GDG- Re: "capturing the flag"

[Biggsk at aol.com]

Margaret writes:

>>>>Look at the American Revolution itself. Washington lost  both New York 
and Philadelphia, the new nation's capital, and kept on  fighting.>>>>
Absolutely correct!
 
In the Civil War the only time that I think the capture of a capitol would  
have made any difference at all politically was if the Confederates had taken  
Washington City right after First Manassas - or if the Union had won,  
Richmond.
 
This last bit argues my point that the South made an incredibly bungling  
error by putting their capitol in Richmond when it should have been Atlanta, and  
thus removing the city as a political target of national importance save that 
it  was Virginia's capitol.  The loss of Nashville in February, 1862 became 
the  siren-like focus for Confederate military strategy in the West for no less 
than  4 more campaigns!  Most of its industrial base had already been moved 
out  to Atlanta but it still remained a political symbol and the focus of the  
Confederate Army whereas the smashing of Union armies should have been more  
important.
 
Greg Biggs
 
Greg Biggs

 



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