Greatest unit of the war

Did you really think I was mad GS? Wow, I got you better then I thought. Actually, I wasn't mad. I just wanted to tease you (for a want for a better word) when you said that it seemed I didn't know what I was talking about. Actually, I'll tell you what. I got James McPherson's e-mail and have been sending e-mails to him (he has replied to me). I am going to e-mail him and ask him what he thinks on the TB. otherwise, I stand by my guns.

No hard feelings IBG lol! How did you get his email? And when you do write him, ask him to compare the TB and the IB for you.


P.S.: thanks for the intervention debski lol! I almost half-expected IBG to ask for satisfaction (a duel) in his next post! haha



EDIT: sorry for the double-post, I had no idea that happened

One thing I learned from this, is you can't deny that men from the west were just better fighters.

I have connections.

I didn't ask him to compare the TB with the IB, but, I did ask about the TB and if he thought it was the best. And here is the result. Here is his e-mail (part):

James M. McPherson:

Quote :

The Texas Brigade was a good outfit, though you may be right that some of their successes occurred when the enemy was tired. I'm not
sure whether you could call their couinterattacks at Antietam a success--not a complete one, in any case.

So, he only said that it was good outfit. You can't argue with the authority. And, no. I won't give you his e-mail. This is my little thing. But I will give you a clue on how to find it. Just look where he goes.

Cheers.

well, I didn't know that I asked for it.....lol


Anyway, you asked him a loaded question, and what did you say that made him specifically mention Antietam? Antietam wasn't a full-blown Confederate victory in the first place, and secondly, like I said before, Hood's charge was not meant to take and hold the cornfield, but to drive back the union I Corps wave and give Jackson time to reform his line and call for reinforcements. It definitely wasn't a 'victory' by itself....but it more than succeeded in its mission.

Well, that is what the proff. said. I ain't telling any more then he said.

Ok, all he said was that, "you MAY be right that SOME of their successes occurred when the enemy was tired." That doesn't necessarily prove your point at all. And he understates by saying "the Texas Brigade was a good outfit." Honestly..... They were the best outfit in the most legendary army of the war.....doesn't that say anything? And he says they're good....

Good does not mean they were the best. He could say that about any unit. And, seriously, he only gives me facts, not opinions. Never has before.

oh, okay......but what I meant was that he understated by calling the TB "good"....

Depends on your view of what is great and not great too. I admit, the Texas Brigade accomplished alot, even if some of it's success is owe to bad mistakes on the Federal side, and the fact that they were fresh and the enemy wasn't alot of times.

They were Lee's Old Guard. Their battle record was incomparable...even if much thanks was due to the Union high command

But, IBG, you're being unfair. Aren't most victories won because someone, somewhere, made some type of error?

Yep. They are. Like Waterloo.

And like almost every other battle ever documented. Thank you for admitting that. Now, just because the Texas Brigade would take advantage of those mistakes, doesn't mean they were lesser soldiers than their record would make out. Not at all. Those are the fortunes of war.

Leavbing the Missouri Brigade out of the poll is a shame. They did wonders at Champion's Hill, Franklin, etc.

But the Texans got my vote because of Mechanicsville, Antietam and the Wilderness--they weren't shabby at Gettysburg either.

The only one I know about is the 20th Maine, and the only stuff I know about those guys came from the Gettysburg Movie.

After all those guys had taken, they still went to fight, and they prevent the Union from falling against Lee.

Rebel thunder wrote:

Leavbing the Missouri Brigade out of the poll is a shame. They did wonders at Champion's Hill, Franklin, etc.

But the Texans got my vote because of Mechanicsville, Antietam and the Wilderness--they weren't shabby at Gettysburg either.

Sorry, Reb, but when I put the poll together, I quickly realized I had alot more Confederate units to choose from than Federal ones. But I agree, they could have made the list easily.

Thanks for explaining. I know it's tough choice in a limited space poll, I could think of other possible units also.

I think we all could.