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The FReeper Foxhole Remembers Gen. Richard Ewell at Gettysburg (7/1/1863) - Mar. 17th, 2005
America's Civil War Magazine | Samuel J. Martin

Posted on 03/16/2005 9:40:41 PM PST by SAMWolf



Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


.................................................................. .................... ...........................................

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Did Baldy Ewell Lose Gettysburg?


After disobeying Robert E. Lee's orders to avoid a general engagement at Gettysburg, Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell received an order to 'press those people.' His failure to do so created a controversy that survives to this day.


Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell


Late in the afternoon of July 1, 1863, after a full day of fierce fighting, Confederate troops finally drove the Union defenders from the fields west of Gettysburg. As the Union troops fled east toward the haven of Cemetery Hill, General Robert E. Lee sent the following order to Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell, commander of the II Corps, whose men had gained victory that day: "The enemy [is] retreating over those hills ... in great confusion. You only need press those people to secure possession of the heights ... .Do this, if possible." Legend tells us that, at that crucial moment, "Old Bald Head" lost his nerve. Instead of pursuing the fleeing Union soldiers, who were so panicked they could not defend themselves, Ewell held back, allowing the Federals to entrench atop Cemetery Hill. The advantage of holding the heights led to the Union victory at Gettysburg. Ewell's indecision supposedly cost the South the battle.

While this is an interesting story -- and one that has been repeated again and again in many books about the Civil War -- it is also a lie that libels Ewell. The story was concocted by Lee's apologists in a postwar attempt to shift the blame for losing the battle from their hero onto Ewell. In truth, Lee sent no definitive orders directing Ewell to pursue the enemy when the Union lines broke at Gettysburg, and Ewell was not benumbed by indecision when he should have been chasing the Federals to prevent them from establishing an impregnable position on top of Cemetery Hill. The proof of this lies in a close study of the battle, including the location and strength of the opposing forces once the first day's fighting had ended, and in how the key participants reacted to the changing events of the day.



It all began because too many Rebels were barefoot. "A large supply of shoes were stored in Gettysburg, but there was evidently a [Union] cavalry force occupying the town," Confederate Maj. Gen. Henry Heth stated, "and [my] men reported the beat of drums, indicating infantry." There was always the risk of battle, but Heth went to his superior, Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill, chief of the III Corps in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. "If there is no objection, I will march my division ... to Gettysburg, and secure those shoes," Heth requested. "Do so!" Hill replied.

Heth started his column of 7,500 troops, including the infantry brigades led by Brig. Gens. James J. Archer, Joseph R. Davis, John M. Brockenbrough and James J. Pettigrew, down Chambersburg Pike toward Gettysburg at 5 a.m. on July 1. About three miles west of the small crossroads village, Heth's advance was met by Federal skirmishers from Colonel William Gamble's brigade of Maj. Gen. John Buford's cavalry division. This confrontation started about 5:30 a.m.

Gamble's objective was to delay the Rebels until Union infantry reached the field. The Union Army of the Potomac, under Maj. Gen. George C. Meade, was hurrying through Maryland to intercept the Confederates, who were concentrating just north of the border.


McPherson Ridge and Woods, the Federal position on July 1. In the woods at the right, General Reynolds was killed. The cupola of the Theological Seminary appears in the background.


When the Union pickets opened fire, Heth halted, formed into battle line and began to slowly probe his front to test the strength of the force that was blocking his way into Gettysburg. Two hours passed. When the Confederates finally climbed Herr Ridge, they saw ahead a meandering creek, Willoughby Run. On the opposite bank, the ground sloped upward to McPherson's Ridge, where Gamble's 1,600 men were posted. Heth sent Archer's and Davis' brigades, totaling 3,800 troops, ahead to face the Union line. They exchanged fire from a distance with the Federal cavalry for two more hours.

At about 10 a.m., Union Maj. Gen. John Reynolds' infantry corps came marching into Gettysburg. Brigadier General James A. Wadsworth's division, including the brigades led by Brig. Gens. Lysander Cutler and Solomon Meredith, arrived first and pressed forward to relieve Gamble's exhausted troops, who were still aligned along McPherson's Ridge. The cavalry withdrew to the left, below the slope, as a reserve force. Just as Wadsworth's men took their post, the Confederates under Archer and Davis charged. Both sides absorbed terrible losses in the one-hour melee. At first the Southerners prevailed, but a Northern counterattack pushed them back.


Maj. Gen. John F. Reynolds.


The two sides then resumed their original positions, content to continue the battle by exchanging artillery fire. During the clash, Archer was captured and taken to the rear, where he was warmly greeted by Maj. Gen. Abner Doubleday, an old friend from prewar days, who had just taken command of I Corps after Reynolds had been killed by a sniper.

"Archer!" Doubleday exclaimed on seeing him. "I am glad to see you."

"Well, I am not glad to see you," Archer snarled, "not by a damned sight, Doubleday!"

When the I Corps' remaining divisions, led by Brig. Gens. John C. Robinson and Thomas Rowley, arrived at Gettysburg at 11 a.m., the latter's two brigades pushed ahead to reinforce Wadsworth; Robinson's brigades were held in reserve in Gettysburg to face the enemy's II Corps, reported to be approaching from the north.

Ewell, with only Maj. Gen. Robert E. Rodes' division in hand, arrived at Gettysburg at about noon. As he came out of the woods that crowned Oak Hill, Ewell saw the exposed Union flank below him and knew he had an unparalleled opportunity to rout the enemy.


Scene north of Gettysburg from Oak Ridge. The Federal position may he seen near the edge of the open fields in the middle distance.


After giving Rodes orders to deploy his 8,125 soldiers for battle, Ewell sent Major Campbell Brown, his stepson and principal aide, to find Lee and tell him that Ewell meant to join the fray. Brown found Lee on Herr Ridge, where both he and Hill had come after hearing the bark of muskets and bellow of cannons. Lee sent Campbell back to Ewell with an astounding order: "Do not charge; I want to avoid a general engagement."



Had Stonewall Jackson sent Ewell those instructions, he would have meekly complied without question. Jackson, who had died in May, never granted his subordinates any discretion. Lee, however, was a different type of commander, one who expected his leaders to use their own judgment. He had, for example, told Ewell to bypass Winchester while heading through the Shenandoah Valley to Pennsylvania. When Ewell saw that he could rout the Yankees occupying the small village, he decided to disobey Lee's orders, attacked the enemy and won a decisive victory over the Northern defenders. Lee did not reprove Ewell for disregarding his instructions at Winchester. Now Ewell saw a similar chance for glory at Gettysburg, and he again elected to flout Lee's directive.

Brown advised that now was not the time to disobey Lee. He described Lee as seething with anger, "showing a querulous impatience ... I never saw before." Lee's ire was the result of cavalry head Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's disregarding his instructions. "He's gone off around the Federal Army," Lee groused, "failing to keep in constant communication with me."

Despite Brown's warning that Lee was in no mood to see his orders ignored, Ewell could not pass up the opportunity to assault the open Union flank. The enemy troops were so vulnerable that they could be quickly routed, which would not be a "general engagement," Ewell reasoned. He decided to gamble his rank and career by proceeding with a charge. In giving the written order to his division commanders, Rodes and Maj. Gen. Jubal Early, Ewell stressed that, after driving the enemy from the ground, they must break off their engagement. This point was also verbally emphasized by the messengers dispatched to both Rodes and Early.


Earthworks at Culp's Hill constructed by soldiers of the Iron Brigade.


Before he could launch his attack, Rodes had to switch from column into battle formation. He moved Brig. Gen. Junius Daniel's brigade west to flank the Federals along McPherson's Ridge; Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson's men would slip behind the Union forces on the hill to take the enemy from the rear. Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Edward A. O'Neal's troops would come down Oak Ridge, where they would be in a position to block a Union retreat. Brigadier General George Doles would guard Rodes' left flank; Brig. Gen. Stephen Ramseur's brigade would be his reserve.

As the Confederates filed into position, the Federals hastened to meet the enemy threat. Brigadier Generals Gabriel Paul and Henry Baxter rushed their troops, 2,600 men in all, out of Gettysburg and into a line facing northwest along Oak Ridge.



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About that same time, the Union XI Corps, led by Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard, reached the battlefield. Howard's command included divisions under Brig. Gens. Carl Schurz, Francis C. Barlow and Adolph von Steinwehr. Schurz's two small brigades rushed into position on the right, northwest of Gettysburg; Barlow's 3,400 men extended the line east to Rock Creek. The Union soldiers grimly awaited the arrival of Early's division.



Rodes' alignment took much longer than he had expected, and the arrival of fresh Federal troops added desperation to his assault. As a result, when Rodes' troops finally advanced at about 2 p.m., their charge was delivered piecemeal. O'Neal had 1,800 soldiers at hand, and in his haste to attack the Federals he sent only three of his five regiments down Oak Ridge against Paul, who easily repulsed the charge.

Iverson's 1,500 troops moved ahead at about 2:30 p.m. As the men advanced, looking for the enemy on their right, they failed to spot Baxter's force, hiding behind a stone wall to their left. The Federals waited until the Confederates were opposite their position, then rose and poured a savage salvo into Iverson's flank. Five hundred men, a third of the brigade, fell from the withering fire of Union rifles. Almost 400 more were quickly captured.

To the right, Daniel started his 2,300-man brigade down McPherson's Ridge. When they saw Iverson under assault near the stone wall, three of the five regiments swerved left to the rescue. They not only were too late to save Iverson but also left Daniel with just two regiments for his own assault. As a result, Daniel was easily repulsed.



Heth, on Herr Ridge, saw Ewell's attack falter. Turning to Lee, he asked if he should press Pettigrew's and Brockenbrough's brigades into the fray. "No," Lee curtly replied. "I am not prepared to bring on a general engagement today." He was determined to shun battle that day, and no doubt was incensed at Ewell for having defied his orders.

Atop Oak Hill, Ewell watched as Rodes' attack disintegrated. His expectations of a quick victory had vanished, and he knew that Lee's wrath was sure to come his way. Having drawn the Federals into battle, however, Ewell had no choice but to continue the fight. After ordering Rodes to gather his troops for a second charge, Ewell rushed east to check on Doles, who was posted north of Gettysburg. When he reached that front, he found Doles and his 1,500 Georgians under attack by two Union brigades, whose superior numbers enveloped both Confederate flanks. Ewell hurried back to his command post on Oak Hill to bring Ramseur, his only reserve, to Doles' rescue. As he rode west, an enemy artillery shell crashed nearby, killing Ewell's horse and throwing Ewell to the ground. Shaken but otherwise unhurt, the one-legged general gallantly mounted a spare mare and continued his dash back to Oak Hill.

When Ewell finally reached his field headquarters, he was surprised to learn that the battle had shifted dramatically in his favor. Ramseur had taken his 1,100 men, plus a few of O'Neal's troops, and charged the Federals defending Oak Ridge. Both Paul and Baxter had been driven from the field, all the way back to Cemetery Hill. Ramseur was pursuing the fleeing Union soldiers.



Meanwhile, at 4:15 p.m., Daniel had charged again into a railroad cut. He, too, had routed his adversary out of his strong position, and the Federals were reeling in retreat toward Gettysburg. The assault, however, had exhausted Daniel's men, and they had halted along Oak Ridge.

When Lee saw the tide of battle shift in his favor, he suddenly turned aggressive and ordered A.P. Hill to have Heth's reserve brigades (Pettigrew and Brockenbrough) charge the Union line along McPherson's Ridge. The Federals greeted the attack with repeated salvos, dropping hundreds of Confederates, but Heth's troops refused to falter. They clambered up the slope, pushing the enemy back to Seminary Ridge, an extension of Oak Ridge, below Chambersburg Pike. Their lines shattered, Pettigrew and Brockenbrough halted along McPherson's Ridge. Hill sent three of Maj. Gen. Dorsey Pender's brigades chasing after the retiring Federals.

To the east, the threat to Doles' position had been reduced by the sudden appearance of Early's division. He had arrived at about 3 p.m., but paused for half an hour so that his infantrymen could catch their breath after their hard march to the field. Early then charged out of the northeast, sending the brigades led by Brig. Gens. John B. Gordon, Isaac E. Avery and Harry T. Hays against the Union line. The Federals repelled the initial attack from Gordon out of the north, but when Hays came up from the east, the blue-clad troops broke and began running for Gettysburg. The retreat opened the flank to Gordon, who led his brigade toward the Federal ranks. The Union defense collapsed, and the soldiers rushed in disarray toward Gettysburg and the safety of Cemetery Hill. Gordon's troops had exhausted their ammunition in the charge, and they halted above the town; both Hays and Avery pursued the fleeing enemy.


The morning of July 1st, 1863 Maj. Gen. George Meade and a stream of disorganized survivors of the Union army, pass the gatehouse of Evergreen Cemetery, Gettysburg, Pa.


Howard, attempting to stem the Southerners' advance, rushed troops off Cemetery Hill to intercept the oncoming Confederates. As they moved north, however, the reinforcements collided with the Federals running for the rear. The new men panicked and turned to join their compatriots fleeing for the heights.

When the Union right broke, the flank held by Brig. Gens. George von Amsberg and Wladimir Krzyanowski was exposed. They probably did not notice their problem, however, since they were busy dealing with the menace to their front. Doles had charged their line, and as the Federals braced for Doles' blow, Ramseur suddenly exploded against their left flank and rear. The Union defense collapsed, and the troops under von Amsberg and Krzyanowski joined their XI Corps comrades in a desperate run for the haven of Cemetery Hill. Doles and Ramseur followed close on the heels of the enemy.

Howard, upon seeing his corps routed, sent word to the I Corps on Seminary Ridge that the Rebels were coming across its rear, and the I Corps must retire before the Confederate troops closed the gap. The message was never received, and Doubleday's soldiers held their ground, weathering several assaults on their front.


Lunettes, or artillery defense works, on the crest of East Cemetery Hill. The entrance gateway to the public cemetery, which is still in use, appears in the background on the Baltimore Pike.


At about 4:30 p.m., the Confederate superiority in numbers began to tell, and although Union fire opened gaping holes in their ranks, Hill's men finally pushed the Federal I Corps off Seminary Ridge. With the Yankees in full retreat, both Rodes and Early called a halt to their pursuit, following the instructions issued by Ewell at the onset of the battle.

No one disputes this detailed description of the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The controversy begins with the Federal retreat. Those who blame Ewell for losing the battle claim that when Lee saw the enemy fleeing the field, he sent Ewell orders to "press those people [and] secure possession of the heights." They charge that Ewell lacked the courage to carry out Lee's instructions, thus allowing the Federals to entrench on Cemetery Hill, the ultimate key to their victory. How true are the charges?

At about 4:30 p.m., as the Union line began to break, Lee and Hill stood atop Seminary Ridge and watched the Federals retreating through Gettysburg and up Cemetery Hill. While they were thrilled by the Rebel success, they were also stunned by the cost of that victory. Hill had thrown seven brigades into the battle and suffered terrible losses. Archer and Davis, who opened the fray, had taken about 1,400 casualties, one-third of their original number. Their troops lay exhausted on Herr Ridge. Brockenbrough and Pettigrew had lost 648 men, 20 percent of the force that had charged the Union troops on McPherson's Ridge. Their brigades were strewn along the dearly bought ground. Brigadier Generals Abner Perrin, James H. Lane and Alfred Scales, who had pushed the attack against the Federals on Seminary Ridge, had seen more than 1,000 of their men, one-fourth of their commands, fall in the fight. Only Perrin had continued the pursuit of the enemy troops into Gettysburg.


East Cemetery Hill


Lee, who was personally commanding Hill's troops (he had at first refused to order them into battle, then changed his mind and sent them forward), decided at the time to accept what had been accomplished that afternoon. He did not instruct Ewell to mount a charge against Cemetery Hill. He allowed Perrin to return to Seminary Ridge. Had Lee wanted to deny the enemy the heights, he could have sent Maj. Gen. Richard Anderson's division -- just now arriving and ready to fight -- ahead to Cemetery Hill. Instead, Lee told Anderson to prepare to camp for the night.

When he wrote his report, Hill recalled Lee's words, "Prudence led me to be content with what had been gained [in the fight], and not push forward troops [who were] exhausted and necessarily disordered ... to encounter fresh troops from the enemy."

1 posted on 03/16/2005 9:40:42 PM PST by SAMWolf
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To: snippy_about_it; PhilDragoo; Johnny Gage; Victoria Delsoul; The Mayor; Darksheare; Valin; ...
Lee's actions were sensible. He had just fought and won a punishing battle, during which he had committed every man available. Lieutenant General James Longstreet and his I Corps were approaching with reinforcements, but they were not expected to arrive before sunset. If Lee was to continue the fray, he would have to do so with the troops at hand, most of whom had spent all day in battle.


War torn Culps Hill right after the Battle 1863


At the same time, the entire Union Army was known to be rushing toward Gettysburg, and the lead elements had already arrived and offered battle. Were Meade's other corps about to come into line? Lee did not know, but since more Federal infantry were apt to appear at any moment, he could not gamble on sending weary troops against Cemetery Hill, which was likely to be defended by fresh enemy troops.

Ewell's forces were in just as bad shape as Hill's. Rodes had sent all five of his brigades into the battle, but only two, Doles' and Ramseur's, were at the front and in position to continue the fighting. O'Neal had lost almost 25 percent of his force, and most of his survivors (except the few who had joined Ramseur's charge) remained on Oak Hill. Daniel, too, had taken huge losses; almost 35 percent of his troops had fallen in battle. Iverson had suffered the most. His casualties exceeded 900 men, 60 percent of his brigade, and the remnants lay exhausted atop Oak Hill. And even though both Doles and Ramseur were ready for more action, their numbers, too, were diminished. They had entered into battle with 2,600 effectives; only about 2,000 remained.

Only one of Early's four brigades was still positioned for action. Avery's 2,000 men had advanced to the base of Cemetery Hill, where they were still attracting the enemy's attention. "We were subject to galling fire," remembered Lieutenant Warren Jackson. "I spent about two hours as miserably as I ever did in my life."


General Robert E. Rodes


Early's other brigades were unavailable for Ewell to send into action. William Smith's men were posted east of the village, on the York Pike, guarding the corps' flank; Gordon's troops were north of Gettysburg, awaiting a resupply of ammunition; and Hays' soldiers were in the town, encumbered with 3,000 Union prisoners.

Ewell had no thought of continuing the battle, but his rationale for holding in place was not based on having fewer than 4,000 men available for action. He was more concerned over having disobeyed his orders. "General Lee ... instructed me not to bring on a general engagement," he replied to the subordinates who urged an assault against Cemetery Hill. "I will wait for those orders."

While Ewell's reasons for not challenging the Federals crowded on Cemetery Hill were perhaps wrong, was he right in not mounting an assault against the slope? Experts who have studied Gettysburg say yes. They base their analysis not only on the impotence of the Confederate forces but also on the strength of the Union forces.



When the Federal lines collapsed north and west of Gettysburg, the Union troops drew back to Cemetery Hill, the designated haven in case of defeat. Colonel Orland Smith's 2,000-man brigade, supported by a battery of six guns, was atop the knoll, eager to greet any oncoming Rebels. As the fleeing Federals climbed the slopes, their officers guided them into imposing defensive positions. Gamble's 1,500 troopers were sent south, in front of and along Cemetery Ridge, where they guarded the left flank from Confederate assault. Most of the I Corps fell in atop Cemetery Ridge behind the cavalry; Wadsworth's division rushed to Culp's Hill to protect the right flank; and Howard's corps augmented Smith's men on Cemetery Hill. A total of about 12,000 Union soldiers were ready to defend the heights.

Reinforcements were also at hand. Five hundred veterans from the 7th Indiana came forward, and Maj. Gen. Henry Slocum's XII Corps had arrived. The leading columns of the 1st Division, led by Brig. Gen. Thomas Ruger, began filing into position behind Cemetery Hill at about 4:30 p.m. Brigadier General John W. Geary's 2nd Division reached Gettysburg about half an hour later. These 8,000 fresh troops brought the Union strength to about 20,000 soldiers.

In addition to the reinforcements, the Federals had most of their artillery pieces, which they had salvaged during their retreat. Almost 40 cannons had joined Smith's six guns, and the entire array was emplaced, unlimbered and ready to fire, atop Cemetery Hill.

Ewell, of course, saw the enemy digging in on Cemetery Hill. Although he no doubt suspected that the Union soldiers would be impossible to dislodge, he knew that sooner or later he would have to charge the heights. When Early urged an immediate assault, Ewell agreed, but insisted that Lee must approve their attack and Hill had to provide reinforcements. James Power Smith, an aide who had spent the afternoon with Lee and had just now come to Gettysburg (without bringing any orders from Lee to Ewell), was dispatched back to Lee with those two requests.


Lt. General Jubal Early


Back on Seminary Ridge, when Lee saw that the Federals had aligned their guns shoulder to shoulder across the crest of Cemetery Hill, he also recognized that the Southerners would have to attack the heights -- perhaps better now than on the morrow. Lee had already recalled Hill's men from the field; therefore only Ewell's troops were available to dispute the enemy's new front.

After 5 p.m., just prior to Smith's arrival with Ewell's proposal to charge Cemetery Hill and long after the Union retreat had started, Lee sent an aide, Colonel Walter Taylor, to Ewell with instructions to challenge the Federals. "The enemy is retreating ... in great confusion," Lee said in his message. "You only need to press those people to gain possession of the heights ... .Do this if possible."

Lee's order seemed to assume that it would be relatively easy for Ewell to dislodge the Federals from their post atop Cemetery Hill. After the Civil War, apologists for Lee ignored the fact that the Union position was virtually impregnable, and they used this order as proof that Lee was not responsible for the Southern defeat at Gettysburg. Ewell was to blame because he had failed to pursue the defeated Northern army, allowing them to entrench on the critical high ground.


End of the First Day's Fighting


When Taylor found Ewell in Gettysburg and presented the message, Ewell made no comment. He may have been dumbfounded by Lee's apparent assumption that the enemy could be easily pushed off Cemetery Hill; more likely, he knew that the note was meaningless. He could not move until he received Lee's response to his plea for reinforcements. Years later, Taylor would claim that Ewell's silence meant that he had agreed to charge Cemetery Hill, another attempt to clear Lee by discrediting Ewell.

When Smith arrived at army headquarters, he handed Ewell's request for reinforcements to Lee. "Tell General Ewell ... I regret that my people are not [able] to support his attack," Lee responded, "but ... I wish him to take Cemetery Hill if practicable." He then added an impossible condition -- should Ewell advance against the hill, he must "avoid a general engagement."

Smith returned to Gettysburg, where he found Ewell and gave him Lee's instructions. Ewell saw at once that his new orders were paradoxical. He could not drive the enemy from the heights without reinforcements. The force at hand, 4,000 men, was no match for the hordes of Federals, backed by cannons, atop Cemetery Hill. To attack would bring disaster to his corps. And even if Ewell mounted the suicidal assault, how could he assure Lee that reopening the battle would not bring on a general engagement? He had no choice. Ewell dropped his plan for a direct charge against Cemetery Hill.


Lt. General Ambrose P. Hill


In the fighting that followed on days two and three at Gettysburg, the Confederates had numerous chances to defeat the enemy, but in each instance, they failed to take advantage of their opportunities. Ewell blundered more than once, and he manfully admitted his errors. He was as much responsible for the South's losing the battle as any of the other commanders involved.

But Ewell was not frozen by indecision, unable to find the courage to charge the Union forces on Cemetery Hill on the first day. Lee's order to "press those people ... if possible" was not sent during the Union retreat. He issued the directive after he recalled Perrin's force from Gettysburg, after the Federals had fled the field and after the enemy troops had consolidated their position atop the heights. Ewell, refused the reinforcements he believed necessary for a successful attack on Cemetery Hill, elected not to charge, a good decision in retrospect, because the Federals were never really vulnerable to being driven off the high ground. Ewell did not lose Gettysburg by himself.

Additional Sources:

www.swcivilwar.com
www.cr.nps.gov
www.angelfire.com/pa4/gettysburg
www.historicalartprints.com
www.militaryhistoryonline.com
etext.virginia.edu

2 posted on 03/16/2005 9:42:28 PM PST by SAMWolf (Liberal Rule #5 - Anyone who disagrees with you is a Fascist.)
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To: All
General Richard Stoddert Ewell


A capable officer when given specific instructions, Richard Ewell was less successful when placed in a position where he was forced to exercise his own initiative.

A West Point graduate of the class of 1840, “Old Baldy” served at 1st Bull Run and successfully commanded a division under Jackson during the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. In the role of division commander, Ewell fought through the Seven Days battles and at Cedar Mountain. He was wounded during the fierce fighting at Groveton during the 2nd Bull Run Campaign.

He returned to active duty in May of 1863 and received command of a corps when the army was reorganized following Jackson’s death. His decisive leadership at 2nd Winchester, at the start of the Gettysburg Campaign, produced an impressive victory. Unfortunately for the Southern cause he did not live up to Jackson’s standard of aggressiveness at Gettysburg where he failed to press the faltering Union forces on the evening of the first day’s fighting. His failure to respond positively to Lee’s discretionary orders to push the badly mauled Federal forces off of Cemetery Hill allowed the Army of the Potomac to concentrate on the field in a position of considerable natural strength and set the stage for the eventual Confederate defeat there.

Ewell exhibited this same lack of aggressiveness during the actions at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and along the North Anna.

Forced to relinquish command due to ill health, he was not recalled by Lee to resume his command in the field after his recovery. Instead he was given command of the garrison of Richmond. He was captured at Sayler’s Creek on April 6, 1865 during the retreat to Appomattox and was imprisoned at Fort Warren, Massachusetts, and was released on August 19, 1865. Ewell then lived out the remainder of his life on his farm outside of Springhill, Tennessee. General Ewell died on January 25,1872 on his farm.


3 posted on 03/16/2005 9:42:52 PM PST by SAMWolf (Liberal Rule #5 - Anyone who disagrees with you is a Fascist.)
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To: All


Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.





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4 posted on 03/16/2005 9:43:10 PM PST by SAMWolf (Liberal Rule #5 - Anyone who disagrees with you is a Fascist.)
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To: SAMWolf; snippy_about_it; All

War Between the States Bump for the Freeper Foxhole

How are them fence posts coming, SAM?

Regards

alfa6 ;>}


5 posted on 03/16/2005 9:49:57 PM PST by alfa6
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To: Bombardier; Steelerfan; SafeReturn; Brad's Gramma; AZamericonnie; SZonian; soldierette; shield; ...



"FALL IN" to the FReeper Foxhole!



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6 posted on 03/16/2005 9:58:52 PM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf; Professional Engineer; radu; msdrby; alfa6; Matthew Paul; PhilDragoo; ...


Good morning everyone.

7 posted on 03/16/2005 10:17:56 PM PST by Soaring Feather
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To: bentfeather

Good Morning to the lovely and gracious bentfeather, a wee bit of blarney far ya on the feast of St Patrick :-)

It 'ill be a fine day for the wearing of the green ere in KC today.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}


8 posted on 03/16/2005 10:34:29 PM PST by alfa6 (On March 17th there are only 2 kinds of folks, the Irish and them thats wants to be Irish)
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To: SAMWolf; snippy_about_it
Evenin' greetings to the Foxhole. Interesting presentation tonight.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to the Foxhole!

9 posted on 03/16/2005 10:38:48 PM PST by Diver Dave (Stay Prayed Up)
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To: All
Happy St. Patricks Day from the Foxhole

May the road rise up to meet you

10 posted on 03/17/2005 1:43:21 AM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: SAMWolf

A very sad loss of American fighting men.

Gettysburg was just terrible.


11 posted on 03/17/2005 1:56:59 AM PST by Iris7 (A man said, "That's heroism." "No, that's Duty," replied Roy Benavides, Medal of Honor.)
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To: snippy_about_it
Good morning Snippy.


12 posted on 03/17/2005 2:36:18 AM PST by Aeronaut (I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things - Saint-Exupery)
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To: snippy_about_it

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.


13 posted on 03/17/2005 3:03:59 AM PST by E.G.C.
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To: snippy_about_it

Good morning


14 posted on 03/17/2005 3:42:24 AM PST by GailA (Glory be to GOD and his only son Jesus.)
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf; All


March 17, 2005

Dots And Doughnut Holes

Read:
Psalm 104:1-15

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. -Psalm 103:2

Bible In One Year: Joshua 19-21

cover As a minister was addressing a group of men, he took a large piece of paper and made a black dot in the center of it. Then he held up the paper and asked them what they saw.

One person replied, "I see a black mark." "Right," the preacher said. "What else?" Complete silence prevailed. "I'm really surprised," the speaker commented. "You have completely overlooked the most important thing of all-the sheet of paper."

We are often distracted by small, dot-like disappointments, and we are prone to forget the innumerable blessings we receive from the Lord. But like the sheet of paper, the good things are far more important than the adversities that monopolize our attention.

This reminds me of a whimsical bit of verse that expresses good practical advice. "As you travel down life's pathway, may this ever be your goal: Keep your eye upon the doughnut, and not upon the hole!"

Yes, rather than concentrating on the trials of life, we should fix our attention on its blessings. Let's say with the psalmist, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits" (Psalm 68:19).

Let's keep praising Him so we won't be distracted by dots and doughnut holes. -Richard De Haan

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged-God is over all;
Count your many blessings-angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end. -Oatman

Spend your time counting your blessings-not airing your complaints.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Why Is Life So Unfair?

15 posted on 03/17/2005 4:41:02 AM PST by The Mayor (http://www.RusThompson.com)
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To: Iris7
Lee at his worst. I believe Lee's 1863 movement against the North in 1863 had two motives: First, Live off the Union land, and give Northern Va. a rest, and second, to preempts discussions that spring in Richmond to send Lee and two - thirds of his Army to Tennessee to fight there,a move that was done AFTER Gettysburg, but without Lee, and with only one Corps (Longstreet's).

With no objective, other than forage, Lee's Army began its raid reorganized from two Corps into three, and with two of those Corps commanded by officers who had never commanded at that level (Hill and Ewell), and one (Ewell), who hadn't served actively in almost a year due to wounds.

Lee was in NO position to offer battle at Gettysburg. Aside from his lack of intelligence(Aside from Stuart's well known adventures, Lee made little or no use of the two plus brigades of cavalry he did have), Ewell was northeast of Gettysburg, Hill was west of Gettysburg, and Longstreet was still coming up behind the mountains. Ewell was completely isolated from the bulk of the Army of Northern Virginia, as was Stuart.

Despite that. a meeting engagement occurred, and once it did, Lee's "blood got up", and the battle was on. Lee's success on Day One was due in large part to Ewell, who moved rapidly and decisively toward the battle, and attacked the Union in force (unlike Hill's divisional commanders (Hill being strangely passive throughout the entire three days).

Lee did not have the bulk of his Army together until Day Two. Pickett's Division didn't arrive until the night of Day Two (ditto Stuart). Yet at no time during Day Two did Lee either contemplate:[a] retreating (although he knew he was facing the Army of the Potomac, in a very good defensive position), or [b] waiting until his Army was fully joined before attacking. Result: Hood and McLaws get mangled on Day Two, and are unavailable for Day Three, except in a defensive role (and Hood is seriously wounded), Ewell's uncoordinated attacks on Culp's Hill (and Ewell invariably attacked when he was supposed to,the rest of the Army didn't)go nowhere, and Lee burns up his potential reserve to exploit any success Pickett may achieve on Day Three.

Day Three is too well known to write about at length here. Suffice it to say Lee's hubris was out in full force on July 3rd. It is one thing to possibly overestimate your own troops' ability after their Herculean accomplishments in the past, and to underestimate your enemy's abilities because of their poor performance in the past. It is quite another to ignore the fact your enemy, who outnumbers you,has interior lines, has a much shorter front (five miles to your nine), is in a great defensive position (rather like Fredericksburg, terrain wise), outnumbers you handily, and has fought you to a standstill the last two days. Lee did just that. Not his greatest moment.
16 posted on 03/17/2005 5:45:19 AM PST by PzLdr ("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
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To: SAMWolf

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on March 17:
1473 James IV king of Scotland (1488-1513)
1578 Francesco Albana Italian painter (Mary's Ascension)
1777 Roger Brooke Taney Calvert MD, 5th Chief Justice (Dred Scott decision)
1780 Thomas Chalmers 1st moderator (Free Church of Scotland 1843-47)
1804 James Bridger scout/fur trader/mountain man par excellence
1820 Patrick Edward Connor Brevet Major General (Union volunteers)
1828 Patrick Ronayne Cleburne the "Stonewall" of the West (Major General-Confederate Army)
1832 Moncure Daniel Conway US,clergyman/author/abolitionist (Life of Thomas Paine)
1832 Walter Quintin Gresham Brevet Major General (Union volunteers)
1834 Gottlieb Daimler Germany, engineer/inventor/auto pioneer-designed 1st motorcycle
1874 Kincsem horse that never lost a race
1874 Stephen Samuel Wise US, president of Zionist Organization of America
1895 Shemp Howard [Samuel Horwitz] Brooklyn NY, comedian/actor (3 Stooges, Bank Dick)
1899 Gloria Swanson Chicago IL, actress (Sadie Thompson, Killer Bees)
1902 Bobby Jones Jr Atlanta GA, PGA golfer (Grand Slam 1930)
1914 (Slinging)Sammy Baugh Temple TX, NFL hall of famer QB (Washington Redskins)
1919 Nat "King" Cole Montgomery AL, singer (Unforgettable, Mona Lisa)
1930 James Benson Irwin Pittsburgh PA, Colonel USAF/astronaut (Apollo 15)
1936 Thomas K Mattingly II Chicago IL, Captain USN/astronaut (Apollo 16, STS-4, 51C)
1938 Rudolf Nureyev Russia, ballet dancer/choreographer (Kirov)
1941 Gene Pitney Hartford CT, rock singer (Town without Pity)
1942 John Wayne Gacy Jr Chicago IL, serial killer (32 boys)
1942 Paul Kantner rock guitarist (Jefferson Starship-White Rabbit)
1944 Danny DeVito Neptune NJ, actor (Louie-Taxi, Twins)
1944 John Sebastian New York NY, singer (Loving Spoonful, Welcome Back Kotter)
1948 William [Ford] Gibson Canada, sci-fi author (Neuromancer, Count Zero)
1949 Patrick Duffy Townsend MT, actor (Bobby-Dallas, Man from Atlantis)
1951 Kurt Russell Springfeild MA, actor (Thing, Overboard, Big Trouble In Little China)
1954 Lesley-Anne Down London, actress (A Little Night Music, Moonraker)
1955 Gary Sinise actor (Apollo 13, Forrest Gump)
1955 Paul Overstreet Van Cleave MS, country singer (Daddy's Come Around)
1964 Rob Lowe Charlottesville VA, actor (St Elmo's Fire, West Wing, Wayne's World, Class)



Deaths which occurred on March 17:
0180 Antonius Marcus Aurelius [Marcus Verus], Emperor of Rome, dies at 58
0461 St Patrick patron St of Ireland, dies in Saul (according to legend)
1040 Harold British King (1035-40), dies
1516 Giuliano de' Medici monarch of Florence, dies at 37
1653 Johan van Galen Admiral (battle of Livorno), dies in battle at 48
1806 David Dale industrialist & philanthropist, dies
1853 Christian Doppler physicist, dies
1863 John Pelham US Confederate artillery major, dies in battle at 24
1915 Walter Crane English painter/cartoonist/illustrator, dies at 69
1941 Joachim Schepke German commandant (U-100), dies in battle
1956 Fred Allen comedian (Colgate Comedy Hour, Fred Allen Radio Show), dies at 61
1961 Suzanna Salter 1st US female mayor/temperance leader, dies at 101
1962 Frank Orth actor (Boston Blackie, The Brothers), dies at 82
1965 Almos Alonzo Stagg football coach (University of Chicago), dies in California at 102
1989 Merritt Butrick actor (Shy People, Wired to Kill), dies of AIDS at 29
1990 Capucine [Germaine Lefebvre] actress (Rendez-Vous de Juillet, Curse of the Pink Panther), commits suicide in Lausanne Switzerland at 57
1990 Rick Grech rocker (Blind Faith, Traffic), dies at 44
1992 Grace Stafford Lantz cartoon voice (Woody Woodpecker), dies at 87
1993 Helen Hayes actress (Airport), dies of congestive heart failure at 92
1995 Ahmad Khomeini youngest son of Iran ayatollah Khomeini, dies at 48
1995 Ronnie Kray English gangster (The Firm), dies at 61
1995 Sunnyland Smart jazz/blues singer/pianist (Delta Blues), dies at 87


Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1966 BALDOCK FREDERICK C.---PITTSBURGH PA.
[02/12/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]
1967 GOEDEN GENE WILLIAM---CORNELIUS OR.
1968 BARBER THOMAS D.---AURORA CO.
[LOST OVER WATER/SAR FAILED]
1968 BENSON LEE D.---SAN MATEO CA.
[SAR FAILED]
1968 COLLAZO RAPHAEL C.---GARDENA CA.
[REMAINS RETURNED 05/93]
1968 DOSS DALE W.---VIRGINIA BEACH VA.
[03/14/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1968 HENSLEY THOMAS TRUETT---LAFAYETTE LA.
1968 HUBBS DONALD R.---PALMYRA NJ.
[SAR FAILED]
1968 NIGHTENGALE RANDALL J.---ONARGA IL.
[SAR FAILED]
1968 ROSS JLYNN JR.---DETROIT MI.
[REMAINS ID 14 JUN 96]
1968 SHUMAN EDWIN A.---MARBLEHEAD MA.
[03/14/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1969 ARMISTEAD STEVEN R.---LOS ANGELES CA.
1969 DINAN DAVID T. III---NUTLEY NJ.
1969 FINNEY CHARLES E.---SALTVILLE MS.
[REMAINS RETURNED 03/15/00]
1971 BAUMAN RICHARD L.---COLUMBUS OH.
1971 DIX CRAIG M.---LIVONIA MI.
1971 HESTAND JAMES H.---OKLAHOMA CITY OK.
[02/12/73 RELEASED BY PRG, ALIVE IN 96]
1971 HARRIS BOBBY G.---MISSION TX.
1971 LILLY LAWRENCE E.---LOS ANGELES CA.

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.


On this day...
0432 St Patrick, a bishop, is carried off to Ireland as a slave
0455 Roman senator Petronius Maximus becomes Emperor
1521 Ferdinand Magellan discovers the Philippines
1537 French troops invade Flanders
1658 Pro-Charles II plot in England discovered
1672 England declares war on Netherlands
1755 Transylvania Land Co buys Kentucky for $50,000 from a Cherokee chief
1756 St Patrick's Day 1st celebrated in NYC at Crown & Thistle Tavern
1762 1st St Patrick's Day parade in NYC
1766 Britain repeals Stamp Act
1776 British forces evacuate Boston to Nova Scotia during Revolutionary War
1800 English warship Queen Charlotte catches fire; 700 die
1804 Johann von Schiller's "Wilhelm Tell" premieres
1833 Phoenix Society forms (New York)
1836 Texas abolishes slavery
1845 Henry Jones, patents self-raising flour
1845 Rubber band patented by Stephen Perry of London
1847 Dmitri Shostakovich's opera "Macbeth" is produced (Florence)
1854 1st park land purchased by a US city, Worcester MA
1861 Italy declares independence; Kingdom of Italy proclaimed
1863 Battle of Kelly's Ford, Virginia (211 casualities)
1868 Postage stamp canceling machine patent issued
1870 Massachusetts legislature authorizes incorporation of Wellesley Female Seminary
1871 National Association of Professional Base-Ball players organized
1876 1st record high jump over 6' (Marshall Jones Brooks)
1876 General Crook destroy Cheyennes & Oglala-Sioux Indian camps
1886 Carrollton Massacre, (Mississippi) 20 blacks killed
1891 British Steamer "Utopia" sinks off Gibraltar killing 574
1894 US & China sign treaty preventing Chinese laborers from entering US
1897 Robert Fitzsimmons KOs James J Corbett in 14 for heavyweight boxing title
1898 1st practical submarine 1st submerges, New York NY (for 1 hour 40 minutes)
1905 Eleanor Roosevelt marries FDR in New York
1906 President Theodore Roosevelt uses term "muckraker"
1908 Quickest world heavyweight title fight (Tommy Burns KOs Jem Roche in 88 seconds)
1912 Camp Fire Girls organization announced by Mrs Luther Halsey Gulick
1917 1st exclusively women's bowling tournament begins in St Louis
1917 Tsar Nicolas II of Russia abdicates the throne
1919 Dutch steel workers strike for 8 hour day & minimum wages
1921 Dr Marie Stopes opens Britain's 1st birth control clinic (London)
1921 Lenin proclaims New Economic Politics
1921 Sailors revolt in Kronstadt (thousands die)
1926 Spain & Brazil prevent Germany joining League of Nations
1927 US government doesn't sign league of Nations disarmament treaty
1929 General Motors acquires German auto manufacturer Adam Opel
1929 Spanish dictator Primo de Rivera closes university of Madrid
1931 Stalin throws Krupskaya Lenin out of Central Committee
1932 German police raid Hitler's Nazi-headquarter
1934 Dollfuss, Mussolini & Gömbös sign Donau Pact (protocols of Rome)
1942 Belzec Concentration Camp opens-30,000 Lublin Polish Jews transported
1944 Actor Charlton Heston weds Lydia Clarke
1950 Element 98 (Californium) announced
1953 Bill Veeck says he will sell his 80% of St Louis Browns for $2,475M
1955 Maurice "Rocket" Richard suspended, sparks 7 hour riot in Montréal
1957 Ramon Magsaysay, President of Philippines dies in a plane crash
1958 Navy launches Vanguard 1 into orbit (2nd US), measures Earth shape
1959 Australia & USSR restore diplomatic relations
1959 Dalai Lama flees Tibet for India
1960 Eisenhower forms anti-Castro-exile army under the CIA
1961 New York DA arrests professional gamblers who implicate Seton Hall players
1963 Bob Cousy plays his last NBA game
1963 Elizabeth Ann Seton of New York beatified (canonized in 1975)
1963 Eruptions of Mount Agung Bali, kills 1,500 Balinese
1966 US sub locates missing H-bomb in Mediterranean
1969 Golda Meir becomes Israel's 4th Prime Minister
1970 US casts their 1st UN Security Council veto (Support England)


1973 First POWs were released from the "Hanoi Hilton" in Hanoi, North Vietnam.



1976 Rubin "Hurricane" Carter is retried
1986 Haemers gang robs gold transport in Belgium of 35 million BF
1987 IBM releases PC-DOS version 3.3
1988 Highest scoring NCAA basketball game: Loyola-Marymnt 119, Wyoming 115
1988 Iran says Iraq uses poison gas (SHOCK)
1989 The Senate unanimously confirmes Wyoming Congressman Dick Cheney to be secretary of defense, following the failed nomination of former Sen. John Tower.
1990 PBA National Championship Won by Jim Pencak
1991 Irish Lesbians & Gays march in St Patrick Day parade
1991 USSR holds a referendum to determine if they should stay together; 9 of 15 Soviet representatives officially approve new union treaty
1992 Islamic Jihad truck bombs Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires Argentina killing 29
1992 Russian manned space craft TM-14, launches into orbit
1993 86 killed by bomb attack in Calcutta
1994 It is announced there is no smoking in Cleveland Indians new ballpark
1995 Sinn-Fein leader Gerry Adams visits White House
1996 Mike Tyson beat Frank Bruno in 3rd round to gain Heavyweight title
1999 The Vatican and Sony announced the release of the first music video, "Abba Pater," by Pope John Paul II.
2003 Pres. Bush gives Saddam Hussein 48 hours to go into exile or face military onslaught.


Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Boston MA : Evacuation Day (1776)
Ireland : St Patrick's Day/Irish National Day
World : World Maritime Day
US : Small Family Farm Week (Day 4)
US : Straw Hat Week (Day 4)
US : Daffodil Days (Day 4)
International Hamburger & Pickle Month


Religious Observances
Ancient Rome : Liberalia; honoring Liber, Libera
Christian : Commemoration of St Gertrude of Nivelles & Joseph of Arimathea
Roman Catholic, Anglican : Memorial of St Patrick, bishop, missionary to Ireland (optional)


Religious History
1734 Forty-two families of German Protestant refugees landed in the American colonies. Sponsored by the British Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge (SPCK), the 78 religious pilgrims soon founded the town of Ebenezer, 30 miles from Savannah, Georgia.
1789 Birth of Charlotte Elliott, English devotional writer. An illness at age 33 left her an invalid her remaining 50 years, during which she devoted herself to religious writing. Of her 150 hymns, "Just As I Am" remains popular today.
1841 Birth of James R. Murray, American sacred music editor. A veteran of the American Civil War, Murray is better remembered today as composer of the hymn tune MUELLER, to which we sing the Christmas carol, "Away in a Manger."
1890 Birth of Julius R. Mantey, co-author (with H. E. Dana) of a popular intermediate biblical language grammar. Originally published in 1927, the "Dana & Mantey" New Testament Greek Grammar is still popular, and still in print!
1897 Emilie Grace Briggs became the first woman in America to graduate from a Presbyterian theological school, when she received her Bachelor of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary, in New York City.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.


Thought for the day :
"Seven days without laughter makes one weak"


17 posted on 03/17/2005 5:53:43 AM PST by Valin (DARE to be average!)
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To: SAMWolf

Morning Snippy.


18 posted on 03/17/2005 6:36:03 AM PST by SAMWolf (Liberal Rule #5 - Anyone who disagrees with you is a Fascist.)
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To: alfa6

Morning alfa6.

Gonna try and give it another shot this morning if the weather holds out. Also should have some help today. :-)


19 posted on 03/17/2005 6:37:09 AM PST by SAMWolf (Liberal Rule #5 - Anyone who disagrees with you is a Fascist.)
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To: bentfeather

Morning O'Feather. :-)


20 posted on 03/17/2005 6:37:41 AM PST by SAMWolf (Liberal Rule #5 - Anyone who disagrees with you is a Fascist.)
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