GDG- Re: Gettysburg Digest, Vol 27, Issue 10

[Teej Smith]

> Esteemed GDG Member Tom Ryan Contributes:
>
>
> Teej,
>
> Thanks for that.  I think Rosser captured the essence of Stuart very well
> in that eulogy.

    You're welcome. That segment comes from a reunion address Rosser made in 
1889. As I mentioned in my original post, Rosser was less than kind to 
Stuart when it came to Gettysburg. The Stuart family took great exception to 
the following:

            Stuart had been marching constantly, almost day and night, on 
scant forage and little rest for man or horse, for eight days, within the 
enemy's lines, and while his conduct displayed a daring almost to 
recklessness, he accomplished little, save the wear and fatigue of long 
marches. He had undoubtedly impaired the strength and vigor of his command. 
Maj. McClellan, who so blindly worshiped Stuart that he could see none of 
his imperfections, while acknowledging the error of this move of Stuart's is 
disposed to place the burden of the blunder on the shoulders of Gen. R.E. 
Lee (who was certainly able to carry them). But while every officer in those 
two grand armies, Confederate and Federal, ascribe great merit to Stuart as 
a cavalry general of great ability and of unexceptional enterprise, courage 
and energy, we know that he was like all other men, human and liable to err, 
and did in my opinion on this campaign, undoubtedly, make the fatal blunder, 
which lost us the battle of Gettysburg! It is true that Gen. Lee had with 
him some cavalry, but he was without an experienced or able officer to 
command them, and they rendered him no valuable service. Had Stuart sent 
Hampton or Fitz Lee on this raid, and he remained with our army, or had he 
left these able officers, or either of them with the army, instead of taking 
them with him, Gen. Lee would not have sighed "Alas my eyes and my ears are 
gone, and I can neither see nor hear the enemy, nor can I ascertain where he 
is."



    So much so that William Alexander Stuart wrote to Flora:



    Rosser cannot hurt my brother's reputation, among those who knew them 
both; but this generation is passing away, & Rossser's address 
uncontradicted, may be accepted as foundation for future history.



            Did Rosser & my brother ever have any estrangement, or hard 
feeling between them? If so I would like you to hunt up some evidence of it.



            I strongly suspect it.



Regards,

Teej