GDG- 1st Rhode Island article

[Tom Ryan]

Hi J.D.,

I hasten to add that the basic article is informative and well-written.  The
author provides a good history of the 1st Rhode Island, and a detailed
discussion of the the events at Middleburg when the 1st was surrounded by
Stuart's cavalry and virtually destroyed.

I would liked to have seen more on the Kilpatrick/Pleasonton role in the
demise of the 1st RH and a better understanding of Duffie's background, but
beyond that the overall article is a good one.

Regards, Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com
[mailto:gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com]On Behalf Of J. David Petruzzi
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 10:52 PM
To: GDG
Subject: RE: GDG- 1st Rhode Island article


Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:


Tom,

I haven't yet read that article, but based on what you say, it appears the
author actually knew very little about the episode before writing about it.
Most of us very familiar with the 1st RI Cav and their thrashing, Duffie,
and Alf and Kil's scheming, would know those details.

Sounds like Grandchamp may have been writing about something he wasn't
qualified to...

J.D.

J. David Petruzzi
My blog: http://petruzzi.wordpress.com
My book: http://www.stuartsride.com



>>Just finished reading "'Our Regiment Has Just Been Cleaned Up':  The 1st
Rhode Island Cavalry at Middleburg" by Robert Grandchamp in the latest issue
of Gettysburg Magazine.  While interesting, I was a little disappointed in
some aspects of the article.

In providing the background of Col. Alfred Duffie, the author either was
unaware of or chose to ignore Eric Wittenburg's article in North & South
Magazine that revealed some of the fabrications regarding his background and
training that Duffie invented when he came to America and joined the Union
army.

In addition, the article does not go into enough depth about the
responsibility of Union cavalry leaders Kilpatrick and Pleasonton for
hanging the 1st Rhode Island out to dry at Middleburg.  This situation was
frought with inside-the-military politics, and xenophobia on the part of
American-born officers, particularly Pleasonton.

Not that Duffie wasn't responsible for his own fate in many ways, yet the
other side of the story needs to accompany that aspect in order to get a
complete picture.

Also note that for some reason references to the OR in the footnotes cites
Volume 26 rather than 27.  This may just have been a typo, but it is
repeated.

Tom>>

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