behind AotW

a companion to Antietam on the Web

Category: the history

  • History going private?

    I know this kind of thing goes on every day, but I’m struck by it this evening – there’s something not-quite-right.

    There’s a letter for sale on an upcoming eBay live auction. Written by a soldier of the 90th (later 11th) Pennsylvania Infantry, Nathaniel B. Dilhorn.

    I can make out the first page, but that’s all that’s posted …

    Camp 1 1/2 miles from Sharpsburg, Md.
    Sep 26th 1862

    Dear Victoria,

    I received your letter with one from your Mother yesterday. I’m glad after so long a time to hear from you and Isabella & Watty [?]. You do not say a word about your Father. I suppose he is several years beyond the claim of a draft. In Virginia men have been drafted up to the age of 60. I am glad your Father is not included. It would be felt very much by you should such be the case. As it is I think you do not feel the sad effects of this War as many have. Albert is safe & I trust will go safely through it but how many have suffered and fallen & brought sadness to the door of their dwellings. We trust the Angel of of [sic] Death will pass by your door post. You speak of Bell and Watty going to market and will soon be home with good things for their dinners – how I wish I could sit down by them once more. What [a] glorious meal it would be & how grateful we would be at the thought – but we have much to go through yet. Perhaps a long tramp over Old Virginia again. But I hope not, I have seen as much of it as I desire to see. Mr. Duff gave me a cann [sic] of Tomatoes (a Quart Cann) – I found them very good indeed. I promised to Mr. D a Rebels Gun, but I find those who have them are not disposed to keep them. By & bye I will get one for him. Some one will drop a gun on a march then it will not cost much to pick it up. Another Battle may throw many into our hands and then perhaps I can have a choice … [page ends]

    I’d love to read the whole letter, but can’t buy it. (more…)

  • McClellan and intelligence

    A recurring theme in the study of George McClellan’s record with the Army of the Potomac is his apparent propensity for overestimating the size and mettle of the opposing force. I really don’t have a good understanding of why this was or what his sources of information were. Except for a nodding acquaintance with Pinkerton (below), I don’t understand his intelligence apparatus at all.

    A. Pinkerton

    I’m now reading Edwin Fishel’s The Secret War for the Union [more at Amazon], and I think there might be some help there. I have to admit I skipped ahead when I first got the book, Sunday last, looking for tidbits on the Maryland Campaign. Fishel has some very fine specifics on events of early September 1862 that I’d read of in summary elsewhere. I appreciate well documented details, though it doesn’t make for light reading in this case. Now that I’ve got a good feeling from the author in my small area of expertise, I’ll go back and begin at the beginning of the book. I promise.

    Side note: I went to school and played music with a Fishel in the early 70’s in Arlington (Va). Great trumpet player. I knew his father, slightly, as a Dixieland bandleader and jazz musician. Had no idea he was a spook. Now I know “the rest of the story”.

    There has been a discussion recently on H-CivWar about Antietam. About whether it was a draw or victory, and some of the common “what-ifs” have made their appearances: if only McClellan had insert cliches here … the usual suspects. (more…)