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Title: Shelby Foote, RIP
Source:
Booktv.org
URL Source: http://booktv.org/Feature/index.asp?segID=1679&schedID=374
Published: Jul 4, 2005
Author: Shelby Foote
Post Date: 2005-07-04 12:14:09 by Arator
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Keywords: Shelby, Foote,
Views: 185
Comments: 40
Shelby Foote died recently. If you've never read his three volume near-life's work, "The Civil War: A Narrative," do. One cannot understand America without also understanding what happened here between 1861 and 1865 and how it changed us. And there is no better way to understand it than to live it vicariously through Shelby Foote's powerful prose.
A man of the Mississippi Delta, Shelby Foote speaks with a drawl as thick as mollasses. He represents to my mind the quintessence of what it means to be a Southerner. Though I live in the benighted North, and my family's Southern heritage had been rendered a faint echo from a conquered land no longer my own, I rediscovered my Southern soul largely thanks to the life and writings of this good man.
To recover something of our American past that regrettably passes on when men like Shelby Foote leave us, watch/listen to the three hour in depth call-in interwiew of Shelby Foote done in September of 2001 on C-SPAN's Book TV. You'll be glad you did.
Poster Comment:
I can think of no better way to celebrate the 4th of July.
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#1. To: Arator (#0)
Have you read the book?
The mind once expanded by a new idea never returns to its' original size
Yep. It's three large volumes and close to 3000 words, but not a word is wasted. You literally live the war vicariously while reading it. It may take six months to finish, but you'll not regret a single minute. For me, it was a life-altering, mind-expanding and paradigm-shifting experience.
Check out my blog, America, the Bushieful.
What does he reveal that we don't know from the history propangandists?
The mind once expanded by a new idea never returns to its' original size
What did you think about Stonewall Jackson's part in the war?
Amerika; Land of the sleaze, home of the knave...
The characater of the people we were, both North and South, and what they did then, in a catastrophic and tragic period which was nothing less than apocolyptic. Especially the character of those who fought to defend the South, the much-maligned losers of that conflagration. You will come to know them above all and through them you will come to appreciate the kind of people we once were before the fall and ought to be again.
Check out my blog, America, the Bushieful.
It was all too brief. Cut off by an errant shot by his own men in the midst of his greatest military victory, Lee lost his right hand on the eve of Gettysburg, and neither Lee nor the South ever recovered from so grevous a loss.
Check out my blog, America, the Bushieful.
I know you didn't ask me but he was the architect of the Pa. invasion which led to Gettysburg. He wanted the rail yards in Harrisburg to cut-off coal supplies to the Union's blockade fleet.
Really? I've never read that before. Or if I had, I'd forgotten it.
Check out my blog, America, the Bushieful.
How does Abe come off?
There's a great book called "North with Lee and Jackson" by James A. Kegal. That's one of the reasons the South entered Gettysburg from the North. They were on their way, then they got orders to go to Gettysburg. You can still see the defensive positions that were built in haste around Harrisburg. The burning of the bridge in Wrightsville also impeded their advance to Harrisburg.
Foote is fair. He just tells the story. Abe comes off as he was -- a slick- talking, scripture-twisting mind-bender who misled his nation into ruin. That's my interpretation of the facts. Others may differ.
Check out my blog, America, the Bushieful.
An excellent biography on Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson is "Stonewall Jackson; Portrait of a Soldier". It was THE book that opened my eyes to the Second War of Independence (a.k.a. The Civil War)...if Jackson HAD survived to Gettysburg, things would have turned-out MUCH differently. Lee was lost without Jackson, and while Lee was a GREAT stateman & organizational military leader, it was Jackson that WAS the BRAINS of the Confederate's Military. In fact, the German tactic "Blitzkrieg" was derived from Jackson's exploits. Excerpt from the book: Still, Jackson sensed what others only glimpsed and were too exhausted to act upon. McDowell was thoroughly beaten and there was no Federal defense between Manassas and the US Capital. He could end the war. The war was over if they acted now...He said to Beauregard, to Johnson, to Stuart, to all who could move - "Let me take my brigade and I'll be in Washington tonight. We'll take the White House. We'll end it all and have no more bloodshed". Of course, the Confederates as usual wimped-out when it came to going for the jugular, too bad because later they would learn that's exactly what the Feds would do. Stonewall Jackson, the man that constantly defeated the best Lincoln could throw at him (sometimes while outnumbered 7 to 1), saved Lee's bacon at Chancellorsville by defeating Hooker from the rear (talk about apt analogies), only to be shot by a Confederate moron. IMHO the story of Free-America can be told in his life, as it also ended with it.
Amerika; Land of the sleaze, home of the knave...
Dude, there's nearly 3000 words in the essay I just wrote today.
#2. To: Itisa1mosttoolate (#1)
Have you read the book?
#3. To: Arator (#2)
#4. To: Arator (#2)
#5. To: Itisa1mosttoolate (#3)
What does he reveal that we don't know from the history propangandists?
#6. To: TaZ (#4)
What did you think about Stonewall Jackson's part in the war?
#7. To: TaZ (#4)
What did you think about Stonewall Jackson's part in the war?
#8. To: Grumble Jones (#7)
He wanted the rail yards in Harrisburg to cut-off coal supplies to the Union's blockade fleet.
#9. To: Arator (#8)
#10. To: Arator (#8)
Really? I've never read that before.
#11. To: tom007 (#9)
How does Abe come off?
#12. To: Grumble Jones, Arator (#7)
#13. To: Arator (#2)
 | So many morons, so few bullets. |
#14. To: TommyTheMadArtist (#13)
I meant to say 3000 pages. LOL. Thanks for calling that slip up to my attention so I can correct it.
Dude, there's nearly 3000 words in the essay I just wrote today.
Check out my blog, America, the Bushieful.
#15. To: TommyTheMadArtist (#13)
Actually, Foote estimates his trilogy at around 1.5 million words.
Check out my blog, America, the Bushieful.
#16. To: Arator (#14)
I was going to say man... 3 volumes for a 5 page book??? Wow... Hope you and yours celebrate today with the apprehension, and disdain that you should have. I just posted my July 4th Rant.
| So many morons, so few bullets. |
#17. To: TaZ (#12)
Likewise, the unengaged brigades of Bonham and Longstreet were watching the Union retreat from some woods alongside the Little River Turnpike in Centreville. Just as the associated artillery was about to fire on the retreating troops, to be followed by an infantry advance, an adjutant under Johnson gave the order not to open fire. Longstreet challenged the order, but Bonham (who was senior commander on the field) supported the order, so the two brigades watched the Union troops continue their flight, then recrossed Blackburn Ford. See,e.g., From Manassas to Appamattox.
Still, Jackson sensed what others only glimpsed and were too exhausted to act upon. McDowell was thoroughly beaten and there was no Federal defense between Manassas and the US Capital. He could end the war. The war was over if they acted now...He said to Beauregard, to Johnson, to Stuart, to all who could move - "Let me take my brigade and I'll be in Washington tonight. We'll take the White House. We'll end it all and have no more bloodshed".
#18. To: DeaconBenjamin (#17)
Just imagine what the USA would be like if Jackson & Longstreet had marched into the District of Criminals and hung Lincoln from a tree...if only I had a time machine ;-)
Amerika; Land of the sleaze, home of the knave...
#19. To: Arator (#0)
The C-Span interview was fascinating, as was the Ken Burns Civil War series. Shelby Foote made the series work for me. I still watch the Burns series at least once a year. Good bye, Shelby Foote. You were one of a kind.
#20. To: TaZ (#12)
Foote agreed to a point. Apparently the Union army had expected to lose Cemetery Ridge, and were in fact beginning to fall back some 12 miles North where they had always expected to fight the battle of Gettysburg. Lee's blunder - Pickett's Charge - made the point moot. The Army of Tennessee had a causality rate of 70%, and never recovered. .
if Jackson HAD survived to Gettysburg, things would have turned-out MUCH differently.
#21. To: TaZ (#18)
We might be several confederated republics of sovereign states, each one as free or freer than the original, instead of deracinated, utterly-exploded subject-masses employed by a few corporate collossae, each one the malignant outgrowth of the imperium that supplanted our once ordered liberty.
Just imagine what the USA would be like if Jackson & Longstreet had marched into the District of Criminals and hung Lincoln from a tree...if only I had a time machine ;-)
Check out my blog, America, the Bushieful.
#22. To: Jethro Tull (#19)
For me too. His presence made Burn's reflexive Lincoln-worship and repeated slights against the South barely tolerable.
Shelby Foote made the series work for me.
Check out my blog, America, the Bushieful.
#23. To: Jethro Tull (#19)
I am still looking to buy that series. Thought I had it off EBay, but got a refund instead because the guys *friend* wasn't shipping the stuff, but pocketing it. Too bad, I got it for a great price too!
the Ken Burns Civil War series
Of course it hurts, You're getting screwed by an elephant
#24. To: TaZ (#18)
Check out Turtledove's alternate history of the US beginning with How Few Remain, a novel depicting the second war between the states 20 years after the Confederate defeat of the Union. The reason for the Confederate victory in 1862 in the first war follows from the retrieval and return of the 3 cigars wrapped in General Lee's Special Order 191 which, in the real world, allowed McClellan to carry the field over Lee at Antietam. I've always enjoyed Turtledove's alternate histories, particularly the ones grounded well in historical fact as well as characters (As opposed to The Guns of the South and the World War series which involved time travel interference and alien intervention respectively).
Metus improbus compescor, non clementia.
#25. To: Arator (#21)
And, I would postulate, that had this occured we still would have been an effective collective defensive power based upon our shared cultural and religious ties. Any successful return to this state will have to address this issue in the light of the amount of "Balkanization" which has occured to us to date. If not, then the resultant sub-entities would be prone to being played against each other or picked off by larger powers.
We might be several confederated republics of sovereign states
Metus improbus compescor, non clementia.
#26. To: justlurking (#23)
I have it on VCR. Amazon charges about $97 new, not sure about used.
#27. To: Jethro Tull (#26)
I just got the 13 hour, 2004 DVD version for 68.00 on Ebay. Factory Sealed. See if I can actually get it this time. I usually never have a problem on Ebay.
Of course it hurts, You're getting screwed by an elephant
#28. To: Jethro Tull (#26)
Whoops, make that 11 hour.
Of course it hurts, You're getting screwed by an elephant
#29. To: Jethro Tull (#20)
Pickett's Charge was just a diversion for Lee's overall battle plan for the day. Lee reenforced Ewells Corps at Culp's Hill from 4 Brigades to 7. Lee concentrated all of the calvary N.E. of Gettyburg. Lee's plan was to send Pickett et al as a diversion while Stuart attacked up the Baltimore Pike when the cannonade stopped. Ewell was supposed to keep attacking Culps Hill. Had the calvary not been stopped by Custer because of a chance sighting by O.O. Howard the South would have most likely won on the third day. Stuart was to send 6,000 towards the Angle from in back of Union Lines and attack the union line from the back. Another 1000 mounted Infantry were to dismount and attack the west Slope of Culp's Hill. That would have split the Union Army. Lee's overall plan was brilliant but Custer thwarted it and Longstreet's Assault has gone down in infamy as a result.
Lee's blunder - Pickett's Charge
#30. To: TaZ (#12)
if only....
Still, Jackson sensed what others only glimpsed and were too exhausted to act upon. McDowell was thoroughly beaten and there was no Federal defense between Manassas and the US Capital. He could end the war. The war was over if they acted now...He said to Beauregard, to Johnson, to Stuart, to all who could move - "Let me take my brigade and I'll be in Washington tonight. We'll take the White House. We'll end it all and have no more bloodshed".
There is nothing more pathetic than a GOPher on the defensive.~~Orangedog
#31. To: Grumble Jones (#29)
Had it been Jackson, rather than Ewell, the first days battle would have been a Southern rout.
Ewell
#32. To: Jethro Tull (#31)
I agree. Jackson would have stormed Cemetary Hill. Even Trimble who didn't even have a command (but he was there) at Gettysburg bitched to Lee about Ewell not attacking. Lee should have given Jackson's command to Trimble instead of Ewell. I took a college course on Gettysburg about 8 years ago but the Prof wouldn't buy that. That was brought up several times but he wouldn't agree.
Had it been Jackson, rather than Ewell, the first days battle would have been a Southern rout.
#33. To: Grumble Jones (#32)
If Jackson had been there he would have either flanked the position, or snuck around from the rear - Frontal assaults are suicide and Jackson knew this. That's why his foot soldiers could move quickly into positions the enemy wouldn't expect them to be... Another point greater than Jackson's battlefield prowess was his effect on the men he commanded, they would follow him into Hell with full expectation of defeating Satan himself if Stonewall led them ;-) His loss had more a psychological effect than most people realize.
Jackson would have stormed Cemetary Hill.
Amerika; Land of the sleaze, home of the knave...
#34. To: TaZ (#33)
That's right...Jackson was the master of the 'end-around.' It certainly worked well at Chancellorsville.
#35. To: Grumble Jones (#34)
Do you know how Jackson could find those hidden "off-the-map" paths during battle?
It certainly worked well at Chancellorsville.
If the Founding Fathers had known how badly the American Experiment of Independence would turn-out, they would have sent a letter of apology to the King and Parliament, returned to their plantations & prepared the slaves for their return trip to Africa!
#36. To: TaZ (#35)
No......I'd be interested to find out. But he went way the hell around there. I forget how many miles it was,something like 15. He had some strange superstitions too.
Do you know how Jackson could find those hidden "off-the-map" paths during battle?
#37. To: Grumble Jones (#36)
When he was given the job of defending Western Virginia from Federal occupation one of the first things he did was find someone that had extensive knowledge of back-country roads/paths, I forgot the guys name, but he MANY times knew of avenues of escape/attack that weren't on any maps & in most cases offered heavy vegetation to cover Jackson's troop movements. It was just one of Jackson's brilliant tactical endeavors that I'm sure would have been employed at Gettysberg had he lived ;-)
If the Founding Fathers had known how badly the American Experiment of Independence would turn-out, they would have sent a letter of apology to the King and Parliament, returned to their plantations & prepared the slaves for a return trip to Africa!
#38. To: TaZ (#37)
I think Lee's mapmakers name was Hotchkiss or something like that. I wonder if Jackson had the same one?
#39. To: Grumble Jones (#38)
Yeppers, it was him. Hotchkiss closed his school in June 1861 and began his military career drawing maps for Confederate General Robert Garnett in western Virginia. In 1862, he secured an appointment on Jackson's staff. "I want you to make me a map of the Valley, from Harpers Ferry to Lexington," Jackson ordered Hotchkiss, "showing all the points of offence and defence in those places." There were very few maps for Hotchkiss to use as a base for his own work, and he usually rode out on horseback to survey the land himself. The Hotchkiss-Jackson combination bred success, for the general's lightning strikes depended heavily on making the most of the terrain. After Jackson's death in 1863, Hotchkiss continued as a topographical engineer with the Confederate forces, traveling with General Richard Ewell to Gettysburg and then, back in Virginia, serving under General Jubal Early. It was one of Hotchkiss' maps that enabled Early to surprise the Federals at Cedar Creek in October 1864. After the war ended in 1865, Hotchkiss returned to the Shenandoah Valley, opening an engineering firm and teaching school in Staunton, Virginia. In 1867, he wrote a book with a friend, Jackson's former chief of ordnance William Allen, entitled The Battlefields of Virginia: Chancellorsville. Hotchkiss died in January 1899 after a successful post-war career as a geologist and engineer. Somehow I don't think Hotchkiss was employed at Gettysberg with the same in-depth use that Jackson got from him, then again Jackson could formulate battle strategy in his head that 4-5 other Generals couldn't dream of...Lee didn't have that ability. After all, Lee's background was battlefield engineering and corps management, while Jackson's was artillery and infantry techniques, which he perfected while at VMI.
I think Lee's mapmakers name was Hotchkiss or something like that. I wonder if Jackson had the same one?
If the Founding Fathers had known how badly the American Experiment of Independence would turn-out, they would have sent a letter of apology to the King and Parliament, returned to their plantations & prepared the slaves for a return trip to Africa!
#40. To: TaZ (#39)
Hell yeah!! He even taught it! Good stuff BTW. The reason I wondered if it was Hotchkiss was because I watched an interview by an author who just wrote a new book about the third day's battle at Gettysburg. He found a somewhat unknown map of Gettysburg by Hotchkiss in the National Archives.. That led to more research and his new book will change a lot of what is know about Lee's plans for July 3rd. Lee's plan was actually brilliant but Custer thwarted it. I'm going to the book store tomorrow to see if they have it. I can't wait to read it. “Lost Triumph: Lee’s Real Plan at Gettysburg and Why It Failed” by Tom Carhart
Jackson's was artillery and infantry techniques, which he perfected while at VMI.
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