The text will be out later this spring. He is also working on a biography of some guy i think he will talk about today. Ns guy. Secra he is instrumental to everything we do at the center. Digitally to our projects. He is a fundamental to our undergraduate Internship Program and Public Events like this. Join me inyou all to welcoming will kurtz. [applause] dr. Kurtz i dont usually let me talk at these things. [laughter] dr. Kurtz i am afraid you are about to find out why. Is kind of a downer. A moment of levity before we get into this. I think this is first and last time we will talk about this during our day together. Gary may have mentioned him briefly in at in his talk. After he mentioned grant for the fifth time i tuned him out. I dont hate grant. Hope you take that away from this talk. In fact, i think that the failed relationship between general grant, gen. Rosecrans and rosecrans and everyone else was detrimental to the union cause. So, i will talk a little bit about general rosecrans, how it is more than just him and what you read about him and you is this grant and ulysses s. Grant. I will talk about how his issues played out over the various the actors he served in. Conflict, thee war backed and effective command structure that campaign between different armies in different theaters. Bitter rivalries between northern generals solve them fighting almost as much as their enemies. Slight exaggeration. But in some cases it was true. Jealousy did more actual damage during the war than incompetency. A bit of an overstatement but lets test the theory. Union leaders shared goal into beating the confederacy was put aside while they grappled and maneuvered with each other for troops, supplies, and prestige carried secretary of war. General Henry Halleck try to sideline ulysses s. Grant after shiloh and grant never forgave him. Ande men, their staffs, friends should have been fighting the confederacy. I will not pretend the confederacy did not have its own issues, but i dont do traders. So lets stick to the union. [laughter] dr. Kurtz buy my book. There are no traitors. It is all about the north. [laughter] despite the differences in conflicts, they were all united by one thing. They hated general William Stark rosecrans. However, he was one of the unions most successful commenters. He won important victories that secured western virginia independence. He defeated to armies in mississippi in 1862. He provided a badly needed and bloody victory on january 2. Say, stones river is the reverse that he spurred. Gettysburg has become more important to us than it was at the time, i would argue if you read the sources and the political leaders in the newspapers, this was a very big deal. The war hard point in for the union. A much needed victory, even if as the ones asig general grant. Chattanooga. Red he even got general james long treat to agree to this as well. So, whatever he could do to furnish reputation. He was a billion an engineer, devout christian. He was not without his flaws. As has future biographer, he was easy to hate. He had a bad temper, smoked incessantly, slept too little, and others, arrogant, and unforgiving. Worst of all, his selfrighteousness made him temperamentally incapable of getting along with many of his superiors. Upsonal enemies he racked over the course of the war undermined his once promising career. We see that. Fitting one for our conference considering he served in all three major theaters of the war. So, let me begin with a brief eye agar fee for those of you who know nothing about him. He was born in 1819 in delaware county, ohio. Maternal grandfather had fought in the revolution. He has a military background. In 1838, lacking the money to attend college, he applied successfully for admission into west point. Despite having virtually no formal education whatsoever, atecrans rose to graduate the end of his time at west point as fifth in his class, earning a prestigious assignment to the engineering corps. He is also distinguished like other generals who wont be named that he had so few demerits they didnt bother recording them, or they misplaced them. I looked and i could not find what they were about. 30 per year. He was so highly thought of that he was brought back and served as assistant professor for a number of years. Assistant professors at that time were slightly less valued than they are today because theres no record of what he did there at all. Only the major professors who have any record. I have looked. But, he served under dennis mohan for several years. In 1844 or 1845, it is unclear when, he left behind his protestant faith and converted to catholicism. After being assigned to a series of postings, he resigned as commission in 1854. He went into private business and was about to turn a profit in his business when the war broke out. Although a douglas democrat, he explained his decision to rejoin his army as coming from a sense of duty that compelled him to seek post of usefulness regardless of personal danger. I trust god will protect and sustain me. Religion is all over his correspondence as often as others. A few days later, he took command of camp chase and the 23rd ohio infantry volunteers as first kernel, cultivating a smart relationship with the secretary of treasury a fellow ohioan. He got himself or motor to Brigadier General and was sent to serve with mcclelland in West Virginia. Onhough rosecrans had early decided to hitch his start to that lucky dog, mcclelland, his collaboration would be short and strained. You will see a pattern. This is where it starts. I cant find it before the war. Something about the war that rings this part of this out. The first dispute happened in advance. Mcclelland got mad for advancing too far and possibly alerting the enemy. He said this. I desire you hereafter to act in strict orders. I, not you are in command. Mcclelland accused the more aggressive of being subordinate. He said there is no one more subordinate than me and willing to be a faithful servant to you. Nevertheless, the damage was done and a few days later he complained to his wife that i have not a Brigadier General worth his salt. Rosecrans is a goose. Birds one of several metaphors that would haunt him for his life. [laughter] dr. Kurtz im keeping the audubon joke for the round table. Lets move on. Over the next few days, two men came up with a plan for a twopronged assault. Very difficult for civil war. To attackd assault near rich mountain. He had the harder part of it. He had to advance over pathless mountains to take the southerners in the rear on the flank. Mcclelland waited for a battle to begin and theoretically intact theoretically attack. Rosecrans kept up his end of the bill. Sat there with indecision stamped on every line of his countenance. He did absolutely nothing. For theredit rosecrans handsome manner in which he planned and directed his attack. Credit gave himself the for conceiving of the assault. After mcclelland got the glory dowell, he replace presented not getting proper due. Friendnse on again remarked remembering that rosecrans was loud in denouncing what happened to him to his staff and fellow officers and fellow journalists. Believedk criticism is to have reached the ears of mcclelland and did not do anything to endear him to superiors. , to make a long story short, you have it in your timeline. They fought a number of successful victories in West Virginia after mcclellands to partner mcclellands departure. He managed to hold them off. They were not able to retain West Virginia territory. Was successful. Unfortunately, he proposed after going into Winter Quarters that he would lead an assault on winchester, virginia to put pressure on the south. At that plan come as you can imagine, when it got to mcclelland who was not happy with rosecrans was basically rejected. In fact, john fremont, who was looking for a new home to lose battles in, took his job and he lost his job in a totally political manner. This was the start of his trust issues. He does not understand what is going on to him. Appealing to the secretary of war for a new position, he is given at the tankless task of babysitting a division being sent to reinforce the Shenandoah Valley. Displayede, rosecrans his admirable strategic initiative, understanding of the war and said you have just replaced my single command with a bunch of different commands. You should have overall commander to prosecute the war valley. It to the obeyon wanted him to orders and shut up. I dont want your ideas come i just want you to obey. This is something rosecrans has problems with. One of his private secretaries road secretaries wrote to him. So, his days are already numbered. If rosecranss suggestions were followed, perhaps stonewall my not have happened. , he was sent to mississippi and got as far away from stanton as he could. He went to command under pope. Rosecrans took of the army of the mississippi. That leaves general grant in charge of western forces. Including the army of mississippi. The two men had gotten along very well together. They knew each other at west point. Called him an honest man to his wife. Grant said i regret that rosecrans has not got ranked equal to his merit. Him to get a promotion. He was still a Brigadier General in command of an army. He was a bit miffed about this. General rosecrans and grant would work closely together to deal with the emerging threat of confederate offensive that was not just taking place in kentucky and tennessee but a parallel one we forget about in mississippi as well. Hiscrans decided that mountain wasridge worth a second try. The plan was to hold firm and wait to attack until rosecrans got into position. They would both attack general price at the same time and catch them. And were so badly separated communication broke down and what happened was rosecrans outnumbered forces were unable to cover the roads he had agreed heer and he put decided caution was better than being too aggressive as he did not know what was up. There was an acoustic shadow that prevented them from being heard where they were. Some people say. I wont get into that. That is another subject. To escape. Ce is able pleased with the performance. He says i cannot speak to highly of the skilled displayed in the attack. Unfortunately, journalists who were friendly or known to be friendly to rosecrans were believed to be behind rumors. This will play out in just a second. He bigger problem general grant could not decide whether or not to pursue and rosecrans was recalled. The relationship is basically completely failed. I see im going to long because i get the jokes that i promised myself i wouldnt. So come i will just say basically that the relationship is a failed one. Complete and utter failure. As an aside, it seemed that the two staff are more concerned about buffing their own guys reputation thin about attacking the confederates. The idea that you would relieve oneof command for having two battles seems crazy. He got grants wife behind the scheme. Rosecrans is appreciated right lincoln, from his point of view and is sent to take over what would become the army of the cumberland. Rosecrans road to grant after leaving him here and we are to cooperate as far as possible to support each others operations. But we will see in fact that that did not happen at all. The two did not correspond at all except on the most trivial matters. Sometimes they relied on other generals to inform them of what the other was doing. So rosecrans spent a couple months getting the army of the cumberland back into shape air t would lead them south of nashville to attack general bragg outside of murfreesboro, tennessee. Unfortunately, bragg attacked first and drove him back here it rosecrans had to stabilize his position. As desperate eared bill sheridans men did some fighting. Rosecrans rushed in reinforcements and rosecrans road around personally rallying his men. A lot of people remarked on this after and remark on positively. Accommodation of these things and resituated in his line so when confederates would assault again to this later, they are utterly decimated i union artillery. Bragg retreats. This is a very bloody battle considering how many people were engaged. But it was a welcome victory. After union defeats at fredericksburg and outside of vicksburg. Just basically in the weeks before. Abraham lincoln wrote, god less you and all with you. He and stanton assured him whatever he wanted he would get. He would hold them to that promise and they would regret it. As long as he was in command. Your country owes you an immense debt. God grant that you make a drupal the obligation. Harpers weekly, leading republican newspaper praised the war democrat as a strategist second to none and the New York Times declared him at the present moment, general rosecrans if success is the standard stands at the head of the union generals. Ofre are all kinds comparisons to napoleon, frederick the great, etc. Rosecrans spent most of the spring of 1863 reorganizing his a routeandardizing network. As the months were on, washington became impatient. They wanted to know why he would not advance. He explained he did not have sufficient calvary, supplies, his supply network was too tenuous and he was still awaiting the promised supplies. After receiving a request for additional reinforcements from officers,ecranss they said he shall not have another man. This time, grant is attacking vicksburg, rosecrans is thinking about advancing but doesnt. Grant will write to havoc about this. He shouldve been writing to rosecrans and rosecrans shouldve been writing to grant. The complete breakdown of what happened is largely responsible for this. Partly rosecrans port generalship. I dont think he needed to wait that long. But it is the personality conflict that drives it. He advances on june 24, and with a series drives Braggs Office braggs army out of middle tennessee. Miffed thatels stanton implies to him that this is not as important as the battles of vicksburg and gettysburg. Rosecrans replied you do not appear to observe the fact that this noble army has driven rebels from middle tennessee. I beg the War Department will not overlook so great an event. He would ask for more calvary he was the sincere friends throughout the whole thing. Unfortunately, for lincoln and washington, they were caught off guard when he made his next movement to capture the important city of chattanooga. Out, who had bragg no choice but to retreat. But he was not in a headlong retreat. He was about to be reinforced by troops for mississippi and northern virginia. Didnt have a lot to do. Anyway, the confederates showing a much better strategic sense of the importance of cooperation across theaters, brotman in and achieved superiority over the union of those. Mistake on terrible the second day of the battle, drove rosecrans from the field. Rosecrans would retire chattanooga and prepare for the siege from confederate forces. They opened up supply lines. It looked kind of dad. He really wanted to impress this. He felt like he needed to tell washington that i really need those troops. Washington response transferring troops from mississippi and from the army. At the same time, lincoln decides to granting overall command in the west. Grant rightly realized he couldnt work with general rosecrans. So he released him from command effective october 19. Rosecrans is so embarrassed you left in the middle of the night and could not face his men. Hopedrant and stanton this was the end once and forever, lincoln promised to give him another go. He was sent to missouri. Suggestedi, rosecrans a bold strategy of combining union command just like in the Shenandoah Valley eared basically sleeping from misery down through the golf. He said we will support general banks in texas. Rosecrans was in a backwater theater and had to fight off a vicious guerrilla war. He got blinders and did not realize he was in a backwater theater and doggedly and stubbornly refused to transfer troops and pleaded. Rosecrans had never obeyed in order in his life. When he was relieved, rosecrans was asked by stanton after theessfully stymied invasion of missouri. Once he was released again, stanton asks what shall i do with him . Rosecrans will do less harm doing nothing than on duty. I know no one deserving such punishment as the infliction of rosecrans on them. Sad atns was upset and this point. He spent the rest of the war in cincinnati. He would exchange letters or try to exchange letters with rants asking what was the cause of his removal this time. He appeared before the joint committee on the conduct of for trying to vindicate his record during the conflict. In the regular army for his conduct at stones river. Shamefully trying to block a pension bill. Grant returning the favor by savaging his reputation in the memoirs. I hope you see this as a larger part of the story. His inability to get along with others. The men in blue for the victims. Inability to exploit. Bragg had been produced in forces. If he had attacked earlier, maybe the battle would not have been a possibility. While it is important to remember those partnerships that won the war, we should think of the ones that about this failed relationships. Thank you. [applause] did he remain in the army until he retired or what was his postwar career like . Dr. Kurtz he was given a long leave of absence which was extended several times. He made friends with Andrew Johnson while they were in tennessee. He essentially does not retire until early 1867. He is still there as part of the army, but he decides to seek his name and fortune in the west rather than staying in the army. What role did politics play in his getting promoted . His support from secretary treasury chase. Im struck the fact that grant removes him only after the election of 1864. He has a rather biting comment about him. How did he get there to begin with . Grant could have sent him to cincinnati right away. Dr. Kurtz my explanation for that is limited, because if you look at grant hitting more angry , he is trying to relieve him even before price gets to missouri could misery. Missouri. I can only surmise that lincoln had something to do with it. It is generally accepted that rosecrans was not put into a position where he could be relieved by Something Like grant in 1863 in july after the gubernatorial elections and ohio , when he was a big supporter of the republican candidate at the time. He was seen as a useful Political Tool by the lincoln administration. He was sounded out to be lincolns Vice President in the 1864 election because he was a war democrat with a largely successful record who hated slavery and really hated treason. He was looked at as a political asset by some. There is a Fort Rosecrans in california, i believe. How did his reputation get resurrected to have a four named after him . Dr. Kurtz rosecrans has the good fortune of outlasting all of the major generals, and other people who hated him. By the time he dies, his reputation is largely restored and he is seen as a hero of the conflicts. That would be revised way down over the course of the 20th century, he was looked at as a great hero. When he was reinterred at arlington, Teddy Roosevelt came and gave a speech. He was this hero figure despite chickamauga, especially to fellow catholics, and especially at the time of his death. People forgot about the less savory things, the pension bill, chickamauga, etc. And a colorful incident about that, i was in san diego recently with my kids and we were going to go get ice cream. I got off on a rosecrans avenue and i thought that was great. End on we will have to this. We drove for a little bit, and i tz avenue intersecting rosecrans. [laughter] i looked around and i said, a dull video store, liquor store, that looks like a pay by the hour motel. I dont know what this bodes for my project. [laughter] anyway, it does Say Something about his mixed legacy. Thank you very much. [applause] learn more about the people and events that shaped the civil everyd reconstruction saturday at 6 00 p. M. Eastern, only on American History tv, here on cspan3. Eastern, at 8 00 p. M. In his First Television interview about his new book, journalist and bestselling author David Marinus explores his familys involvement in communism. What are the years they were communists . , my mother was a member of the Young Communist League as a young student at the university of michigan. My father was not, but he was definitely a leftist. And then, after he came back from the war, i would say from 1946 until 1952. Do they like the idea of the soviet union and why . Said father at one point he was stubborn in his ignorance. I think they liked the egalitarian idea. I think my father in particular and my mother to some extent was shaped by what he saw as the economic inequalities that were more obvious during the great depression, when the notion of capitalism was being questioned were strongly because of what had happened with the collapse of that system. And i think that the stubbornness and ignorance is nothing the paranoia and murderous history of the soviet union and till later. Sunday night at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on cspans q a. Tv,ext on American History Virginia Commonwealth University professor Catherine Shively discusses military history and the civil war. She talks about help analyzing different aspects of military history can help us understand the changes during the period. Annuals part of the symposium at the library of virginia and is coquestioned the university of Virginia Center for civil war history. Welcome back to the annual symposium. We are glad to have you with us. For those of