The Maryland Campaign of September 1862

Spring Schedule

Tom — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:48:24 +0000

I will be speaking at a Civil War seminar at Longwood College, VA, on March 3, 2012. I am looking at a couple of other events, and post them here when confirmed.

Awards

Tom — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:29:38 +0000

Follow this link to a press release announcing two awards recently given to me, OK, really to Carman, but he is dead.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hagerstowncc.edu%2Fnews-events%2F110622%2Fhcc-professor-wins-two-awards-civil-war-work&h=50b7f

Col. William A. Christian

Tom — Mon, 16 May 2011 02:04:50 +0000

As some of you may know, Carman only very obliquely mentioned Christian’s desertion as his brigade was going into action. Here is a sampling of the descriptions from men in the brigade:
George Watson, 90th PA said he “heard Christian say ‘He had a perfect horror of these shell’ and shortly after he passed to the rear.” Lt. W.H. Holstead, 26th NY, remembered “…as shells burst over our heads … he (Christian) would duck or dodge his head and go crouching along. He soo resigned on account of this.“
William Gifford, also of the 26th NY described “Col. Christian, who commanded the 26th “showed the white feather, and when we received the first fire he turned and fled to the rear and almost caused a stampede among troops in the rear.” Perhaps the most colorful is John Vautier, 88th PA, who wrote this; “…when the fire got very hot he (Christian) ‘walked spanish;’ cut and ran, an example that fortunately was not followed by the brigade.” Yet Carman only says the shelling “demoralized some senior officers of the brigade.” Again, is he being too kind, or recognizing that everyone in combat has a breaking point? Interesting.

Book Signing

Tom — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 00:31:37 +0000

I will be in Harpers Ferry next Sunday, April 17, signing books at the Author’s tent in the lower town. If you’re in the area, stop by!

McClellan at the front

Tom — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 02:56:15 +0000

A Sgt. in the 4th Penna. Reserves, John Burnett, mentions he was posted on the left of his division as they marched through Middlekauf Farm, just north of Joseph Poffenberger’s farm on Sept. 16. He noted that a lone Confederate soldeir emerged from the Middlekauf house and was captured. He mentioned the skirmish with Hood’s division in progress, and tearing down fences, with Middlekauf himself assisting. Most interesting is that in three letters he insists he saw McClellan at this time, riding near the Middlekauf farm with a few aides. What is interesting is that he says he has never seen McClellan’s book, and everything he has read says McClellan never crossed the creek until Sept. 18, but he is sure he saw McClellan on Sept. 16 near the front during the fighting. Interesting??!!

Abram Duryee

Tom — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:00:09 +0000

I have been thinking about Gen. Abram Duryee, commanding 1st brigade, Second Division, First Corps. His was the first Union brigade engaged on the morning of Sept. 17, aside from the PA Reserves skirmishers. Up to this point his record was solid. He’d raised and led the Fifth New York Infantry, Duryee’s Zouaves. He led them at Big bethel, and was promoted to Brig. Gen. to rank from Aug. 31, 1861. After assigned to training recruits, he asked if he could be assigned to active service. He led a brigade in Ricketts’ Division at Second Manassas, South Mountain, and Antietam, and was wounded several times. Everything seems fine, right? But Carman sort of takes a “shot” at him in his manuscript, said Duryee, after 30 minutes of combat, without orders, ordered his brigade to retreat. Sources for this are scarce, but an undated detailed notation of events from H.J. Sheafer, 107 PA Inf. (Gould papers) which referring to the retreat of his brigade, stated “when they went back they kept up no organization & Duryee saw nothing of them until the next day.” Another source, George Kimball, 12 MA of Hartsuff’s brigade, remembered falling back from the battle line and “About a half mile farther to the rear met General Duryee, alone — mounted. He asked in a tone denoting deep feeling, if we had seen his brigade, they were ‘all cut up.’ We told him ‘no’ and Lieutenant made a remark more sarcastic than complimentary.” So what gives? Was Duryee failing here? Any other evidence? Here is another piece of evidence: When he returned from a 30 day leave Duryee found his brigade broken up, a new Corps commander, John Reynolds, and Gibbon, junior in rank to him, commanding the division. Duryee resigned and went home.
There has to be more to this story. Any thoughts????

A seldon seen report

Tom — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:41:57 +0000

Has anyone ever read Col. J.W. Fisher’s Official Records report for the 5th Penna. reserves at Antietam? It is very different from most reports. At the end of his report he openly accuses two of his officers of what is essentially cowardice. Here is an exceprt: In thus speaking of the gallantry of my officers and men I regret that candor compels me to give the other side of the picture. Captain Collins, of Company K, by some strange fatality finds his health to fail about the commencement of almost every battle, and I regret to say that in our late struggle, on which so much depended, the captain did not make his appearance, and is now absent without proper leave. Lieutenant Shaw, of Company F, disgracefully fled when the regiment was fired upon in the night, and gave an alarm which to others, had they been as cowardly as himself, might have proved disastrous. My only regret is that his cowardly legs were not equal to the task of carrying him out of reach of the regiment. I will forward at an early day an application for his prompt dismissal.
How about that for candor? Evidently he couldn’t follow up as Collins was wounded at Fredericksburg, and transferred to the VRC. Shaw was discharged, but not until April of 1864!

Atlanta CWRT Speaking gig

Tom — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:32:38 +0000

I have been invited to speak at the Atlanta CWRT on Tuesday evening May 10, 2011 at 7:00. They meet at the Ansley Golf Club on Montgomery Ferry Road in midtown Atlanta. I’ll be talking about Ezra Carman and Antietam Battlefield, and am looking forward to the trip. I will have books to sell and hope to see some old and new friends there.

Speaking Gigs

Tom — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:24:56 +0000

I thought I should post a few of my speaking enegagements for Spring. So far I am speaking at teh Surratt House, near Washington DC, on Saturday March 5. I’ll be talking about the Civil War in Maryland, but will have some Carman books with me.

Joseph L. Harsh — A Tribute

Tom — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 02:23:02 +0000

Dr. Joseph L. Harsh has departed this life to join his daughter Laura, leaving behind his wife Trudy, his sons, their wives, and many grandchildren. He was a scholar and long-time Professor of History at George Mason University where he touched the lives of thousands of students and dozens of colleagues. His career and interests ranged from distinguished academic research and writing to horseshoe leagues and baseball. And for those of us who shared his obsession with the Civil War and especially the Maryland Campaign of 1862, Joe was a fount of knowledge, an inspirational teacher and a source of encouragement to attain new insights, information and interpretations. His three-volume study on Confederate strategy through the Maryland Campaign remains the best work on the topic, and has earned a place in the hallmark studies of any military campaign. Along with his family and legacy at GMU, his books are a fitting memorial to Joe’s ability, enthusiasm and intellect.
My personal experience with Joe, (and by the way so great was my respect for him that it took me 13 years to call him anything other than Dr. Harsh) , began in 1990 when my dean persuaded me to pursue a specialized program for doctoral community college faculty at GMU. My first choice was an education course, the first I’d ever taken. (Let me point out that Joe never took a course in education, and was the best professor I ever had.) I thought the education professor was awful, he will remain unnamed at this time, and I was ready to quit. Luckily for me that same summer catalog included a course called Touring Civil War Battlefields. Well, I thought, I know all about this, here is an easy way to pick up 3 credits without breaking a sweat. Among the many mistakes I’ve made in my life this certainly was not the biggest, but in many ways it was the most profound in terms of changing my life. From the minute we first met it was obvious I’d met a kindred spirit. It was also obvious that I didn’t know nearly as much as I thought I did. The best part was that Joe was a great “coach.” Instead of arrogance and pride, Joe demonstrated humility and encouragement. He had a gift for bringing out the best in every student, and his loyal following of students, affectionately known as the “Harsh Brigade,” speak to his abilities and magnetic personality. Those of you who studied under Joe may recall one of his favorite mantras; the three most important things in history are chronology, chronology and chronology.
By the end of the class I was “hooked,” I’d become a Harsh Brigade student for life. It was therefore a “no-brainer” that I would return for the second part of the course the following summer. Spending two weeks of non-stop study of battlefields while cramped into a 15 passenger van with little space for luggage and, after a few humid, 90+ degree days, a considerable amount of body odor, may seem like torture to many people. Because of Joe’s giddy excitement about what he was doing, the time seemed to fly by and the hardships were barely noticed. We were on the go from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. many days. Though physically exhausting, I never felt tired until I came home, collapsed and marveled at the planning he’d done, the unique experiences we’d had, the intellectual challenges he’d offered, and the wonderful people we’d met along the way.
I was truly saddened when it was over. I felt like a kid leaving Disneyland, I’d had a great time, and didn’t think I’d ever have as great a time again. Thus you can imagine my pure joy when Joe called to ask if I could help him re-structure the course for the next summer, and go along as his aide. Planning the tour, talking over the logistics, the guides we’d use and the places we’d visit was even more exciting than being a student. I was so excited I didn’t think to ask if I was being paid or not. Eventually I would make five more trips with him, and it got better every time. He allowed me to teach a few times, and gave me helpful critiques about what was useful, but never a criticism from him.
It was during these summers that Joe was working on his trilogy of the Confederate strategy in the Maryland Campaign. He sounded out new ideas and interpretations with me, many of which were so thoughtful and insightful that I was awed by his skills. He would often encourage me, and others, to stop and think, not just doggedly read and then speak. It was advice that has served me well. I rank among my highest achievements the fact that I was named in the acknowledgements of his books. Another proud moment was when he could no longer work and recommended me to teach his Civil War class at GMU. I was asked to teach the Battlefields course for a couple summers too, but I made it clear it was General Harsh’s Brigade, Col. Clemens in temporary command. We all stand on the shoulders of those gone before us, and Joe’s were very broad.
Joe and I spoke a couple times about the continuity of historians of the Maryland Campaign, almost like Antietam Creek flowing along touching many things, forever changing, but so constant in many ways. In 1965 when Jim Murfin published his seminal “Gleam of Bayonets” he mentioned two people most prominently in his acknowledgements. Both were members of the Hagerstown CWRT; Joe a founding member of that group, and he re-joined it in later years.
The first person was Louis Tuckerman, Professor of History at Hagerstown Junior College, who greatly aided Jim in his work. I got to know Louis when I joined the Hagerstown CWRT. I also am a history professor at Hagerstown, now HCC, and use the same office that Louis Tuckerman occupied over 32 years ago. (Without any renovation I’d like to add.) And to continue along the stream, I live across the street from where Jim and Nancy Murfin lived when they first married, met Jim several times, and got to know Nancy after his death.
The other person mentioned by Jim Murfin was Joe Harsh, whom he described as a promising young graduate student at Rice University, who was “a likely subject for future Antietam honors.” He could not have been more clairvoyant. Thus it has been my privilege to know these men who figured so prominently in telling the story of Antietam, and Joe’s books have surpassed the others to set the high water mark of scholarship on the subject. And it was Joe who suggested my editing of Ezra Carman’s manuscript as doctoral dissertation, and prodded me to eventually finish and publish it. I was so very proud and happy to place a copy of my first volume in his hands a just a few short weeks ago, and to let him know the creek is still flowing. Farewell my friend, until we meet again.