The Frustration of Studying the Civil War

Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest

       Someone recently called my attention to a Civil War talk board online that mentioned a youtube video I posted several years ago. You would be surprised at some of the names I was called because some of these people didn't agree with my ranking of the Confederate lieutenant generals. If they had bothered to read the introduction they would have learned that I made the video just for fun and to spark some discussion, but now I've learned that I'm an idiot. The computer reminds me of the same people who drive automobiles. Behind a keyboard or a steering wheel it seems many of us become something we wouldn't be in person. If someone doesn't agree with your opinion, then you must be an idiot. It can't possibly be that they are the idiot, that would destroy the perfect world they've created in their own minds. 

       Is there no such of thing as friendly discussion with rational arguments anymore? After further study of my subject, I can honestly say I don't agree any longer with the way I have some of them ranked. One person called me an idiot because I didn't include General Beauregard in the list. It doesn't matter that Beauregard was never ranked as a lieutenant general, but was promoted from brigadier general to full general skipping the ranks of major general and lieutenant general, but of course, I'm the idiot. 

       In my "for fun" video, I ranked Stonewall Jackson as the best lieutenant general. Most people agreed with that choice, but after that I really rankled some feathers. I was attacked because I ranked Bedford Forrest second. The reason given was because Forrest wasn't promoted to lieutenant general until March 2, 1865 and this person called me an idiot for ranking him second when he only served as lieutenant general for a month and that isn't enough time to see how well he commanded at the corps level. What this genius fails to realize is the fact that Forrest had been commanding a cavalry corps since 1863 without having been promoted. Just because he wasn't ranked a lieutenant general, didn't mean he wasn't an excellent corps commander for two years. When he was promoted, his position as corps commander never changed, so why can we not judge him on his corps leadership ability for those two years. 

       The one that always gets peoples feathers ruffled is James Longstreet. Ever since the movie Gettysburg came out, he has been claimed by many people to be the greatest commander of the war. In this country today, all it takes is a fictional movie based on a fictional novel to change peoples perception of someone. Longstreet obviously fits this category. If I had a nickel for every time someone watched that movie and told me that Lee would have won at Gettysburg if he'd just listened to Longstreet. The move Longstreet proposed was expected by Meade and he was just itching to retreat to a better position on Pipe Creek. Without cavalry present (Jeb Stuart was off on a useless raid) it would have been almost impossible to perform the flanking move without Stuart's cavalry screen. Another question I have about Longstreet is why he made the move he made in Knoxville, Tennessee later the same year. On November 9, 1863, Longstreet assaulted Fort Sanders with around 3000 men. The fort only held a little over 400 Federal troops, yet the attack was a disaster. Longstreet lost over 800 men compared to just 13 Federal casualties he inflicted. Instead of responding as General Lee would have done and took the blame, he immediately began to emulate Braxton Bragg by arresting his subordinates. The mark of a true leader is when he takes the blame for his mistakes.

       If I had the video to make over, I'm sure there are several I would reorder. I ranked Jubal Early high because of his advance to the outskirts of Washington and Wade Hampton because of I felt he was an excellent cavalry corps commander especially his Beefsteak Raid. S.D. Lee I feel like I may have ranked too high. He made a severe mistake at Ezra Chruch and failed Hood at Columbia, Tennessee, however he helped save the army during the Battle of Nashville. I perhaps ranked Richard Heron Anderson low because of how he allowed his staff to run his forces. There were times when he acted like he had little interest in the war. Hardee is perhaps ranked too low because he was called "Ole Reliable," however he was the biggest back biter in the army. He undermined all of his superiors including Sidney Johnston, Braxton Bragg, Joseph Johnston, and John Bell Hood. However, when offered command of the army, he refused the responsibility. 

       Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of A.P. Hill, but he was often rash, just look at his actions at Bristoe Station. He was impulsive and got a lot of good men killed by his aggressiveness. He can be compared to the way General Hood is often perceived. The lieutenant general in my personal opinion that I believe should be ranked in the top five is D.H. Hill. He only saw action as a corps commander at Chickamauga was the reason I ranked him low, but he was a dependable commander and if he didn't suffer from chronic back pain which left him extremely sarcastic to subordinates and superiors alike he may have reached his true potential. He became so rude to others that General Lee was happy to see his dependable subordinate transferred to Bragg's army.

       I won't go into all the lieutenant generals that I listed. The full generals were listed in another video and I didn't rank them with the officers that only reached the rank of lieutenant general. If people would slow down long enough to read the descriptions of the videos before they decide to attack someone, they may find there is little reason to become so upset and insult others. 

John Echols: Noble Leader

Brigadier General John Echols

       John Echols was born on March 20, 1823 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He attended the Virginia Military Institute, but earned his degree at Washington College in Lexington, Virginia (which would become Washington and Lee University following the war). He then studied law at Harvard and began a law practice in Union, Virginia (now West Virginia). 

       Echols was a huge man for the time, standing six feet, four inches in height and weighing over 260 pounds. Despite his imposing size, he was a likable person and gallant officer. Prior to the war, he served one term in the Virginia House of Delegates. Following Virginia's secession, Echols became lieutenant colonel of the 27th Virginia Infantry Regiment. He commanded the regiment at the Battle of Manassas. The unit was part of the famed Stonewall Brigade there. Following the battle, he was promoted to colonel of the regiment. Stonewall Jackson described Echols as a "noble leader." 

        At the disastrous Battle of Kernstown, Echols led his regiment as they repulsed two charges by the Federal troops. At the height of the assault, Echols was shot through the shoulder, the bullet entering his arm and fracturing the humerus. Although he was out of action for several weeks, he would luckily not lose the arm. Following the battle, Echols was promoted to brigadier general. 

       He was back in command of a brigade by the fall of 1862. He was placed in command of the Department of Southwestern Virginia, yet resigned his command before serving a month. Echols seems to have suffered from ill health and was unable to return to command until the summer of 1863. His next action was at the Battle of Droop Mountain where he commanded 1,200 troops against 5,000 Federals. Though vastly outnumbered, he held his position for over an hour before withdrawing. He had been defeated, but his reputation wasn't affected in the least. 

       His brigade was placed under Major General John C. Breckinridge's command at the Battle of New Market (which became famous because of the service there of the V.M.I. Cadets). Echols brigade helped Breckinridge secure a victory. Soon after the battle, he again was forced to relinquish his command because of "neuralgia of the heart." The disease causes severe pains in the chest. 

       Echols returned to duty as the commander of the District of Southwest Virginia in August of 1864. He defeated a Federal force at the Battle of Saltville in October of that year. When he learned of Lee's retreat from Petersburg and Richmond, he gathered a force of 7,000 men and marched to meet Lee. He learned of Lee's surrender while moving to meet him. Echols then moved his command to join Joseph E. Johnston's army in North Carolina. When Johnston surrendered, Echols fled with the Confederate government in an attempt to escape the country without being forced to surrender. He was captured at Augusta, Georgia. 

A post-war image of John Echols

       Echols eventually settled in Staunton (pronounced Stanton), Virginia (having spent almost all the war in the Shenandoah Valley). He would see work as a banker, run a railroad, and serve on the board at Washington and Lee University. Despite years of health problems, Echols would live until 1896, dying of kidney disease in Stuanton, Virginia. He was 73 years old. He rests today in Thornrose Cemetery in that city. 

Jerry and I at the grave of John Echols (Echols rests just to my right about even with the second block up)

A variant of the first image of John Echols

       

The Ultimate Civil Wargasm, Part I

Me with a switch trying to whip Ole Man, but he got up too quick

       Jerry, his wife Melanie, Stacie, and I had planned a trip to get over fifty Confederate general's graves, not to mention a couple of battlefields along the way. We left home about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and drove all the way to Abingdon, Virginia where we spent the night. The next morning, the gasm began in earnest. We drove to Sinking Spring Cemetery in Abingdon the next morning and got Brigadier General John Buchanan Floyd. Floyd is the general who was in command at Fort Donelson in February of 1862 and escaped during the night to keep from surrendering to General Grant. He would spend the rest of his life in western Virginia commanding a minor post. He fretted over how the world would remember his military career and rightly so. He is considered one of the worst generals to serve the Confederacy. 

Jerry and I with General Floyd

       We then headed up the road about fifteen miles to Old Glade Spring Presbyterian Churchyard in Glade Spring, Virginia. There we visited the grave of Brigadier General William Edmondson "Grumble" Jones. General Jones had married while serving in the old U.S. Army. He was carrying his new bride to Texas when the ship they were on sank in a hurricane. Jones attempted to save his wife, but she was pulled from his grasp and drowned. Jones became a very bitter man for the remainder of his life. He despised the fun loving Jeb Stuart who he served under during the first part of the war. Jones was killed at the Battle of Piedmont when he was shot in the head. He happens to be one of Stacie's favorite Confederate generals because of his nickname "Grumble". 

Me and Stacie with Grumble Jones

       We left Old Glade Spring and headed to Wytheville, Virginia and East End Cemetery. There we visited the graves of Brigadier General William Terry and Brigadier General James Alexander Walker. Walker was chosen by Stonewall Jackson to command the famed Stonewall Brigade. I told Jerry about the time that Walker threw a brick at Stonewall Jackson while Jackson taught at V.M.I. He narrowly missed hitting Jackson in the head. Jerry said that is a good example of keeping your friends close, but your enemies closer. 

Brigadier General William Terry

Brigadier General James Alexander Walker

       We left Wytheville and headed to Radford, Virginia. This grave worried me more than any other on our list. When I searched the Wharton Family Cemetery in Radford on google maps, it showed the cemetery behind a house in a subdivision. The area on the map was behind the pool in the backyard. I told Jerry that I doubted the directions I had were accurate. Jerry said he wasn't afraid to walk up and ask the people at the house if we could go through their backyard and visit the grave. Amazingly, we drove through someone's driveway, past the house and pool and right to the cemetery. There we found the grave of Brigadier General Gabriel Colvin Wharton beneath a large tree. 

Me and Ole Man with Gabriel Colvin Wharton

       We left Radford and headed for one of the better parts of our trip. Lexington, Virginia and the graves of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson among others was awaiting us. My wife began to get excited. I watched Jerry for signs of excitement, but he was busy irritating his wife Melanie. I said, "Jerry, you have driven your wife crazy." He replied, "Yeah, but I didn't have far to drive." (More on the arguments later). 

       We arrived in Lexington and visited the home of Stonewall Jackson first. We were in a hurry and didn't tour the house (besides, I'd been through it before). We got our pictures made outside and struck out for the cemetery. It was there that we got the graves of Brigadier General William Nelson Pendleton (the general that exclaimed at First Manassas while commanding artillery, "Fire low men and may God forgive their misguided souls"), Brigadier General Edwin Gray Lee (a cousin of Robert E. Lee), Brigadier General Elisha Franklin Paxton (a friend of Stonewall Jackson and also killed at Chancellorsville), and of course Lieutenant General Stonewall Jackson. We also learned that Jerry's twin brother is buried here. (More on this later).

Friday morning found Stacie and I on the front porch of Stonewall's house

Stacie and I at Stonewall's grave

Wind had blown the flags down, so I had a good excuse to climb the fence

Me and Ole man forgot our coats for this photo with Edwin Gray Lee

Elisha Franklin "Bull" Paxton

William Nelson Pendleton

       We left Stonewall Memorial Cemetery and headed north to Lee Chapel on the grounds of Washington and Lee University. It was here that Robert E. Lee served as college president until his death. He is buried beneath the chapel that he had built on campus along with his wife, his family, along with his two sons that were Confederate generals, George Washington Custis Lee and William Henry Fitzhugh Lee. It was here that Stacie got tears in her eyes as we visited the monument to Lee. We were actually walking on top of his grave as we walked around the monument. 

Me and Stacie standing where Lee's casket sat during his funeral

Me and Ole Man with Robert E. Lee

       We then headed to V.M.I. where we toured the museum. Stacie gave me a heart attack as we approached the college when she saw the cannons Jackson commanded at First Manassas called Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. She screamed and I locked up the brakes almost throwing the Ole Man through the windshield of the van. My hands shook for thirty minutes and Ole Man's hair turned a little grayer than normal. 

Jackson's artillery, the small flowers in front marks the grave of Little Sorrel his horse

       In the museum, we got to see the rain coat Stonewall was wearing when he was killed at Chancellorsville. We also saw the amputation kit used to cut off his arm. I got to pose in front of Little Sorrel which had been mounted following his death. I didn't notice anything small about Little Sorrel, it looked like a normal sized horse to me, but what do I know about horses. 

Little Sorrel

Me with Jackson's rain coat in the background

       It was at this place that I walked around a corner and found Melanie staring at painting and rolling in laughter. I walked up and asked, "Are you o.k.?" She said, "Who does that picture look just like?" I looked at the painting of Colonel Francis Henney Smith (the commandant of V.M.I. during the war) and realized he looked just like Jerry. I said, "That looks just like Ole Man." Melanie laughed and said, "And he's a Smith too." Ole Man then proceeded to pose in front of the painting of his long lost twin brother.

Jerry Smith with Francis Henney Smith

       We soon left V.M.I. and were back on the road headed to Staunton, Virginia. Jerry and Melanie were soon back to arguing as usual. (I have a theory as to why they argue so much. They like to have make up sex later at night, so they argue all day.) Here is a typical conversation as we're driving down the interstate. 

Melanie: "Tim, do you know Little Bob who lives in Russellville?"

Tim: "Never heard of him."

Melanie: "Jerry said that you knew him is why I'm asking."

Jerry: "Woman, I ain't said no such thing."

Melanie: "Yes you did."

Jerry: "Where in the world do you get this stuff. I haven't mentioned Little Bob to Tim."

Melanie: "I heard you talking to him about Little Bob."

Jerry (shaking his head): "I tell you what, that woman don't half listen."

       And the conversation continues for about another half hour. Now you know why I have so much fun with them on trips. This blog will probably take about four parts to complete and I will try to have part II on in a few days. Stay tuned....

Calvin R. Lackey: A Civil War Uncle

Corporal Calvin R. Lackey

       When I was a kid, my Uncle Lawrence Kent and I spent hours at our local library attempting to find a Civil War ancestor. We searched the Kent line, but came up empty (this was before the internet made searching other states and counties possible). We went up the Lackey line, which is my dad's mother. A member of the family has a family Bible that records our Lackey family tree back to the 1700's and Scotland. 

       Following that line back we knew that dad's mother Oma Leola Lackey's father was Elisha Franklin Lackey born in 1868 and died in 1943. I always thought his father named him this for a reason. There was a general in Lee's army named Elisha Franklin Paxton and I wondered if my great-great-grandfather may have fought under Paxton and named a son for him. I soon learned this to not be the case as far as I can tell. 

Elisha Franklin Lackey and Mary Elizabeth Burnett

       There is absolutely no record of Elisha's father serving in the Civil War on either side. His name was Isaac Reed Lackey and he was born in 1825 and died in 1887. He rests today in Macedonia Cemetery, Sand Mountain, Alabama. After my uncle died and about the time all this information began being placed online, I found that Elisha Franklin Lackey had a brother named Calvin R. Lackey and he served in Lee's army. Calvin was a corporal in Company E, 48th Alabama Infantry which served in Taliaferro's Brigade, Stonewall Jackson's Division at Antietam. Calvin enlisted on April 12, 1862 in Hendrixville, Dekalb County, Alabama for three years or the duration of the war. 

       In 1863, he is listed as a deserter and later I learned this to be a false report. He was actually wounded and captured during the Battle of Antietam in Maryland on September 17, 1863. He would eventually die of his wounds at Point Lookout, Maryland Prisoner of War Camp and buried there. The marker shown above is in Black Oak Cemetery in Grove Oak, Dekalb County, Alabama and is in memory of my long lost uncle who still rests in Maryland. 

The final resting place of Corporal Calvin Lackey

       I now know that Calvin R. Lackey most likely was wounded and captured in the Bloody Cornfield at Sharpsburg. I visited this place in 1996 and only wished at the time that I had known this information. I look forward to returning there and honoring the memory of my uncle who fought under Stonewall Jackson. 

       

Brigadier General Elisha Franklin Paxton

       Now lets take a long stretch and pretend that the names may mean something. Brigadier General Elisha Franklin Paxton was only a major at the Battle of Antietam. He was Stonewall Jackson's Chief of Staff during the Maryland Campaign. Following the battle, Jackson promoted Paxton from major to brigadier general much to the chagrin of A.P. Hill who disliked Paxton. This brings us to the question, was Elisha Franklin Lackey named for Paxton because of something Calvin Lackey wrote home about or was he named this by coincidence. Probably, I will never know, but the information definitely makes my head spin.