Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Grand Old Partisan
I think you're placing way too much confidence in the central organizing capability of the CSA. I wrote my thesis on this issue, based on the extensive collection of letters two of my gg grandfathers wrote home to their wives and other family members.

One of the main problems with that body was the total inability to enforce orders on down the line. There was an awful lot of autonomy even at the platoon level -- my gg grandfather's company ELECTED their officers every so often . . . and there is constant trouble -- mentioned frequently in his letters -- with getting even discipline, let alone orders from On High, enforced. As Willie said to Joe in a more recent conflict, "Drink it all. That guy who put out the order about shavin' ain't comin' up here."

It doesn't matter what "the law" or the Army Regulation was - you'll have to look down at least to brigade and probably to regimental level to find out what was really going on.

99 posted on 04/19/2003 8:39:33 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother (. . . there is nothing new under the sun.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies ]


To: AnAmericanMother
EXACTLY!

the rebel army was MOSTLY state, privately-raised & local units and a FEW PACSA troops.

damn few state, local OR privately raised units cared anything about what the Richmond bureaucrats wanted. mostly, they IGNORED the orders that camr down from the PACSA staff or "misunderstood" the orders.

free dixie,sw

116 posted on 04/19/2003 10:01:21 AM PDT by stand watie (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. : Thomas Jefferson 1774)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies ]

To: AnAmericanMother
It doesn't matter what "the law" or the Army Regulation was - you'll have to look down at least to brigade and probably to regimental level to find out what was really going on.

Which is why it was not uncommon to find blacks being used in a supporting role - teamsters, cooks, servants and the like - in spite of the fact that it was against the law to do so. But combat soldiers? Not likely.

120 posted on 04/19/2003 10:36:04 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson