Comments on: Of Purchases Made and Not Made

By: Chris Evans

Chris Evans — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:29:13 +0000

I think more on Grant could be done. I wish that Brooks Simpson would complete his 2nd Grant Volume that was going to take Grant from 1865-1885. That is a very interesting period and I think that Simpson would do a good job on it.
Chris

By: Susan Sweet

Susan Sweet — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:47:37 +0000

Harry I have not read Joan’s book yet but have heard her speak several times on Grant. She does an outstanding job of speaking on him. She will be our speaker in February . She will be speaking on the book . I have always enjoyed her presentations .

By: John Foskett

John Foskett — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:13:08 +0000

Harry: In this case the kettle has accurately fingered the pot. How about the following turkeys in Keegan’s book which McPherson doesn’t mention. (1) Second Manassas apparently consisted of the prologue (Brawner’s Farm) and the postscript (Chantilly/Ox Hill). Not a single word about the two days in between when the armies actually fought a major battle. (2) At Gaines’ Mill Fitz John Porter lost the fight because he was “distract[ed]” with protecting the two volunteer French aides. The battle ended with a stampede of “artillery horses”, causing the loss of 22 guns. There are more where these came from (such as an apparent complete lack of understanding that a discrete battle was actually fought at Franklin on November 30, 1864). And all of this in a “military” history. Frankly, even though I bought this at a substantial reduction in list price, I’m still regretting it. McPherson may actually be embarrassed that his Battle Cry of Freedom dominates Keegan’s few, sporadic endnotes. Even if Waugh’s book adds nothing, youl made the right choice.

By: Harry Smeltzer

Harry Smeltzer — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:32:11 +0000

Apparently McPherson has weighed in on Keegan’s book. See here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/books/review/McPherson-t.html

Who’s the kettle, and who’s the pot?

By: Tom Clemens

Tom Clemens — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:05:36 +0000

Our library bought Keegan’s book, I went over to look at it. I noted the same things you did, few notes, mostly secondary sources, etc. The photo captions were awful. Picture of Collos’ Zouaves labeled “14th PA” and an obvious pic ture of a British Enfield model 1853 labeled “Springfield rifle musket, ca. 1857″ and pic of CS Dead in Bloody Lane labeled “Confederate dead in a ditch at Antietam, right wing.” Now I understand that he may not have written these captions, but it is his book. Scanned a few chapters and was not greatly impressed.