GDG- Lee's Real Plan at Gettysburg

[Laurence D. Schiller]

I agree J.D. - perhaps the biggest sin in historical writing is to 
create a theory and cherry pick the facts (or reinterpret or ignore 
them) to make it work. Good historical method is to collect the data 
first and, to some degree, allow it to suggest an interpretation. My 
favorite African history book is by Walter Rodney who was a strict 
Marxist historian. He tried to write a textbook of African history 
using the stages of history, class struggle, and so forth. Never mind 
the facts do not remotely fit classic Marxist theory (and Marx never 
considered non European history anyway), he scrunched and pushed 
until he thought they did. It is a wonderful example of how NOT to 
write history.

Best,

Laurie


>(snip my stuff)
>
>
>Indeed, Professor, and I think this is the exact reason why we got a
>particular issue of Blue&Gray magazine last year in which it is purported
>that Farnsworth's Charge actually happened nearly a mile away from the
>battlefield, and all sorts of similarly head-shaking claims.  No new
>evidence, no new sources, just a reinterpretation geared toward a
>pre-determined conclusion.
>
>Frustrating at the least.
>
>J.D.
>
> 
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-- 
Dr. Laurence Dana Schiller
Maitre d'Armes
Head Fencing Coach
Department of History
Northwestern University
Commissioner, Midwest Fencing Conference
Midwest VP, US Fencing Coaches' Association
Vice-Chair USFA Illinois Division
Lds307 at northwestern.edu
847-491-4654
FAX 847-467-1406
Official Sports site: http://nusports.ocsn.com/
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