[Tax-chick]

No, I certainly don't think you intended to denigrate Jackson! I'm assuming that, like me, you're interested in the various sources of historical evidence on a (somewhat) disputed point, and what we can learn from them ... and what influence our preconceptions have on our analysis of historical data :-).

I've stayed with this thread because I'm learning new facts and getting ideas for more reading. To me, some of the most interesting questions are the ones we may never know the answers for: Where was Andrew Jackson born? Who was Abraham Lincoln's father? What about Jefferson and Sally? What really caused the Hamilton/Burr duel? And then there are the "facts" we "know," that turn out to be wrong!

The answers don't really make much difference, but I'm fascinated by the idea that "The truth is out there!" but the principals just didn't bother to leave us idiot-proof records that are beyond dispute.

[Godebert]

"To me, some of the most interesting questions are the ones we may never know the answers for: Where was Andrew Jackson born?"

Andrew Jackson was born at the Waxhaws, North Carolina in 1767. He was born 18 months after his parents left Carrickfergus on the shores of Belfast Lough for a new life in America. "The Scots-Irish in the Carolinas", p. 1997, Billy Kennedy.

[carton253]

I'm assuming that, like me, you're interested in the various sources of historical evidence on a (somewhat) disputed point, and what we can learn from them ... and what influence our preconceptions have on our analysis of historical data :-).

Big bump on that!

I also like the "what if" game. What if Jackson wasn't killed at Chancellorsville? What if the 2nd Corps wasn't split between AP Hill and Ewell? What if Jackson was at Gettysburg?

I got a book - Stonewall at Gettysburg but it was horrible. Total lack of imagination on the writer's part. Disappointing to say the least.

Anyway... I have Stephen Sears book on Gettysburg coming from the library... I've read his book on Antietam and Chancellorsville. They were very good.