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today, one year ago, i arrived in minnesota in the middle of a blizzard.
no snow yet, but it's been a very good year.
i started reading Stonewall Jackson at Cedar Mountain last night and couldn't put it down. if you are a Civil War fan, you've got to pick up this book. one of the best accounts i've ever read: comprehensive, scholarly, and not remotely dry at all. my only word of caution is: if you are a Jackson fan, like Taylor on the beach, you may not like what you find. i think the writer is fair, admits to Jackson's tactical genius, but doesn't hold back from presenting a portrait of a psychologically disturbed and much-despised general. Cedar Mountain in particular is a prime example of how Jackson's methods, madness, and maladroit social skills cost needless lives (many believe he just lost touch with reality after his campaign in the Valley).
Jackson never accepted responsibility for his mistakes, always fobbed the blame off on others: Garnett, Hill, whoever was within earshot. and if you crossed him, he had you court-martialed (at any point during the war, at least some of his staff was embroiled in litigation, and often without any real case against them). and it's great and all to be a military genius, if you bother to share your battle plans with the people serving under you from time to time instead of trying to direct things at the last second in a flurry of incoherent notes. to me, he was only a hero because Lee valued his draconian leadership and because he died (and i still think there's a chance that the friendly-fire shot that killed him was deliberate).
anyway, enough of that. i know i have jackson fans on my f-list. feel free to defend the crazy boob. i'm always willing to believe he had some good qualities somewhere in there. i don't think there's anything wrong with appreciating the man and he was clearly a God-fearing faithful presbyterian, but it's kinda impossible to deny that he was quite the loon.
i've got piles of stuff to do today, so i best get to it. happy weekend all ~ !
: D
no snow yet, but it's been a very good year.
i started reading Stonewall Jackson at Cedar Mountain last night and couldn't put it down. if you are a Civil War fan, you've got to pick up this book. one of the best accounts i've ever read: comprehensive, scholarly, and not remotely dry at all. my only word of caution is: if you are a Jackson fan, like Taylor on the beach, you may not like what you find. i think the writer is fair, admits to Jackson's tactical genius, but doesn't hold back from presenting a portrait of a psychologically disturbed and much-despised general. Cedar Mountain in particular is a prime example of how Jackson's methods, madness, and maladroit social skills cost needless lives (many believe he just lost touch with reality after his campaign in the Valley).
Jackson never accepted responsibility for his mistakes, always fobbed the blame off on others: Garnett, Hill, whoever was within earshot. and if you crossed him, he had you court-martialed (at any point during the war, at least some of his staff was embroiled in litigation, and often without any real case against them). and it's great and all to be a military genius, if you bother to share your battle plans with the people serving under you from time to time instead of trying to direct things at the last second in a flurry of incoherent notes. to me, he was only a hero because Lee valued his draconian leadership and because he died (and i still think there's a chance that the friendly-fire shot that killed him was deliberate).
anyway, enough of that. i know i have jackson fans on my f-list. feel free to defend the crazy boob. i'm always willing to believe he had some good qualities somewhere in there. i don't think there's anything wrong with appreciating the man and he was clearly a God-fearing faithful presbyterian, but it's kinda impossible to deny that he was quite the loon.
i've got piles of stuff to do today, so i best get to it. happy weekend all ~ !
: D
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: D
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So I saw the picture of the Canadian goose waltzing in the snow, well, more like staring at the camera in the snow, but anywho, I saw it, and I thought: "GOOSE!" And then I began to giggle.
Sometimes it's the littlest things that brings a smile to your face. And who knows why, but that picture of a goose in the snow did it for me. ^_^
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thank you for always sharing your joy.
: D
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From: (Anonymous)
Madness
Seems to me War IS madness and to be a general requires madness. .
All war, but particularly this war seems to have plenty of it to go around on both sides.
I can hardly think of a "great" general of any war that I don't think of as a bit mad --okay I don't think of Robt. E. Lee as mad--heartbreakingly noble in a war that wasn't ...actually that does sound a bit mad.
Interesting subject (your comments, I mean--not my rambling)
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Re: Madness
though it's a fine line, i s'pose.
i'm sure the war cut lee's life by a good decade or even two ~ that's always sad to consider.
: o p
From: (Anonymous)
That was me
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Re: That was me
: D
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Well according to DC Comics, that is...
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i tell you, he did it on porpoise! it's all revealed in the Green LightBulb/Team Deranger/Dark Knightman Super Double Crossover War of the Worlds Deluxe Issue #1854
DC wouldn't lie!
: D
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Flaming horse?
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okay, i will try to be positive about it.
see, smiling:
: D