The History Book Club discussion

I thought that I would set up a location for those folks who would like to post some ancillary material for the Killer Angels discussion that may in fact contain some spoiler information.

Since the weekly threads are non spoiler, it can be a difficult task to decide where to place such urls and ancillary materials. This is the place.

REMEMBER, IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ SPOILER INFORMATION; DO NOT READ FURTHER. Remain on the weekly non spoiler threads.

Michael Shaara

*****POTENTIAL SPOILER******

Here is some potential spoiler information regarding Jeb Stuart and Laurel Hill:

http://www.freestateofpatrick.com/jeb...

http://www.freestateofpatrick.com/Lau...

http://www.jebstuart.org/

Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.E.B._S...

Jeb Stuart: The Last Cavalier

http://www.civilwarhome.com/stuartbi.htm

More:

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefound...

Youtube:

General J.E.B. Stuart.
Music is "Jine the Cavalry" by the 2nd South Carolina String Band.

A tribute of sorts to Stuart with some interesting lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh1YU3...

SPOILER INFORMATION:

Historynet's take:

http://www.historynet.com/jeb-stuart-...

Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Two:

http://www.msc.navy.mil/mpstwo/stuart...

OTHER:

http://www.civilwarhistory.com/jeb.htm

Another view:

http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?item...

Great stuff, Bentley. I'll have to work my way through all of it after I catch-up other places. Thanks!

Welcome..thought we needed a SPOILER locale...because so much could not be placed on the non spoiler weekly threads.

2nd South Carolina String Band:

http://www.civilwarband.com/

http://www.civilwarband.com/ourvideo....

Annual Gettysburg Re-enactment:

http://www.gettysburgreenactment.com/...

I'm copying over the sites I mentioned in the first week's thread. All of these have tons of information.

http://www.gettysburg.com/ will help you plan a trip to Gettysburg, gives detailed information on the battle and the Civil War, pictures of reenactments, etc. On the front page there is a link to the excellent Gettysburg Expedition Guide from TravelBrains. It is the audio tour I did when I went to Gettysburg a couple of years ago. Well done.

http://www.nps.gov/GETT/index.htm is the official national park website for Gettysburg. It has battlefield podcast tours, virtual tours, lots of pictures and history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_o... is a great wikipedia page with a good summary of the battle and lots of history.

http://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/ is focused on preserving Gettysburg and its history. It says that "nearly 1,400 statues, sculptures, markers, and tablets stand where the armies fought, honoring both sides of the battle, and making Gettysburg National Military Park the steward of the world’s largest collection of outdoor sculpture." Wow.

Some of these historical anecdotes and jokes are quite funny...cannot speak to the veracity of some:

http://history.inrebus.com/index.php?...

Yes Jeff it does belong here. You could also post this in the Military History section under Civil War. The book looks great.

Jeff wrote: "Forgive my newbishness if this doesn't belong here, but picked up and starting reading an excellent book from my library today on the 20th Maine."

Thanks a great recommendation, Jeff. I'll have to look for it.

And I noticed it there before I noticed it here! I guess that is some of the advantage of posting both places--more likely to be noticed quicker.

There was a wikipedia write-up on the 2nd Maine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2nd_Main...

This statement in particular:

The regiment lost 69 men killed in action or died of wounds received in battle and an additional 70 men died of disease and 15 men executed for mutiny.[5:]

According to the History of Penobscot County, Maine, the regiment suffered 47 killed or wounded in the First Battle of Bull Run and over 100 missing in action (presumably including those taken prisoner).

Fifteen were executed! Is that what happened to the last six?

The wikipedia article seemed to mention the following:

Second to None: The Story of the Second Maine Volunteer Infantry by author James H. Mundy

No cover was available

Also:

William Edward S. Whitman

Some members of the regiment wrote about the war:

Augustus Choate Hamlin

Augustus Choate Hamlin

Here are the 2nd Maine's Civil War Records from the State of Maine:

http://www.state.me.us/sos/arc/archiv...

This photograph shows the 2nd Maine:

This photograph shows the 2nd Maine regiment (1861-1863) encamped on Christmas day, 1861. The encampment was at Hall's Hill, Virginia.

http://www.mainememory.net/bin/Detail...

Regarding the 20th Maine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Mai...

20th Maine Volunteers Commemorative Web Site:

http://20thmainevolunteers.com/

20th Maine Infantry Records - Maine State Archives:

http://www.state.me.us/sos/arc/archiv...

The Battle of Gettysburg Site:

http://www.gettysburg.com/sindex.htm

This is a pretty interesting site; it has a great map, some videos, etc.

http://www.gettysburg.com/sindex.htm

Interesting link from Eishen:

http://www.joshualawrencechamberlain....

Thomas M. Eishen

The 20th Maine's Battle Flag:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/exhibits...

Civil War Correspondence - of Joshua Chamberlain:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

About Walter Goodale Morrill:

Morrill started out as a private in 2nd Maine and ended up a Colonel of Company B - 20th Maine:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

This is a fabulous site put together by the state of Maine concerning the Civil War: Welcome to the Maine State Archives

CIVIL WAR PAGE

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

About Thomas Davee Chamberlain:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

Exhibits at the Maine Archives:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

There was a grandfather who served in the 20th Maine!!!!

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/collecti...

Regarding Maine Civil War Correspondence:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

It seems like the state of Maine is a little behind with posting Civil War officers photos. I wonder how much longer it will take them??
(smile)

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

Maine's Civil War Yarn Archive:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

Letter from Joshua Chamberlain when he was recovering from wounds.

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

About Holman Melcher:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/exhibits...

A Very Funny Story:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

This is interesting with tributes from descendants of Civil War soldiers and other wars:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/vot...

Burnside and Fredericksburg:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/edu/turn...

Maine = Summary Unit Histories:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

Royal Whitman Turner:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/edu/turn...

Turner and inducements to get volunteers for the Civil War armies:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/edu/turn...

Maine Civil War Medal Recipients and others:

http://www.maine.gov/sos/kids/cmoh/re...

The First Maine Cavalry and the Battle of Aldie - the cavalry was given horses which were never broken in! - Also about Calvin Douty.

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

19th Maine Infantry:

Loss: 61% of those engaged at Gettysburg

http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/archives...

Folks while in the Maine Archives I found all of the previous citations (when I was looking up some additional information on the 2nd and 20th Maine).

I am sure that each state's archives must have similar records.

Wow, that is amazing stuff. I've just read some of what you found, Bentley. As always, so much more to read than there is time for!

This looks like a good site about Joshua Chamberlain. I referenced it in a comment for Chapter 2.

http://www.joshua.lurker00.com

Thank you Elizabeth.

Jeff, if message 29 is to be believed as written by Chamberlain himself and I have no reason to believe it was not: it is plain that he spoke to the recalcitrant 2nd Maine boys (who by the way had been hoodwinked). It also shows that there were two other brothers of Chamberlain headed into Gettysburg (Tom and John) - just as you stated. It really is a shame that 15 of the 2nd Mainers were executed in view of Chamberlain's words. Of course, many of them chose to fight; but they had thought that when their regiment had been discharged they would be free to return home; not that they were going to be reassigned.

From Chamberlain's account only one or two of them had not gone back to fighting the Rebels. So I am uncertain why 15 were executed for deserting (according to the Maine Archives) unless they were speaking about other 2nd Mainers and/or this is an error. In fact JC gives them great praise.

He did indeed promote the dying sergeant back to his original rank.

I thought that this letter from a Rebel soldier was amazing.

Dear Sir: I want to tell you of a little passage in the battle of Round Top, Gettysburg, concerning you and me, which I am now glad of. Twice in that fight I had your life in my hands. I got a safe place between two big rocks, and drew bead fair and square on you. You were standing in the open behind the center of your line, full exposed. I knew your rank by your uniform and your actions, and I thought it a mighty good thing to put you out of the way. I rested my gun on the rock and took steady aim. I started to pull the trigger, but some queer notion stopped me. Then I got ashamed of my weakness and went through the same motions again. I had you, perfectly certain. But that same queer something shut right down on me. I couldn't pull the trigger, and gave it up, that is, your life. I am glad of it now, and hope you are.

Yours truly.

Interesting that Chamberlain did not like the article..was it because of modesty possibly?

I love primary sources. Thanks for posting this Jeff.

Elizabeth S wrote: "This looks like a good site about Joshua Chamberlain. I referenced it in a comment for Chapter 2.

http://www.joshua.lurker00.com


"

Very interesting about Chamberlain and Tozier and that he was a 2nd Mainer that had gotten turned around.

Interesting. I guess maybe the Maine archival records are incorrect; but I wonder. I think most of the 2nd Mainers did rally.

I think I remember the Company B account. But maybe I have just read too much source material (lol).

I guess people's memory of events gets either embellished or diminished over time. I wonder what Chamberlain meant by connective tissue.

Wow..the only regiment commander to survive that day! Yes, very fortunate indeed.

Here is the wikipedia article about Strong Vincent (only 26 years old when he died). According to this account, before he died he had been recommended to be promoted to Brigadier General by Meade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_V...

Regimental Commander...left on the field...that makes more sense.

I guess you could say that it wasn't Chamberlain's time and maybe some of the folks made a judgement call after watching him in action and did not kill him like the gentleman from Alabama.

They look great...a little pricey when you include lodging; but more than likely quite worth it. I personally had not heard of Bearss.

Here's a good website about Buford:

http://www.gdg.org/Research/People/Bu...

I like that they have detailed information about his past before the battle. Very interesting stuff. Talks about his career before Gettysburg, times that he went head-to-head with Stuart, and chasing the Confederate troops after Gettysburg.

Wow, that is really interesting. Something of a different perspective on Stuart than the one in the book.

By the way, on the first page of the article it mentions how the Union cavalry "gave good accounts of themselves" at Brandy Station and Upperville. To see some more detail on those battles from the Union perspective, check out the article on Buford I linked in message #40.

Jeff wrote: "Anyone ever heard of Ed Bearss? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Bearss
He's supposed to give incredible battlefield tours:
http://www.civilwartours.org/
Check out this one:
http://www.civi..."

My son and I bought a CD guide in the gift shop near the cemetery. Can't remember the name except it was the cheapest of those available. It was recommended by one of the people manning the store.

We followed its directions and listened to the guide's background info and had a most instructive and wonderful tour of the battlefield on our own.

I've been on guided tours of battlefields and this was just as informative, except we couldn't ask questions.

To put Little Big Top into perspective within the Gettysburg campaign, I would suggest
by Noah Trudeau
or for a more scholarly reading
by Stephen Sears

Hello John...don't forget to add also the photo of the author and if not available the author's link along with the bookcover. Goodreads takes these links and populates the entire site with these adds. Very powerful tools for group members. I can see that Jeff added Sears in message 45 so I will add Noah Trudeau's link for you.

Noah Trudeau

OK you guys, I'm re-reading Killer Angels after a lapse of 25 years. I'll even try to keep to the reading schedule of the group (it will be hard because I really enjoyed th book the first time I read it).

Trudeau's name is really Noah Andre Trudeau

John..he appears to be listed both ways. But I am glad that you added the additional author's link.

Here is his listing in amazon for those interested in a complete listing of his books:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&...

Regarding handshakes: Cross Cultural Communication

http://www.shef.ac.uk/welcome/living/...

Other formalities:

http://www.learnenglish.de/culture/in...

You are very welcome Jeff; glad to have been able to help you. Keegan's book looks great.

I have just started following this thread and fully endorse Jeff's view on John Keegan's book. I didn't see this book mentioned anywhere but I could be wrong and missed it, however if you wanted some more information on Joshua Chamberlain this book offers a decent biography:

by Willard M. Wallace

Wow, that looks like a great one. Thanks, Aussie Rick.

My pleasure Elizabeth, although first published in 1990 I found it to be an enjoyable and easy to read account.

May I also recommend one of the few decent books on General John Buford for those who may be interested in following up their reading from "Killer Angels", this book was published in 1995:

by Edward G. Longacre

"Longacre adds to his status as a leading authority on Civil War cavalry (The Cavalry at Gettysburg; Mounted Raids of the Civil War) with this definitive biography of one of its key leaders. John Buford graduated from West Point in 1848. Serving on the Western frontier, he decided that whether cavalry fought mounted or on foot in a given instance mattered less than using its speed and mobility to be in the right place at the right time. Buford applied that principle while commanding first a cavalry brigade, then a division, in the Army of the Potomac in 1862-1863. At Gettysburg, his eye for terrain determined the Union position, and his troopers held that position until the main army arrived. His death from typhoid prevented the further successes that would almost certainly have been his as a cavalry commander. This comprehensively researched, well-written volume merits recognition from Civil War students and military historians." - Publishers Weekly

Thank you Aussie Rick for making this special effort.

Can't help myself when it comes to books, love to share the information around on a good book.

I have no idea how you have any room in your home left and/or any money left for food. You have so many books going on at once. You are truly a bibliophile.

I don't want to go too far off the thread but one thing I have learnt in life is that you only have a limited amount of time and you don't know when that may end so you should enjoy yourself every day you can whilst still being responsible. I love books, its one of the greatest pleasures a person can enjoy, mix that with some travel, good music and a nice glass of wine or coffee and your in heaven :)

Good for you..now back to Killer Angels (smile)

Arthur Fremantle:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_F...