Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

[Gallinipper]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

the highest ranking communist in the history of the United States Army."

Hey Michael, did he have a special badge for that by chance??? Marshal of the (deleted) Union. :p

Rich Croxton

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

If he had any badge it probably would have been the black, red, and gold of the German Republic, but he wasn't a badge kind of guy. He even dropped the "von" from his name.

Interesting fellow -- here's his Times obituary:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9D0DE7DD113FE63BBC4C51DFB7668383669FDE

What I like about Willich goes beyond his personal qualities. A lot of men in the civil war were brave, skillful, and devoted to their cause. To me he demonstrates that "heritage" goes beyond moonlight and magnolia to encompass a very wide range of beliefs and backgrounds.

Or maybe I'm just especially proud of the Germanic, leftist motif in American history :)

Freiheit und Einheit!

[Gallinipper]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Pard, well it was a bad joke anyway. Thanks for your tolerance. Wow, that's quite a writeup. The Revolutions of 1848 had quite an impact in Europe, and on many of those who eventually came to America.

Rich Croxton

[Pritchett Ball]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Capt. Samuel T. Foster 24th Texas Cavalry, (Dismounted) Granbury’s Brigade

I find Capt. Foster an interesting fellow, who was as hard core a Confederate as anyone could be. He rates on high up in my opinion.

At Missionary Ridge , fighting Sherman’s men he writes of
“Now we give them fits. See how they do fall…oh this is fun to lie here and shoot them down and we not get hurt. Ark. Post was not like this” Getting wounded in the leg, genuinely surprised, complaining that “…some deluded yank-not having the fear of the Confederates before his eyes, supposed to be a long way off shot me in the right leg”.

At the Battle of Jonesboro, fighting Cavalry he writes:
“They just fairly made it rain bullets…but as soon as they gave out, and we getting closer to them every moment, they couldn’t stand it but broke and ran like good fellows. They running for life and we for fun”.

After Franklin, Foster comments: “General Hood has betrayed us…this was not the fight with equal numbers and choice ground by no means…The wails and cries of widows & orphans made at Franklin Tenn Nov 30th will heat up the fires of the bottomless pit to burn the soul of Gen. John Bell Hood for murdering their Husbands and Fathers at that place that day. It can’t be called anything else but cold blooded murder.”

Here is where Capt. Foster stands out in my mind, when at the time of the Surrender of the AoT, he and others talk of the past & future…

“Who is to blame for all this waste of human life? It is too bad to talk about. And what does it amount to? Has there been anything gained by all this sacrifice? What were we fighting for, the principles of slavery? And now the slaves are all freed, and the Confederacy has to be dissolved. We have to go back into the Union. Ah! There is the point. Will there ever be any more Union, as there once was?
Latter he writes:
“Men still talking politics, but it is over and over the same thing, with the same regrets for our loss, and end with the same “What does it amount to? It seems curious that men’s minds can change so sudden, from opinions of life long, to new ones a week old.
I mean that men who have not only been taught from their infancy that the institution of slavery was right; but men who actually owned and held slaves up to this time, --have now changed in their opinions regarding slavery, so as to be able to see the other side of the question, --to see that for man to have property in man was wrong, and that the “Declaration of Independence meant more than they had ever been able to see before. That all men are, and of right ought to be free” has a meaning different from the definition they had been taught from their infancy up, --and to see that the institution (though perhaps wise) had been abused, and perhaps for that abuse this terrible war with its results, was brought upon us as a punishment {“for that abuse” is marked out}. These ideas come not from the Yanks or northern people but come from reflection, and reasoning among ourselves."

Capt. Foster makes some powerful comments at the wars end, ones that I wish some modern day Heritage folk would consider!

Kevin Dally

[guad42]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

My Great, Great, Great Grandfather, John L. Tibbetts who at age 39 enlisted in the 19th Mass Vols and later lost his arm in June, 1862. Despite this injury, he reenlisted in the VRC in 1863 and continued to serve for another 18 months.

-Sam Dolan

[Milliron]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Brig. Gen. William Haines Lytle. A celebrated poet in his own day, a man beloved by both South and North. A true ladies' man, as evidenced by his writings, and a man with 'nads of steel.

Wounded three times previously, when faced with the complete breakthrough of Longstreet on the September 20, 1863 at Chickamauga, rather than run, he attacked Longstreet's flank with his brigade, slowing their advance. There was no way Lytle's small force could contend with Longstreet, and he was shot from his horse while leading his men, who were forced to retreat.

Lytle lay in state in Cincinnati, and Bragg allowed his original regiment, the Tenth Ohio, to collect his body from the field. Regrets were sent from the Army of Tennessee to Lytle's family during the funeral. A true Irishman.

[Southernlady1862]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Sally Thompkins

[CaptainPinson]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

the man of the day & hour for me..

[Mtn.Guerilla]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Well after reading this post since Jon started it, I guess I'll post something as well. Like several other posters I would have to go with my own ancestors involved in the war. Although having scores of Confederates in the woodpile of the family, with distinguished wartime records, I would have to go with the men of "Kennemars Union Scouts and Guides". The company was formed July 1st 1864 in Woodville Alabama, by (2grt. uncle) J.B. Kennemar, and actually contained two family lines consisting of 2 ( 2nd grt. grandfathers) and 3 (grt. uncles). These men originally avoided Confederate conscription by working a saltpeter/nitrate cave on the family property, producing gunpowder for the Confederacy. One even worked as the Confederate postmaster for the region.
But as the war progressed, and more Federals occupied the area, there became a need for men who knew the area to combat the many bands of Confederate scouts "aka Bushwackers". As well as guide Union calavary and infantry, thru the montains in N. Alabama and the areas surrounding Chatttanooga. Thru the family accounts I have, these men fought countless skirmishses and suffered terribly for their Union loyalties, thru loss of land, crops, etc . It is interesting to note that they never recieved any compensation, until 5 years after the war, once anti-Southern sentiments died down up North. They were discharged by Gen. Lyons in 1865.
Their story is fascinating to me as they caught it from both sides, and suffered greatly stuck between two great armies. Although they always held on to their loyalties, to their familes, and country (ie: the quote below).

[Southernlady1862]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

"Capt" Sally Thompkins