Scourge of War Boards

<t>Just a little sticky note regarding Gaines Mill. For much of the day it was a Union victory but the final coordinated assault at the end of the day routed the front line of Federal troops at the bottom of the plateau. This resulted in them routing back through the secondary lines who were then un...

<t>True. The glory days of the second corps were behind them. A lot of the regiments were used up by the 1864 campaign. I think that there was another Union corps (5th?) on the field that day so that the second did not take the entire frontage. I think the total Union troops were much higher than th...

In this same vein I wonder if Zouave units would have a light infantry advantage since their training was specialized in skirmishing warfare. I am not sure how much "Zouave" training the units actually accrued or if it was just the fancy red pants that is the main uniqueness of the unit.

<t>Ahhh, but once McClellan lost the initiative, allowing Confederates to attack his right flank he went into full retreat mode. He had a marvelous opportunity to attack on the left flank and if he had done so Johnston would have had to ease his attacks because of the direct route to Richmond. He ha...

Mahone, when given command of a larger body of troops in late 1864 proved to be Lee's favorite officer for attacking. Ironically (for your moniker) it was Mahone's attack at Globe Tavern that sent Hancock's Second Corps off of the battlefield in panic.

<t>Malvern Hill has been my shrine. Imagining the day while walking through the field is as close to feeling "ghosts" of a battle as can be felt. In fact in one of the volumes of "Ghosts of Virginia" the author relays a tale of reenactors camping there who thought there were fellow reenactors in the...

<t>The whole point is that the time it took to prepare for a siege was not necessary. Magruder had to spread his 12000 men across the whole width of the Peninsula. The line could easily have been breached with any attack, in fact a probing attack was successfully made and not followed up. McClellan ...

<t>I think Pope got the shaft in terms of history. What destroyed Pope was a failure set in motion by McClellan on the Peninsula. Lee could never have sent Longstreet north if McClellan had not abandoned the Peninsula. <br/> <br/> Pope fixed himself on destroying Jackson/Hill. The opportunity presen...

<t>I agree with the argument that Stuart would have made a better Corps commander. Stuart did a fine job at Chancellorsville. I am not sure if Stuart was really desiring to be more than a cavalry commander. His personality was such that he really enjoyed the company of fellow cavalrymen and their st...

Just wondering, Louie, what you thought of Marcus Vick's time at VT?

I am an old Wahoo myself but I rooted for the Hokies during the Michael Vick era.