The FReeper Foxhole Profiles General Gouverneur K. Warren, CE - April 11th, 2004

http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/history/vignettes/Vignette_53.htm ^

[JustAmy]

Graphic by MamaBear

Happy Easter Everybody Amy's Place.

Special Easter Blessings
Are wished from us to you
To wish you peace and happiness
With everything you do
Special Easter blessings
Are sent a long long way
And by the time it reaches you
I hope it brightens your day

© 2000 Agnes Marshall

[SAMWolf]

Thanks JustAmy.

[PhilDragoo]

2001 Ending a tense 11-day standoff, China agreed to free the 24 crew members of an American spy plane after President George W. Bush said he was "very sorry" for the death of a Chinese fighter pilot whose plane had collided with the American aircraft.

"Collided"?

"Collided"?

The fanatic jackass kept harrassing until he flew through the prop!

In international waters!

[PhilDragoo]

[PhilDragoo]

[SAMWolf]

Evening Phil Dragoo. I had a Revell model of the POGO.

[SAMWolf]

Pity the Yankee General
June 18, 2001

It never occurred to me to ever feel sorry for any Yankee general.

Years of reading Civil War history have left me feeling sorry for many Confederate generals.

Some died sadly on the battlefield: Albert Sidney Johnston in his first major engagement, Stonewall Jackson shot by his own soldiers, A. P. Hill killed just before Lee surrendered, J.E.B. Stuart shot from the saddle, Bishop-General Leonidas Polk hit by a cannonball on a mountaintop in Georgia, and the six generals killed at Franklin in December 1864 by Hood’s folly.

Other southern generals deserve sorrow for their ineptness or because circumstances got in their way: northern-born John Pemberton trapped at Vicksburg, Braxton Bragg blinded to his own faults at Chattanooga, P.G.T. Beauregard victimized by his own vivid imagination, Joe Johnston a prisoner of his self-esteem and master of non-engagement, Gideon Pillow the coward of Ft. Donelson, John Hood who lost a leg and an arm and then a whole army charging when he should not, James Longstreet whom Jubal Early painted unfairly as a villain after Gettysburg, and a dozen or so others.

But, southern-biased as I am-mostly because Civil War history writing for years was dominated by southerners and some admiring northern writers, and because I am a southerner and love underdogs-it has only been in recent years that I have felt much sympathy for northern generals.

Most historians agree that Pope, Hooker, Burnside, and especially John Fremont, Franz Sigel, “Beast” Butler, and Nathaniel Banks were inadequate leaders who either suffered justly or who never got the disdain they deserved. But as more and more history books have poured off the presses, I find myself drawn sympathetically to several Yankee generals: Carlos Buell, George Thomas, Fitz-John Porter, and G. K. Warren especially.

Generals Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Phil Sheridan emerge as the most illustrious generals for the northern side. These three had the good luck to be in command as the war ended.

Grant lost thousands and thousands of men in needless bloody charges in which his only strategy seemed to be “out-number them and keep pouring northern troops at them”. He erred in almost removing George Thomas from command in Tennessee, although Thomas had been the hero of Chickamauga and had defeated Hood at Franklin, and defeated Hood decisively at Nashville just in time to avoid being shelved.

Sherman, for years despised in the South for “marching through Georgia,” comes off looking good in recent histories, for he took pains to spare his men and avoid big battles, electing to wear down his enemy with time and maneuvers, and while he destroyed much property on his march, he really took or lost few lives.

But nothing I have read has changed my early opinion that Phil Sheridan was one of the most reprehensible and uncouth generals on either side. He loved slaughtering and self-serving reports and press releases, and he was the epitome of vanity. He relished ravaging the Shenandoah Valley

My distaste for Sheridan has increased with reading David M. Jordan’s “Happiness Is Not My Companion” (Indiana University Press, 2001, 402 pp.), about Sheridan’s (and Grant’s) shabby treatment of General Gouverneur K. Warren, the general whose rapid action in sending troops to Little Round Top sealed the fate of Lee’s army at Gettysburg, and a general who performed well from the Wilderness to Petersburg (especially Mine Run), and who won the major last victory in Virginia, at Five Forks, as Lee retreated to Appomatox.

At the height of his victory, Warren was summarily relieved on the spot by Sheridan. He spent the rest of his life as an army engineer waiting until Grant-who would hear no criticism of Sheridan-was no longer president for a hearing and a clearing of his name.

A prolonged hearing was finally held, but Warren-who died in 1882-was not alive to receive the vindication of his name and fame. It came a few weeks after Warren died, and 17 years after his mistreatment. The court issued a mild opinion clearing him (which Sheridan countered with a pamphlet impugning Warren and ignoring the court of inquiry). Sympathetic observers raised funds for a home for Warren’s widow and lobbied successfully for a pension for her, and others erected a statue of Warren atop Little Round Top, the most familiar monument to tourists at Gettysburg. It was a victory that came too late.

Warren, like General Chamberlain who served under him, should have received a Medal of Honor. Instead, he got military cover-up and grief from revered generals-Grant and Sheridan, whose reputations he had made.

Larry McGehee

[Professional Engineer]

I learned something rather cool this weekend. I was talking with Msdrby's mom about the flag presented at the grandad's funeral recently. Mom said we'd receive the flag in the end.

Mom also told me we'd get the Confederate flag presented at Msdrby's father's funeral. That raised my eyebrows! It seems Msdrby's father was a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. This also makes our son eligible to join.

Wow, between your threads and everything else I've learned in the last year regarding the WBTS, I've sure got some thoughts to ponder. History being written by the victor sure takes on a personal side.

[Professional Engineer]

ROFLOL!

[PhilDragoo]

High resolution available by placing cursor at lower right corner of this image to produce enlarge button.

Throughout the post-war period, Warren had never ceased in his efforts to obtain an investigation into his removal from command at Five Forks. Repeatedly thwarted in his attempt to get his day in court, first by Sheridan (who was chief of the Armies by then) and then Grant who used the power of the Presidency to block any inquiry. It wasn’t till December 1879, after Grant left office, that President Rutherford B. Hayes ordered a Court of Inquiry. The Court convened in January 1880 and in July 1881 after hearing over a 100 witnesses they left to consider a verdict. Throughout the trial and after there was a storm of controversy as both sides and their circle of friends rallied to each side’s defense. On one side were Grant Sheridan, and Sherman. On the other were such men as Chamberlain and Griffin who replaced Warren at Five Forks. In summary, what comes through is the hypocrisy of Sheridan, and his friends, and how it really was a personality conflict. [Sheridan admitted that he had no idea where Warren was during the Battle or what he was doing. What Warren was doing was leading his men around Pickett's flanks and into their rear] The verdict came in November 1882, exonerating Warren of all major accusations related to the Five Forks affair. However, Warren would never know his name had finally been cleared: he died on 8 August 1882 of “acute liver failure” related to diabetes. Among his comments on his death bed he said “I die a bitter bitter man’. His last words were ‘The flag, the flag, oh the flag!” One other thing that has struck me is this; just before Gettysburg he left specific instructions with his father that if he should be killed in combat he was to be buried in his uniform with all the ruffles and flourishes of a military funeral. When he was preparing for his death, he instructed his beloved wife that he not be buried in his uniform, but in his favorite suit, no flag or anything other related to the his military career. However on his tombstone, there is the 5th Corp and the 2nd Corp symbol and the symbol of what is now known as the Corp of Engineers. The tomb stone reads, Gouverneur K. Warren Major Gen. U.S.V. “He has written his epitaph with sword and pen.” Warren left his wife, Emily Chase Warren a son Sydney, and a daughter, Emily.

"Happiness Is Not My Companion" — The Life of General G.K. Warren

by David M. Jordan

Illustrated, maps, endnotes, bibliography, index, 401 pp., 2001. Indiana University Press, 601 North Morton St., Bloomington, IN 47404-3797, $35.00 plus shipping.

David M. Jordan’s "Happiness Is Not My Companion"— The Life of General G.K. Warren is a superb biography of an often overlooked and misunderstood Union officer. The story of Gouverneur Kemble Warren is essential to any comprehensive understanding of the Army of the Potomac, and Jordan tells Warren’s story quite well.

G.K. Warren possessed one of the most brilliant minds in the Army of the Potomac. He also possessed an explosive temper, a moody gloom that affected his spirits, and a propensity to share his brilliance with his superiors, whether or not they wanted him to do so. Warren’s intellect and uneven temperament made him a poor match for men like Ulysses Grant, Phil Sheridan and even his fellow engineer George Meade.

Warren’s life and career can be divided into the period before the April 1, 1865, battle of Five Forks, and the period after his brusque removal from command of the Fifth Corps by Sheridan. Jordan covers both periods extensively in his brisk narrative, using a wealth of documentation.

Warren believed that Sheridan committed an unpardonable injustice against him at Five Forks, and spent the rest of his life trying to right this wrong. Warren’s quest for redemption consumed him in nearly every sense of the word. He remained in the military for the sole purpose of obtaining a court of inquiry into his actions at Five Forks.

He abandoned postwar opportunities for wealth and comfort in order to restore his honor. In the end, depression, stress, bitterness and overwork ruined Warren’s health.

Jordan is sympathetic to his subject, but not to the point of hero worship. Warren’s flaws and their impact on his battlefield performance are ex-amined closely. Despite his flaws, Warren emerges from these pages as a courageous and capable officer.

Fans of Phil Sheridan, on the other hand, will no doubt take issue with Jordan’s depiction of their hero. Calling him a "coarse" and "crude" little man, Jordan portrays Sheridan as a petulant and not altogether honest soldier who expected Warren to do the impossible at Five Forks, then punished him in a reprehensible way when Warren did not meet his expectations.

Superior in many ways to his biography of Winfield Scott Hancock, Jordan’s book will remain the definitive study of G.K. Warren for some time to come.

John E. Deppen

John E. Deppen is a member of the Susquehanna Civil War Round Table. He has an MA in military studies with honors in Civil War studies from American Military University.

Easterspankenbunnen

[SAMWolf]

It seems Msdrby's father was a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. This also makes our son eligible to join.

Cool! It's part of your family's heritage, I hope you and your son take advantage of it.

[SAMWolf]

It seems Msdrby's father was a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. This also makes our son eligible to join.

Cool! It's part of your family's heritage, I hope you and your son take advantage of it.

[SAMWolf]

EasterspankenbunnenWOW! Nice eggs!!

[snippy_about_it]

Easterspankenbunnen

Grrrrr! You guys!!!! How am I ever going to rally my truppen?

[snippy_about_it]

Ah, the famous "wong way" pilot. How quick history is re-written.

[Professional Engineer]

Easterspankenbunnen

Oh my!

[Professional Engineer]

We watched the first half of Gods and Generals tonight. WOW.

[snippy_about_it]

We watched the John Wayne version of the Alamo! Gods and Generals is on my list!

[Soaring Feather]

:-) LOL

[SAMWolf]

I've got the DVD, saw it in the theatre but havn't watched it on the DVD yet.