Worst of all, McDowell’s father was born in Kentucky, which was a slave state. McDowell’s grandfather was born in Virginia, which was a slave state. McDowell was torn by all the contradictions that the secession of the Southern states signified.

In Phoenix, AZ, Grant and Sherman Streets run a block apart in what used to be elegant boulevards. The south part of the city developed first because it was along the Salt River.

McDowell and Thomas Roads are further north in the part of the city that developed later. Today McDowell and Thomas are the most important roads in the city.

Grant and Sherman Streets lie in ruins in the Barrio.

However, even looking at it in this way, there is no basis for Gottfried to use the word “overwhelm”.

One example is General McDowell’s supposed desire to go to the West. I have found equal opinions on both sides of the question. When I discovered that General McDowell had a son John McDowell who had been born in Iowa I began to believe that General McDowell wanted to stay in the West if only to occasionally see his son John.

I have also found equal disagreement about his belief in his chance of success at Bull Run.

Even the cause of General McDowell’s death is disputed. Most report that he died of a heart attack. According to the Medical Histories of Union Generals by Jack D. Welsh M.D., General McDowell died of cancer of the pyloric end of his stomach.

No biography has ever been written about General Irvin McDowell because there is just too much myth to wade through.