GDG- RE: Leader Losses

[Richard M Kadas]

  Miles,
  You make an excellent point which also might be extended to Richard Ewell's performance on day one. He had lost a leg at BR2 which was roughly 10 months before. Today, even with modern prosthetics and rehabilitation methods people aren't expected to have fully recovered from having a leg amputated in under one year. As we shouldn't judge generals' historical performance using information they didn't have, It is equally fallacious to judge ACW officers' combat performance in expectation that they would recover enough from wounds to perform at 100% in less time than soldiers are given today.
  Dick
  Miles Krisman <milez at rogers.com> wrote:
  Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:


It is interesting to note, that both Brigadier Generals O'Neal and Iverson of Rodes Division, were wounded leading their men on the field at Chancellorsville. Eight weeks later, both men stayed in the rear as their brigades went forward on Oak Hill on Day 1 at Gettysburg. Their brigades were decimated and they were both rebuked, having their careers stymied due to this, but were they combat ready after being wounded? Perhaps some veterans can attest to how painful gunshot wounds can be weeks later. Surely this could be a mitigating factor when one looks at their decisions to remain in the rear.

Miles Krisman

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