mac
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,790
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Post by mac on Apr 7, 2016 23:21:13 GMT
Always enjoy your posts Dan!
Here are Custer's main ACW involvements (tell me if there are more)
Battle of Yellow Tavern Third Winchester Cedar Creek Appomattox Hanover Hunterstown Battle of Aldie Battle of Culpeper Court House Battle of the Wilderness Waynesboro Dinwiddie Court House Five Forks
The whole different names for same battles thing has me at times. I have not done a full investigation but my feeling was already in line with QC's reply above. It seems to me Custer is fine when he is following instuctions and also when he is thoughtful in controlling the action. The problem with him is he is impulsive and when he gives in to that impulsiveness he gets himself and his men in awful trouble. That fatal impulse to go right and abandon the valley at LBH is just the last of several similar decisions such as Trevilian Station. I note he was often used on a flank by Sheridan and I suspect that was to allow him the flexibility to be aggressive, which I think is what Sheridan valued from him despite the occasional impulsive down side. Cheers
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dave
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,679
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Post by dave on Apr 8, 2016 0:16:31 GMT
Mac The subject of names of battles during the War of 1861-1865 can be a little confusing at times till you realize there is no rhyme of reason and just choose the ones you like best. I have a site listed below that might be of interest to you and others. Regards Dave www.civilwarhome.com/battlenames.html
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Post by quincannon on Apr 8, 2016 0:21:49 GMT
Mac: Custer reminds me of Errol Flynn's Robin Hood.
You remember in one of the early scenes where he goes into Nottingham Castle, carrying a deer, after some taunting, and banter with Prince John and his henchmen, they grow weary of the exercise and seek to place RH on a skewer. As swashbuckling heroes in the movies often do, RH swashes and buckles his way out of his current mess, jumps on a waiting horse, then cons the gate guard to close the gate prematurely trapping all pursuit inside the castle until RH can make good his escape.
As a commander, you might get away with something like that once, maybe twice, but eventually it's going to grab you and not let go. Evaluation of risk and potential reward is the hardest thing a commander does. Only when that evaluation tells you that the risk IS worth the potential reward do you act, and then it had better be with great vigor, for opportunity, like the smiling glance of a pretty girl, is a very temporary affair.
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mac
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,790
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Post by mac on Apr 9, 2016 11:04:11 GMT
I love Errol and that movie! Did I mention he was an Australian? The Custer involvment at Hunterstown is interesting. Custer fans describe it as a daring charge to draw the enemy into an ambush. Less aligned commentators describe it as an impulsive charge that was a minor disaster and resulted in Custer being saved from death or capture by one of his orderlies Norvell F. Churchill. Fascinating story google if interested. Cheers
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Post by Beth on Apr 9, 2016 21:43:32 GMT
I have always wondered if there is a connection between Norvell Churchill and B.F. Churchill (one of the packers who testified against Reno). I have not been able to find one though.
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Post by deadwoodgultch on Apr 9, 2016 23:22:27 GMT
Beth, I don't think you ever will, Benjamin Franklin Churchill is buried in Grand Forks, ND Date of death 8 Jan.,1930. No date of birth or location. There is much about Norvell and family, boy were he and the bride prolific! Norvell's last child, a son Hugh died in 1972.
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Post by quincannon on Apr 10, 2016 1:54:41 GMT
Somewhere in the Canon, can't recall the story, Holmes remarks - "Anyone that depends upon luck alone is an idiot"
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Post by Beth on Apr 10, 2016 15:15:46 GMT
I have a suspicious nature when looking at system with a high amount of nepotism. It doesn't mean that every civilian hired for the campaign had a helpful friend though.
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Post by yanmacca on Apr 10, 2016 19:38:12 GMT
Sherlock Holmes said the line "You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear" Hmmm...I wonder if Custer did this on 3411.
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benteen
First Lieutenant
"Once An Eagle
Posts: 406
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Post by benteen on Apr 10, 2016 23:15:17 GMT
Always enjoy your posts Dan! Here are Custer's main ACW involvements (tell me if there are more) Battle of Yellow Tavern Third Winchester Cedar Creek Appomattox Hanover Hunterstown Battle of Aldie Battle of Culpeper Court House Battle of the Wilderness Waynesboro Dinwiddie Court House Five Forks The whole different names for same battles thing has me at times. I have not done a full investigation but my feeling was already in line with QC's reply above. It seems to me Custer is fine when he is following instuctions and also when he is thoughtful in controlling the action. The problem with him is he is impulsive and when he gives in to that impulsiveness he gets himself and his men in awful trouble. That fatal impulse to go right and abandon the valley at LBH is just the last of several similar decisions such as Trevilian Station. I note he was often used on a flank by Sheridan and I suspect that was to allow him the flexibility to be aggressive, which I think is what Sheridan valued from him despite the occasional impulsive down side. Cheers Hi Mac, Sorry it took so long to respond, I was AWOL from my post. Thank you for the compliment I appreciate it. I would love to help you but my knowledge of the CW is limited. I believe the go to guy for the CW is Dave. I see he has already responded to you. Hope you got the info you needed. Be Well Dan
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mac
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,790
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Post by mac on Apr 11, 2016 4:13:44 GMT
Thanks Dan. I am still looking at the ACW; it gives an interesting insight into Custer and his development. Cheers
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