At 10:53 PM 1/30/2002 -0800, you wrote:
>Brett Coster wrote: > > >>Australians had been slaughtered in the full frontal attacks in France and >>Belgium in 1916, just like everyone else. The stupid part about WW1, though, >>was that Civil War style tactics were used in the South African (Boer) War >>of 1899-03, by both sides. Including British generals like Hamilton >>(Gallipoli) and Haig (France/Belgium) both of whom promptly seem to have >>forgotten those lessons in 1914-18. > > >Interesting stuff, Brett. Is the history of conflict a hobby or related >to your profession? > > >I did notice that you didn't mention Longstreet. I have gleaned that his >innovations in defensive warfare were influential especially the use of >traversed trenches first developed at >Fredericksburg - at least according to Foote. > > >-- >Doug > >email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://www.zo.com/~brighto Longstreet is one of the Outstanding generals of the Civil War. His strategy of positioning himself in a strong defensive and strategic position (thereby forcing the Union to attack him at a disadvantage) was brilliant. He made his share of mistakes, but generally he was an exemplary general. Unfortunately, he does not receive his due, primarily to the fact that he was perceived to be the cause of Southern defeat at Gettysburg (he was very reluctant to attack with Pickett's division, what was a superior Union defensive position, and thusly moved a little too slowly into position; also after the war Lee's canonization as military saint of the South precluded any criticism of him, therefore the blame had to fall on Longstreet.) and that he became a Republican after the end of hostilities and was seen as a "sell-out" by the die-hard secessionists. A sad ending for the man Lee felt was his best corps commander and 'right hand'. john
