Civil War Q&A

[ripley44mag]

Without a doubt the best soldier of the War Between the States was General Nathan Bedford Forrest CSA. Innovative tactics, personal courage and his strategy of "Hit em where they ain't" and "Get there firstest with the mostest" was basically the strategy Nimitz used in the Pacific Naval campaign in WW2. Ripley

[McCoy]

Too bad that he's more remembered for what he did after the civil war...

[ripley44mag]

Yeah - First Grand Wizard of the KKK. I think it was just his own way of continuing the war against the Federals. Ripley

[Airchallenged]

Originally Posted by Brett

Hi Airchallenged:

I wonder if you have an opinion on the strategy the 2 sides used.
Do you think there was a better strategy for them?

Brett,

I think the generals fell in to multiple categories. There were those that fell in to the defensively offensive category, like Lee and Meade. Those that were aggressively offensive Like Grant and sometimes Sherman. Those that were more logical, like Jackson at the aggressive side and and Longstreet at the more reserved. And then there were those that were just stupid or incapable in certain aspects, like Burnside, Little Mac, Hooker.

When I say Defensively Offensive I mean that they would go on the offensive often but when they could they would draw the opponent onto there own fighting grounds. They would pick the better ground, like at Ball's Bluff and Fredericksburg, and draw the opponent towards them. In my mind Meade did the same sort of thing at Gettysburg. Although he was on the defensive really he used the same sort of principles. FInd a good defensive ground and then hold it. he didn't try to attack the rebels but instead let them come to him.

Personally I am a logical person and lean towards the Lee-Jackson-Longstreet trio. Somehow I think they kept each other in check. Lee was an engineer by military profession and seemed to think like an engineer through out the war. find the best defensive position and either try to out maneuver the enemy or inflict heavy losses before having to fall back. Jackson was an Artillerist and seemed to always work that into his plans if able to. Although he was prone to make elaborate plans, he made something like 5 before Lee approved the idea of Chancellorsville, he always knew how to push the right buttons in the union army to scare them or hold them off where needed. Longstreet on the other hand was the only infantry man of the trio, ironically his closest friend at West Point was Grant. On a side note Julia Dent Grant was Pete's fourth cousin and he introduced the two of them at a party. Pete was Grant's best man. Back to the question He seemed to keep the other two in check and prevent them from getting any really insane plans into action. Although he was aggressive at first he became more reserved after three of his four children died in one week from a Scarlet Fever Epidemic. Something about the three of them together seems to work logically for me.

[cyberia]

Matt, any clue as to what the life expectancy was for color bearers?

I've heard that many never made it through their first engagement carrying the flag.

[Holly6]

Originally Posted by cyberia

Matt, any clue as to what the life expectancy was for color bearers?

I've heard that many never made it through their first engagement carrying the flag.

With my apologies to an anonymous 60's song writer...

They choose you to carry the colors
It's staff is topped with gold,
You carry it forward in battle
And live to be 10 seconds old.

[Airchallenged]

Originally Posted by cyberia

Matt, any clue as to what the life expectancy was for color bearers?

I've heard that many never made it through their first engagement carrying the flag.

Like Hal said it wasn't very long. One, two, maybe three battles if they were lucky. Obviously it would depend on the size of the attack and the intensity of the battle. They were bullet magnets. Mainly because once the smoke started to cover the battle field they became a beacon for both sides. For their own side they were a beacon for where to rally and for the enemy where to shoot. I guess my best example is that the 26th NC lost 14 Color Bearers killed and wounded, although one of them was from Pettigrew's Staff and Burgmwyn carried it twice, in the assault on McPherson's Ridge. The Regiment in the Iron Brigade directly above them, I think it was the Michigan Regiment, lost half a dozen or so. On the other hand the 26th lost only three flag bearers on day three. One was wounded early in the assault and the other two were one of the few that made it the entire way to and over the wall where they were captured.

[cyberia]

Good info fellows. Now, follow up questions. Was the position that important to put so many lives at risk, and I can see where a rifle would not be possible but were these color bearers at least armed with a pistol or sword?

[Airchallenged]

Originally Posted by cyberia

Good info fellows. Now, follow up questions. Was the position that important to put so many lives at risk, and I can see where a rifle would not be possible but were these color bearers at least armed with a pistol or sword?

Officially I am not sure about if they were supposed to be armed. They probably were armed with a pistol though if they had one. One thing to remember is that they were often volunteers selected from the ranks and promoted to Cpl and the Head was a Sgt. It contained eight Corporals, the Color Guard, and the Sergeant, the Color Bearer. Union Color Guards had two Flags so I don't know how they worked (although I have a Union Manual open in front of me). The Color Guard was armed with rifles. One on either side of the Color Sgt three right behind and three in the rank of File Closer (behind the battle line).

When the column advances, the three front men (Color Sgt and senior Corporals) take six paces forward at the command "Battalion (or Regiment), Forward". The three in the rear rank fill there spot in the front rank and the three file closers fill the rear rank. At "March" they would advance as normal with the with the Color Sergeant setting the pace. They were positioned on the Left of the Right center Company like a bridge between the two.

When the smoke became heavy the only thing for the men to follow was the banners at the tops of the staffs protruding above the smoke. They were also a sign of honor. If you lost your flag you lost your honor. If you captured one you became a hero. In the heat of battle if the flag went down, which it probably would, one of the corporals would drop their rifle and hoist the flag. It was a beacon of guidance and with out it they would be lost or easily broken.

[Holly6]

Originally Posted by Airchallenged

Like Hal said it wasn't very long. One, two, maybe three battles if they were lucky. Obviously it would depend on the size of the attack and the intensity of the battle. They were bullet magnets. Mainly because once the smoke started to cover the battle field they became a beacon for both sides. For their own side they were a beacon for where to rally and for the enemy where to shoot.

AC has done a nice job of explaining, what to us, must seem a military oxymoron. Officers would look into the ranks, find those that had exhibited the finest examples of training, courage and charisma and then take the gun from their hands and give them a flag.
The basic unit identification was at regiment level, and great pride was developed in the regimental flag. Early in the war, many of these regiments were recruited from towns or counties. You marched off to war with your childhood friends, relatives and neighbors. Often, there was a great ceremony where the troops would pledge their loyalty to the regiment and its flag amid the cheers of the ladies in their lives. (An offshoot of the Spartan Females cheer, "come home with your shield or upon it".) It would be hard for us today to recreate the romance and innocence of the times.

As a military device, the emblem of a regiment was used for communication and motivation. The former said "where are they" to command amid the confusion and smoke/dust that was a CW battlefield. The latter was bloody, but simple. Who could show the "white feather" when the silk they swore fealty towards, was going forward?

As a final point, there obviously was a military advantage to "dropping the colors". I'm sure sharpshooters off the line nailed quite a few, but consider the panic and fear involved in any attack/defense. For those who managed to "hold their water" during these times, the flag would have differentiated a target other then the anonymous solid line of blue or grey.

As an aside, this site deals with common men displaying uncommon valor. Who could jump on a grenade? Who could charge a machine gun nest? Who charges into a near-suicide situation? Rightly, these people deserve all the credit due. But how many of them had the time to ponder their decision?