GDG- "jumping to conclusions" regarding the 59th NY at the wal

[wolfduke39 at comcast.net]

Maybe it wasnt a Captain??? Maybe it was just some average warrior that Cowen mistook for a Captain. I meen after all it was a battle and there was allot going on, and suffice it to say with that in mind it is quite possible, if not totally possible for him to have mispoke, dont you think Don? To be quite honest I would have to sit down and read Zacks findings and probably take his tour again preferably without you being present, Don. Then I would have to read your collection of findings and research the two to draw my own conclusions. 

 I give the kid allot of Kudos on his presentation and his hard work ethic. Seems to me that neither of you were present "At the Wall" so we all have to go on what was written and reported. Yes this is what researching history presents us. A difference of opinion and as long as we agree to disagree maybe we will find a common ground to which we can come to a conclusion. Maybe one day you will take us all on a tour and present us with your findings and present your findings as eloquently as Zack has done. Oh and since I am rereading your post I must say , making my point again you wernt there so any veiws you may have are just like Zacks and that would be "In his or your View" I hope I didnt interupt this conversation as a rude person would. It was not my intent to do that and if I offended anyone in doing so I do apoligize. Once again no small animals were hurt in the writing of this message. Thanks for your time, Turkey Man
-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: ernscave at aol.com 

> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes: 
> 
> 
> ? Jack, I would not be so quick to jump to conclusions regarding the actions of 
> either the 59th NY or the 69th Pa based on Cowen testimony. First of all, the 
> reason for Zack's view that the entire four companies of the 59th NY never 
> occupied the 50 yards to the left of the 69th? Pa? is not because of "Brown's 
> gate".... in fact there were 30 yards of wall space directly to the left of the 
> 69th that could have been used by the 59th... wall space just as high as that 
> used by the ten companies of the 69th Pa. "Brown's Gate" is located some 30 
> yards to the south of the end of the 69th line.? It is the placement of first 
> Brown's guns and then Cowen's guns that Zack cites as the reason the 59th NY 
> never occupied the location marked by their regimental right flank marker. My 
> understanding from taking Zack's tour is that in his view not only is the "right 
> flank marker" INCORRECTLY placed but that the 59th NY Regimental marker itself 
> is INCORRECTLY? placed. 
> ? Secondly, with regard to the 69th right two companies, the field of fire of 
> Cowen's single right wing gun would have endangered the left flank of Company G. 
> In fact, Privates Clay and Coyle in Company G were killed by Cowen's "friendly 
> fire". Privates Michael and James Laracy also in Co. G,? suffered head and back 
> shoulder wounds which may be related to Cowen fire. I agree that Company G was 
> in a very dangerous place and have no proof that there were not some men pulling 
> back from that location. In all my research of 69th materials I have yet to find 
> any mention of Company G men? running back but have found several references to 
> company K and G refusing their left at this point.? As for Cowen's accounts of 
> officers ("a Captain") running while squawking like a turkey and men being hit 
> over the head with coffee pots I have always noted that when the 69th Pa invited 
> Andrew Cowen to attend the dedication of their regimental monument in 1887 he 
> accepted, attended and not only had no such tall tales to tell but spoke only in 
> the highest terms about the regiment. Only in 1911 (48 years after the battle) 
> do we see the appearances of such "hollywood" scenes. It is possible that some 
> men from the 69th did "flee" but since Company G had no Captain present and 
> Company K's Captain William Davis was the man who took command of the regiment 
> on July 4 and rose to Lt. Colonel and since Company B (next in line) had a 
> captain who was recovering in Philadelphia at the time, I have always wondered 
> who this mysterious "turkey-man" was. 
> 
> Don Ernsberger 
> author "At the Wall" 
> "Paddy Owen's Regular's 
> 
> 
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