GDG- The Turning Point?

[Richard M Kadas]

Interesting discussion tropic. It seems that Gary Gallagher is more on target. The awareness of both opponents millitary and civilian leadership as to recognition that the war was either lost or won appears to be crucial elements  What I would welcome is a detailed study which identified the point at which the majority of the grunts both North & South realized that the wear's outcome had been decided. It would take an effort equivalent to the Peculiar Institution by Kenneth M. Stampp. which was the first fully documented work to study the economics of slavery.
  Dick
NPeters102 at aol.com wrote: 
  Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:



In a message dated 4/2/2007 11:15:04 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, 
smith_david_g at bah.com writes:

1) That some people, championed by James McPherson in his latest
*Antietam* book consider Antietam to be the true turning point of the
war because it led to the emancipation of the slaves.
2) Another group of people considers Gettysburg not to have been the
turning point, but something later, generally the fall of Atlanta. Gary
Gallagher has an essay in The Confederate War in which he argues that
Confederate soldiers and those on the home front did not see Gettysburg
as a key turning point. Also, I believe James McPherson (in *Battle Cry
of Freedom*) was one of the major modern scholars to point out the
confluence between Atlanta, Sheridan in the Valley, and Lincoln's
reelection in 1864. BCoF is a big book, but a high school student might
want to look at that chapter. There may be other sources as well.



David:

Interesting post. Please allow a lurker to weigh-in on this issue.

I find Antietam & the EP very important politically. After the EP, it became 
a war to free the slaves, as well as a war to preserve the Union. It has 
been said that this was done more to keep England & France out of the fray than 
to free the slaves. The question I always ask myself is "Was England &/or 
France really considering jumping into the fray?" 

Without Chattanooga, is Atlanta & Sherman's March to the Sea possible?

Re: Vicksburg, wasn't it Halleck who said that a victory at Vicksburg was 
more important than the fall of 40 Richmonds. I cast my tally for the Vicksburg 
Campaign & for the battle of Champion Hill specifically. 

But militarily speaking there are other Western Theater battles worthy of 
consideration, IMHO.

Respectfully,

Mike Peters
npeters102 at aol.com



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