of Ewell's Corps.
ANYONE but Braxton Bragg in Tennessee, and Forrest over all cavalry units in the West.
Posted on 4/4/15 at 8:14 pm to antibarner
Pemberton was pretty bad too.
Posted on 4/4/15 at 8:18 pm to Masterag
quote:
I'm a descendant of RELee. I win.
Distant relative, I'm assuming. Direct lineage would make you Lee III.
Posted on 4/4/15 at 8:45 pm to CrimsonCrusade
quote:
Distant relative, I'm assuming. Direct lineage would make you Lee III.
my grandmothers mother was a Lee. However she was "mulatto" so she didn't go by her last name but took it as a middle name. Which was also passed down to my grandmother.
Posted on 4/4/15 at 8:50 pm to Dick Leverage
My great GF x3 whose surname I have had an interesting story regarding CW service. He was from Gilmer Co, Ga. and was basically coerced, as were most North Ga non-slave owning mountain men, into enlisting in 1862. The gung ho guys from the middle and southern part of the state enlisted in 1861. The war did not end quickly like the Confederate leadership thought it would so they had to raise more troops from each state for the second year.
My GF was among those coerced by the "Home Guard" whose job it was to go around burning farms, destroying property or inducing physical harm to anyone who objected to enlistment. So, away he went to Big Shanty, Ga in April 1862 to be mustered into the 39th Ga Company "I" (Gilmer Tigers) as a 1st Sergeant.
In 1863, his unit was in Cummings Brigade in the fighting around Vicksburg and was taken prisoner after Pemberton surrendered the city after a lengthy siege by Grant. There were so many prisoners that Grant had no way to house and feed them. So he agreed to a prisoner exchange and my GF was released on parole.
Of course, that did not last long. The soldiers had just returned to Dalton, Ga before the regiment was re-organized. They were in the siege of Chatranooga and later the Battles in North Ga....including Chicimaugua during that summer.
As winter approached, they were pushed back to Dalton where they made winter camp. The next spring, Grant, under the suggestion of a subordinate, decided to take advantage of the war weary sentiment he knew existed among many rebel units....especially those who were being forced to fight.
He organized an Underground Railroad for would be deserters to make it from Dalton to Chattanooga. It was high risk for rebels who attempted and many were captured and put to death. By April, 1864, over half of the 39th had deserted. My GF was one of the last two.
After making safe passage to Chattanooga, the soldiers were given two options after pledging the Oath to the U.S. The first was to be sent north of the Ohio River to work in Union labor camps until the war ended. The other was to enlist in newly formed Union regiments with the promise that they would never have to fight against their own people. They were to be used as Grants rear labor and supply force. Most of the men decided for this option because it allowed them to still be relatively close to their families. So, my GF joined the 5th Tenn. Mounted Infantry as a 1st Sergeant and was in that unit at the close of the war.
One poor farmer, among many, who was just a leaf blowing in the wind of the political storm of its day. I am fortunate to have copies of all of those important documents from his initial enlistment in the 39th Ga, his Oath of Allegience to the U.S. signed in Chattanooga, his denied Confederate pension application and his accepted Union pension application from the 1880s.
I have 11 more GFs whose civil war records I have accrued in great detail but none with quite the contradiction involved as much as this GF.
My GF was among those coerced by the "Home Guard" whose job it was to go around burning farms, destroying property or inducing physical harm to anyone who objected to enlistment. So, away he went to Big Shanty, Ga in April 1862 to be mustered into the 39th Ga Company "I" (Gilmer Tigers) as a 1st Sergeant.
In 1863, his unit was in Cummings Brigade in the fighting around Vicksburg and was taken prisoner after Pemberton surrendered the city after a lengthy siege by Grant. There were so many prisoners that Grant had no way to house and feed them. So he agreed to a prisoner exchange and my GF was released on parole.
Of course, that did not last long. The soldiers had just returned to Dalton, Ga before the regiment was re-organized. They were in the siege of Chatranooga and later the Battles in North Ga....including Chicimaugua during that summer.
As winter approached, they were pushed back to Dalton where they made winter camp. The next spring, Grant, under the suggestion of a subordinate, decided to take advantage of the war weary sentiment he knew existed among many rebel units....especially those who were being forced to fight.
He organized an Underground Railroad for would be deserters to make it from Dalton to Chattanooga. It was high risk for rebels who attempted and many were captured and put to death. By April, 1864, over half of the 39th had deserted. My GF was one of the last two.
After making safe passage to Chattanooga, the soldiers were given two options after pledging the Oath to the U.S. The first was to be sent north of the Ohio River to work in Union labor camps until the war ended. The other was to enlist in newly formed Union regiments with the promise that they would never have to fight against their own people. They were to be used as Grants rear labor and supply force. Most of the men decided for this option because it allowed them to still be relatively close to their families. So, my GF joined the 5th Tenn. Mounted Infantry as a 1st Sergeant and was in that unit at the close of the war.
One poor farmer, among many, who was just a leaf blowing in the wind of the political storm of its day. I am fortunate to have copies of all of those important documents from his initial enlistment in the 39th Ga, his Oath of Allegience to the U.S. signed in Chattanooga, his denied Confederate pension application and his accepted Union pension application from the 1880s.
I have 11 more GFs whose civil war records I have accrued in great detail but none with quite the contradiction involved as much as this GF.
Posted on 4/5/15 at 8:31 am to Dick Leverage
Pemberton WAS bad...having every intention of defending Vicksburg for an extended period of time and failing to have adequate rations or even enough percussion caps.
Grant did not overrun his positions he starved the Confederates out, and there had been ample time for Pemberton's command to fill the warehouses of Vicksburg and he failed to do so.
Not to mention Pemberton was saddled with Gen. William Loring, who refused to recognize Pemberton as his superior officer. When Pemberton attempted to follow Joe Johnston's orders and attack the Union troops at Jackson from behind. his efforts were repulsed and he was forced to retreat. Crossing behind the Big Black River he left troops on the east side in an effort to keep the way out open for Loring's division.
Loring, failing to tell anyone what he has doing, did not retreat toward the Big Black crossings. he took his troops on a roundabout route and eventually joined up with Johnston. Pemberton's forces trying to keep open the way to Vicksburg for were badly mauled in the process. Loring had already been run off by Stonewall Jackson in Virginia, so obviously he did not play well with others.
Grant did not overrun his positions he starved the Confederates out, and there had been ample time for Pemberton's command to fill the warehouses of Vicksburg and he failed to do so.
Not to mention Pemberton was saddled with Gen. William Loring, who refused to recognize Pemberton as his superior officer. When Pemberton attempted to follow Joe Johnston's orders and attack the Union troops at Jackson from behind. his efforts were repulsed and he was forced to retreat. Crossing behind the Big Black River he left troops on the east side in an effort to keep the way out open for Loring's division.
Loring, failing to tell anyone what he has doing, did not retreat toward the Big Black crossings. he took his troops on a roundabout route and eventually joined up with Johnston. Pemberton's forces trying to keep open the way to Vicksburg for were badly mauled in the process. Loring had already been run off by Stonewall Jackson in Virginia, so obviously he did not play well with others.
This post was edited on 4/5/15 at 8:34 am
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