GDG- message #8

[Margaret D. Blough]

No one that I know of disputes that Foote is a wonderful storyteller, and Ken Burns knew what he was doing when Burnes featured Foote so prominently in "The Civil War".  If he'd used the novel format, as Michael Shaara did in "The Killer Angels," there would have been no issue on footnotes v no footnotes.  However, I personally have experienced the frustration of wanting to follow up on a statement in Foote and not be able to do so. The source is important in evaluating how much weight to place on a statement. 

For instance, I've seen a quote from Confederate General Richard Taylor used in many sources, especially Robert K. Krick, and often in relationship to the period from Second Manassas on and particularly about Gettysburg. The quote is, "That any subject involving the possession and exercise of intellect should be clear to Longstreet and concealed from Lee, is a startling proposition to those having knowledge of the two men." There is only one difficulty with this quote.  It is highly questionable on what basis Richard Taylor would have any personal knowledge of either general, particularly Longstreet. Taylor missed First Manassas. He served well under Jackson in the Valley. He did not participate in the Seven Days because of illness.  In August 1862, he was promoted to major general and placed in command of the Western District of Louisiana. He remained in the Trans-Mississippi and the Western Theater until he surrendered in May of 1865.

Regards,

Margaret

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "The Hahns" <sl_hahn at hotmail.com> 

> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes: 
> 
> 
> when THE MOVIE came to so calif , I was among those who heard, walking out of 
> the theater, a southern voice saying " GODDAMN YANKEES WON AGAIN ! " 
> 
> as to the question of foote's failure to footnote, I only ask that you go to 
> springfield, stand at the train station and read Foote's discription of 
> lincoln's last day in springfield. he was a great story teller. the three 
> vols. are a narrtive! I was 18 at the time the first volume was published and 
> my reaction was, here is someone who is readable besides catton 
> stephen 
> 
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