As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
I place here before you the son of Welsh Clergy, who rose to be head of the United States Army, in Nelson Appleton Miles. In the days before the American Civil War, he was being trained in commerce, but took it upon himself to self educate his abilities in the arts of warfare.
"I observed the undisguised preparations which were going forward in the Southern States, to the end that they might be prepared to uphold their cause by arms, if conflict became inevitable. Hence I devoted all my spare time and thought to military affairs, and strove, with such aid as I could command, to equip myself in the military arts so that when the call came from my country I might be prepared to serve her efficiently. Books of military history, manuals of army regulations, and treatises on strategy and military tactics became my favorite reading. In order to further prepare myself, I, together with other young men of Boston, enlisted the services of a veteran French officer. Colonel Salignac, who was a most thorough and capable soldier and military instructor, and under whose instruction and command we were splendidly drilled in military practice and discipline, as well as in the duties of officers and the methods of command."
Miles, Nelson Appleton, 1839-1925. Serving the Republic
General Miles then expounds upon an unknown part of America history before the Civil War in this passage:
"the French army who had had experience in more recent military service at Magenta and Solferino. As is always customary after a war, the uniforms and even the tactics of the successful forces became popular and subject to adoption in other countries; so it happened that the chasseur and Zouave were popular in our own country, and the French tactics were translated for our army by Hardee, who abandoned the national service for that of the Confederacy, after which the tactics were rewritten by General Casey and became familiar in our service as "Casey's Tactics."
Even as far west as Illinois, a young man named Ellsworth had formed a company of young athletes known as "Ellsworth's Zouaves," governed under the most rigid rules of discipline, temperance, and good habits, and when they made a tour of the Eastern States created a great sensation by excelling every military organization they met including the corps of West Point Cadets."
Miles, Nelson Appleton, 1839-1925. Serving the Republic
The American military literally was an institutional product of French military tactics, which became Casey's Tactics, and those disciplines were outperforming the West Point Cadets.
None of this is in Ken Burns propaganda.
America was not as divided as has been noted, as the South was more prone according to General Miles to be pro Union, while the North was more prone to be supportive of States Rights.
"I believe the loyal sentiment of the North and West was more uniform than the desire for secession in the South. There was a very strong Union element in the Southern States, especially Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.
Miles, Nelson Appleton, 1839-1925. Serving the Republic
The first Battle of Bull Run was failure of the Union forces to apply a timely attack for General McDowell of the North was to attack General Beauregard of the Confederates, General Patterson was to attack General Johnston in the Shenandoah.
Johnston withdrew to join Beauregard, while a corps of Union troops were held in reserve at Centerville, so were neutralized, which meant that McDowell was facing two Confederate Armies, and of course he was defeated and routed.
The history of Nelson Miles was one of many like in the Civil War Militia. The War required West Point, former Mexican War and trained Militia Officers, but the politics of States destroyed the war effort.
Nelson Miles, like many Americans upon find the war would not be over in 90 days, rose up and paid for their own Company to be formed. His upon borrowing 2500 dollars for the Warren Guard, named after Revolutionary War Hero, Commander Warren, was elected to Captain of his Company.
The Massachusetts Governor though decided he wanted a political appointee to be Captain, and threatened to throw Nelson Miles out of his own Company and have his Captain commission revoked in Washington.
Nelson Miles stated he had started this to serve his country and not fight the Governor of Massachusetts, ate crow and took a commission of Lieutenant of Company E of the 22nd Massachusetts Infantry.
This was the start of the career of one of the greatest military officers in United States history.
Washington DC was a city of mud and dust streets. The US Capitol and Washington Monument were not finished.
And I bestow upon you more hidden knowledge, as you thought Robert E. Lee was in command first in Virginia.
"During this delay there appeared another element in the great drama, that great genius of war, Thomas J. Jackson. He had acquired the name of "Stonewall" by his personal bravery and fortitude at the battle of Bull Run, where he commanded his brigade to stand like a stone wall. He was a graduate of West Point, but later had resigned from the army and became a professor at the Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia. He was a strange man, an eccentric religious enthusiast.
Being a native of Virginia, he was quite familiar with the topography of the country; and, being given an independent command, he moved with great secrecy and celerity against the Union forces occupying separate positions, and then moved by a rapid forced march to the left flank of Lee's army in front of Richmond, Lee having succeeded to the command after the disabling of Johnston at the battle of Fair Oaks."
Miles, Nelson Appleton, 1839-1925. Serving the Republic
Yes, the boy who would by the injury of a commander at Fair Oaks, in Nelson Miles, would be ordered by General Howard to hold the Union lines, and in that battle, General Joseph Johnston was in command and wounded. It was then that Robert E. Lee commanded.
Even in this, Nelson Miles was still passed over by the Governor of Massachusetts to command.
"The governors of States were anxious to employ, as far as possible, the services of officers who had had experience in the field during the campaigns which had taken place, and the Governor of my own State wrote to General E. V. Sumner, a veteran of the war with Mexico and a native of Massachusetts, asking him to send a list of men who could be fittingly appointed as field officers of the new regiments, and I learned that my name had been sent at the head of the list. The Governor chose to ignore that recommendation and declined to appoint me though asked to do so by prominent men of the State."
Miles, Nelson Appleton, 1839-1925. Serving the Republic.
While Nelson Miles was submarined by the Governor of Massachusetts in the same way FDR had submarined American Hero, Charles Lindbergh in World War II, the oddity is that the New York Militia at the Battle of Fair Oaks where Nelson Miles commanded, had it's Lt. Col. killed and it's commander, Colonel Barlow wrote to Governor Morgan of New York requesting the appointment as they needed officers, and Governor Morgan appointed Nelson Miles, Lt. Col. of 61st New York Volunteers in an unprecidented action.
The boy who hunted and trapped in the wilds of Massachusetts was honed by a French Officer, along with 3000 other New Englanders for the Civil War. It is a most amazing reality like that of the story of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in these self made warriors not of the war college, and when his time came, his own state sabotaged his efforts, and it was another State in New York which appointed him.
agtG