I appreciate it. As i told you folks i talked with his morning, it is an honor for me to be here. There is Something Special about the battlefield here at cold harbor. I came about my interest in the american civil war, im sure like most of you did. I got it from my father. My dad was born in 1901 and a little town on the tennesseealabama border that was only 35 years after the end of the american civil war. As you might imagine, most of those old men sitting around the Grocery Store were confederate veterans. He grew up listening to their tall tales and talking with them about their battles. I was born in 1945. When i grow up, what all of my friends were hearing fairy tales and stories from their parents, my dad was reading the books with names like lees lieutenants, stuff like that. We visited the battlefield. We did not make any trips to cold harbor, though, because there really was not that much here. The overland campaign, which is the campaign that brings grant and lead to where
Be a sorrowful duty to perform. That duty today belongs to me. I have brought home the fallen body of my commander and my dearest friend. Major general James Mcpherson. Home to his grandmother, mother, family and to his friends. In tennessee and formed an instant friendship. Whoseung men from ohio personal lives and military careers were similar in nature. When general mcpherson was he choseas commander, me as his chief engineer. I joined general mcpherson staff in mississippi. This began our amazing journey that would last more than two years. When i learned general mcpherson had been killed in action, i knew immediately i lost my best friend. The army lost a great commander and a nation lost a soldier who had the wherewithal to unite a divided nation. If i was asked to summarize the general mcphersons personal and military career, i would use these four words. By quiet merit alone. I have the great honor of introducing our guest speaker. He is adjusting which author with over two doz
In ohio. If i appear nervous, i apologize. It has been a long journey from decatur delivering the body of my good friend James Mcpherson. There comes a time in every soldiers career where therell be a sorrowful duty to perform. That duty today belongs to me. I have brought home the fallen body of my commander and my dearest friend. Major general James Mcpherson. Home to his grandmother, mother, family and to his friends. Mac and i met in tennessee and formed an instant friendship. Two young men from ohio whose personal lives and military careers were similar in nature. When general mcpherson was promoted as commander, he chose me as his chief engineer. I joined general mcphersons staff in mississippi. This began our amazing journey that would last more than two years. When i learned general mcpherson had been killed in action, i knew immediately i lost my best friend. The army lost a great commander and a nation lost a soldier who had the wherewithal to unite a divided nation. If i was
Today we are going to begin talking about the year 1864. We are going to start with the action and virginia and 1864. Focusing especially on the action and may, june, and the famous duel between Ulysses S Grant and robert e. Lee. The big showdown between the best general on each side. I think this campaign has been more misunderstood and misinterpreted than maybe any other theres a president ial campaign. The primary campaign is going on and several candidates are seeking the nomination of one of the parties and theyre coming up on one of the nominating the primers the state primary and youll typically youll hear some politicians say oh if i finish in the top three, that will be a win that if i to finish in the top three, ill be very happy or Something Like that. And of course, hes trying to manage expectations. Because if he does that successfully and if people and the press and so forth buy it, yeah Top Three Finishes a win for him and he finishes number two, you know. Oh wow, thats
Ulysses s grant and robert e lee. The big showdown between in each case the best general that each side had i think this campaign has been more misunderstood and misinterpreted than maybe any other campaign in the civil war. I think the reason reason is because of expectations. You know today in politics you would see say theres a president ial campaign. The primary campaign is going on and several candidates are seeking the nomination of one of the parties and theyre coming up on one of the nominating the primers the state primary and youll typically youll hear some politicians say oh if i finish in the top three, that will be a win that if i to finish in the top three, ill be very happy or Something Like that. Dont buy it, then he finishes second then oh wow, what a loser what a defeat for him finishing second. I think with over Land Campaign grants campaign how he got to petersburg, the thing with this is the guy who finishes first winds up being looked at as a loser because of expe