Battle of Brandy Station

[GeorgiaBob]

I wonder why the Confederates were better horsemen early on. Everyone rode a horse back then. Most Northerners were in rural areas like the Southerners were. I would have suspected northern riding skills would have been fine. Maybe tactics but they were all horse people. I guess someone has to be better. Just seemed strange to me.

The draft and enlistment records of the union describe a different Union Army from the one you think. A significant majority of northern troops came from cities. Fact is, most of the young cavalry troopers had little - or no - experience on horseback prior to being drafted. The very young Union horse trooper had to learn how to ride, how to care for the horses, how to stay in the saddle with cannons and muskets blasting, how to ride formation, how to fight mounted, and how to fight dismounted. That is a big part of what took years for the Northern cavalry to catch up.

Another mistake we make, looking back, is assuming that those northern city boys wanted to be cavalry. We look at the continental armies of the 16th through 19th centuries and see the proud, elite, mostly titled, dragoons and cavalry troopers. We want to imagine every boy in the 1860s USA or CSA wanted to be cavalry. That wasn't true for the Yankee city boys. It took two years of training, massive desertions from cavalry units, and several hard campaigns to create a competent mounted force. And it took that competent mounted force to make those northern city boys proud to be cavalry!

 

[GeorgiaBob]

I will offer this.
The Union Army also had more “ego” issues since many senior officers were professional soldiers and had served for years.
Confederates didn’t have enough history to have that issue early on.

Two thirds of the general officers of the Confederacy were West Point graduates. Most of the rest were graduates of other military colleges and had prior service in the US Army. The Confederacy started with a more experienced senior officer corps than the Union.

Much smaller, with fewer field grade officers, and a tiny, untrained militia instead of a regular standing army.

 

[Resica]

I don’t know, our greatest General was a West Pointer without a single demerit. Many upper echelon southern military were formally trained.

Many of our Confederate generals were West Pointers!

 

[Ruger#3]

I remember Lee’s humble letter to Grant trying to get his benefits reinstated. Paraphrasing, “The decision having been decided it was time to heal and reunite the nation.” What a humble and great man.

 

[Resica]

I remember Lee’s humble letter to Grant trying to get his benefits reinstated. Paraphrasing, “The decision having been decided it was time to heal and reunite the nation.” What a humble and great man.

He was a good guy, so was Grant. Lots of good guys on both sides, all Americans, shame it happened. If Va. hadn't seceded he would have stayed in the U.S. Army. In hindsight, hate that war happened. Think of all the Americans killed or future children, grandchildren, etc. who could have been great folks and solved diseases or been brilliant in other ways!

 

[Milkman]

I don’t know, our greatest General was a West Pointer without a single demerit. Many upper echelon southern military were formally trained.

Agreed that many Confederate officers were former Union officers. Lee, Longstreet, Ewell, Jackson, Bragg, Johnston, and hundreds more.

However, the Confederate call to organize was so rapid and confusing there was no time to develop the long term bad blood.
I will say that the State Militia had the issue. And the southern governors who controlled them. Georgias own Brown was a perfect example. He was a horse hiney at times

 

[Resica]

Agreed that many Confederate officers were former Union officers. Lee, Longstreet, Ewell, Jackson, Bragg, Johnston, and hundreds more.

However, the Confederate call to organize was so rapid and confusing there was no time to develop the long term bad blood.
I will say that the State Militia had the issue. And the southern governors who controlled them. Georgias own Brown was a perfect example. He was a horse hiney at times

Hate that war happened! His pikes! Didn't Gov. Brown want to secede from the Confederacy?

 

[Milkman]

Hate that war happened! His pikes! Didn't Gov. Brown want to secede from the Confederacy?

I don’t remember that, maybe so.

He was all for seceding from the Union. That was the end of his cooperative mood. He was not compliant and hated Jeff Davis.

 

[basstrkr]

I have posted this before: according to my Gettysburg trip there was a total of about 70,000 Confederates and 80,000 Yanks involved that July. Plus the horses.The logistics of this boggles my mind, and don't forget bathroom facilities!

 

[Milkman]

I have posted this before: according to my Gettysburg trip there was a total of about 70,000 Confederates and 80,000 Yanks involved that July. Plus the horses.The logistics of this boggles my mind, and don't forget bathroom facilities!

True
And the livestock these Armies had to drive along was mind boggling too.

Cattle, swine, extra horses, mules, etc.

 

[Resica]

I don’t remember that, maybe so.

He was all for seceding from the Union. That was the end of his cooperative mood. He was not compliant and hated Jeff Davis.

I can't find it. Maybe he didn't. I thought I remembered him wanting to secede from the Confederacy.

 

[Resica]

I have posted this before: according to my Gettysburg trip there was a total of about 70,000 Confederates and 80,000 Yanks involved that July. Plus the horses.The logistics of this boggles my mind, and don't forget bathroom facilities!

Think of all the food for people and animals. They needed a ton of water for the living people and animals but also for the cannons. That's why they fight near water sources!

 

[Resica]

Think of all the food for people and animals. They needed a ton of water for the living people and animals but also for the cannons. That's why they fight near water sources!

That's a boatload of people and animals to be in one place at one time. Crazy. I would have liked to witness. I can't get my head around that stuff.

 

[Ruger#3]

It’s a personal thing but when you think of Lee’s love for the nation then walk Arlington. Visualize those headstones leaned against the home. The confederates denied military honors for half a century. Blacks who served the union weren’t treated any better than the confederates.

 

[Resica]

It’s a personal thing but when you think of Lee’s love for the nation then walk Arlington. Visualize those headstones leaned against the home. The confederates denied military honors for half a century. Blacks who served the union weren’t treated any better than the confederates.

Blame Montgomery Meigs for that. It's weird how things go. Lee was certainly a great American that had to make a decisionn and he decided Virginia. His son was paid for it later.

 

[Resica]

It’s a personal thing but when you think of Lee’s love for the nation then walk Arlington. Visualize those headstones leaned against the home. The confederates denied military honors for half a century. Blacks who served the union weren’t treated any better than the confederates.

I wonder what Mr. Lee would think of that? I bet now he wouldn't be put off by it.

 

[Ruger#3]

I wonder what Mr. Lee would think of that? I bet now he wouldn't be put off by it.

I don’t have that insight. Meigs was from GA, he married a rich Yankee gal and landed up north.

 

[Nicodemus]

I don’t have that insight. Meigs was from GA, he married a rich Yankee gal and landed up north.

Little town just north of Thomasville is named for him.

 

[Ruger#3]

Little town just north of Thomasville is named for him.

Didn’t know that, he was from Augusta.

 

[Resica]

I don’t have that insight. Meigs was from GA, he married a rich Yankee gal and landed up north.

I remember his ggg nephew of the same name on television in the 2000's , he was commander-in-chief of US Army Europe and Africa.