GDG- Beverly Robertson

[Tom Ryan]

Teej,

	Ah ha!  Added to this soap opera is the element of the green monster at
work.  Setting aside this possible personal point of contention between
Stuart and Robertson, I think the most devastating testimony is that of
Jackson.  As we know, he did not tolerate incompetency for very long without
unceremoniously rooting it out.  That notwithstanding, just reading the
record on Robertson is pretty convincing evidence that he was mostly a
liability in combat.

Regards, Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com
[mailto:gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com]On Behalf Of Teej Smith
Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 8:16 PM
To: GDG
Subject: Re: GDG- Beverly Robertson


Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:






> Esteemed GDG Member Tom Ryan Contributes:
>
>
> The derivation of Stuart and Lee's low opinion of Beverly Robertson is
> covered in Edward Longacre's "Lee's Cavalrymen."  Longacre says that soon
> after Robertson became commander of the 4th Virginia Cavalry under
> Stuart's
> command in 1861, he was considered by those around him to be a prima
> donna,
> Stuart labeled him "by far the most troublesome man I have to deal with."

    Stuart's history with Bev Robertson predates the Civil War. He was a one
time contender for the hand of Miss Flora Cooke.  The letter he wrote to her
after Stuart was killed at Yellow Tavern appeared in one of the CW magazines
several years ago. I don't know what changed for Robertson but his
commander, then a Colonel,  Philip St. George Cooke thought the world of him
and often mentioned him in his dispatches until he found that Robertson had
been "appointed a captain in the Confederate adjutant general's department
to rank from March 16, 1861. Cooke didn't find out about this until August
8, 1861 at which time Robertson was "dismissed from the U.S. Army having
given proof of his disloyalty." Kind of an understatement, no?

Regards,
Teej




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