Posted on 06/28/2005 10:45:07 AM PDT by Moose4
MEMPHIS, Tennessee (AP) -- Novelist and Civil War historian Shelby Foote, whose appearances on a PBS-TV documentary series helped America better understand one of the most defining periods of its past, has died, his family said Tuesday.
Foote's widow, Gwen, said her husband, who was 88, died Monday night.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Brian died too?? He was fairly young! He and Mr. Foote were my favorite commentators from the PBS documentary. Most of them were clearly biased.
Mr. Pohanka was in his 40's. Here's the article:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1424902/posts
I remember seeing him say that one of his greatest moments was having the opportunity to hold and wave Nathan Bedford Forrest's sword.
Yes he did....a great loss.
Thanks for the link. Such a vital man, what a tragic loss. Shelby Foote and Brian Pohanka, I bet they have some great ole times up there...
I'm looking forward to the "Great Civil War Roundtable in the Sky," myself, although I'll probably have nothing to contribute but "Oh wow! Cool!"
Who knows but it may be given to us after this life to meet again in the old quarters, to play chess and draughts, to get up soon to answer the morning roll call, to fall in at the tap of the drum for drill and dress parade and again to hastily don our gear while the monotonous patter of the long roll summons to battle? Who knows but again the old flags, ragged and torn snapping in the wind, may face each other and flutter, pursuing and pursued, while the cries of victory fill a summer day? And after the battle, then the slain and wounded will arise, and all will meet together under the two flags, all sound and well and there will be talking and laughter and cheers, and all will say did it not seem real? Was it not as in the old days?
Shelby Foote has gone to answer the Long Roll --- RIP
Thanks for posting this. May God rest his soul. I so enjoyed his conversational style on The Civil War on PBS; such a gentle southern style. Prayers for him and his mourning family.
Major Ballou was a mighty poet. I cannot read beyond the first line of his famous letter before it gets blurry.
Memory Eternal!
Another piece of music that makes my eyes blur. Did you know it was written by a Jewish guy from the Bronx? (these are the composer's words)
I loved his accent too, but IIRC he was born in Tennessee and lived in Mississippi. My dad's family have lived in Virginia since Jamestown, and I'd be glad to claim Mr. Foote as a Virginian-- so I'll check it.
He was born in Greenville, Mississippi. So I guess he couldn't have been any good. /sarcasm off
Which covers all aspects of life these days. I've heard and/or read that that during America's Civil War, participants were remarkably literate and that's gone downhill ever since.
I stand corrected. It was, however, a beautiful accent.
It's a great tune, thanks
huh????
I'm just impressed that no one seems to want to recognize that this fine man was really from Mississippi by birth and choice for most of his life. If he has a great accent, it must be from Virginia. If he's talented, he must be from Tennessee. I'm not being critical of you. I'm just getting irritated that no one is recognizing that Mississippi can produce great folks, just like other States. He's a product of MISSISSIPPI, for goodness sakes.
I wasn't the one who first posted it but I don't know why you're misinterpreting things.
Apparently I had it backwards then, that he was born in Mississippi and perhaps lived in Tennessee? Well so what! I didn't believe he was born in Virginia, but I said I'd check. Ye gads and liddle fishees!
June 16th.
Mike
Thanks, Mike.
I don't mean to attack you. Your posting was just that last straw in a series of posts attributing him to other states. Mississippi is the birthplace of a remarkable number of great American writers, as unlikely as that may seem, given the press it usually gets.
"Most people, if the truth be told, are gigantic bores," he once said. "There's no need to subject yourself to that kind of thing."
Ya' gotta love the old man. ;o)
He was a great historian, and writer.
He lived a good life.
He made Mississippi proud.
Thanks for the ping.
Agreed. A beautiful accent indeed!
There's a funny story about high school students watching Ken Burns's program and writing about it afterwards thinking that Foote served in the Civil War himself.
Edward Baker's death at Ball's Bluff - "He who had called for sudden, bold, forward, determined war received it in the form of a bullet to the brain"
Grant sends the army south after the Wilderness - can't quote exactly, but the sense is that the Army of the Potomac had been in the cycle of fight-lose-reorganize for three years. Now they had fought and lost, and yet Grant was taking another crack at Lee....the men sang and cheered as they saw the head of their long column was turning south rather than north
And above all, his chilling account of Lincoln's assasination. Within two months of reading it, I felt compelled to visit Ford's Theatre and the Petersen house to stand where it happened.
Celestial music.
I couldn't agree more.
Agreed. I've read the entire series twice and it's the best example of narrative history I have ever read. May he rest in peace.
Absolutely. My E. MS relatives sound a lot different than my Delta relatives (especially the women).
Just, damn!
godspeed mr foote
My daughter thought that my father was in the Civil War ... but she was only 7.
Bump that. One of the main things I remember from the TV series was the amazing verbal fluency of the letters from common soldiers. They could really string words together. When you look at the actual texts, you see that they couldn't spell or punctuate, but they could communicate.
I expect it came largely from listening to the Bible, and to the great political speakers of the day.
Shelby Foote reminded me a lot of my late father (who was, himself, descended from a couple of Civil War heroes, one of whom was with Lee at Appomattox). Sad day.
I really enjoyed his commentary on PBS, as well. Besides all that knowledge, he had a great voice. Mesmerizing.
Shelby Foote Bump
He was what made Ken Burn's Civil War series worth watching. He was just so low key, and had that soft gentleman's Southern Accent. He was also born the year before my Daddy, though my Daddy will have been gone 24 years this August.
I'd say he was BETTER than most historians. He made history come alive, and made people WANT to read and understand it.
Brian Pohanka! I just went and googled him. He was only 50 years old! Just damn!
Loved his books and loved listening to him. Sad passing indeed.
Mr Foote, may you gently rest in arms of the Lord.
Deo Vindice
/jasper
From the AP story:
'During World War II, he was an Army captain of artillery until he lost his commission for using a military vehicle without authorization to visit a female friend and was discharged from the Army. He joined the Marines and was still stateside when the war ended.
"The Marines had a great time with me," he said. "They said if you used to be a captain, you might make a pretty good Marine."
Rest in Peace
LOL, but sad.
I will miss Shelby Foote.
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