tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post5356475568469130842..comments2024-01-03T05:18:54.650-05:00Comments on CDR Salamander: Fullbore FridayCDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-47789472737341600422012-01-01T09:50:01.723-05:002012-01-01T09:50:01.723-05:00It took crushing to break the South's politica...It took crushing to break the South's political will. Which is telling. Lincoln's balancing act was one of the most brilliant in the history of western government. <br /><br />if Meade had listened to Hancock in the day after Gettysburg, the converse may have been true. <br /><br />Yes, Forrest did do that. But not to much material advantage. Unlike Sheridan who ravaged the Shenandoah.UltimaRatioRegisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-58725887779221736222012-01-01T09:21:30.622-05:002012-01-01T09:21:30.622-05:00And if Lee had listened to Longstreet at Gettysbur...And if Lee had listened to Longstreet at Gettysburg, Lincoln might have caved to the Democrats who wanted to end the war. It wasn't about crushing, it was about breaking political will, as wars tend to be.<br /><br />Also, by 1863, a hell of a lot of Confedrate troops had been killed. It had started to become a numbers war, and the North simply had more men to feed the killing machine. Last, but not least, a fellow named Forrest ran the Union ragged all over Mississipi, Alabama and Tennesee 8-)Byronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-15815825594603240742012-01-01T08:27:21.834-05:002012-01-01T08:27:21.834-05:00<span>The South was indeed crushed, because ...<span>The South was indeed crushed, because that is what it took to defeat the South. Whereas the South would win should the North simply decide to quit the fight. </span><br /><br />Take a small army, separate the top half of officers and almost all the experienced NCOs on one side, and the bottom half of the officers and only a few NCOs on the other, and you will have the situation of the Civil War. <br /><br />For most of the first two years of the war, the Federal troops largely consisted of semi-trained volunteers without experienced NCOs, and with indifferent leadership at best in the officer ranks. <br /><br />Which is what makes battles like Shiloh, and Malvern Hill, and Antietam so noteworthy. The green Federal troops absorbed (and dealt) incredible punishment, so much so that European observers were flabbergasted. Courage, they had plenty of. <br /><br />By 1863, men like Reynolds, Hancock, Sherman, Sheridan, Grant, Thomas, Buford, and Crook were at least equal to their counterparts. And once the Federal troops had learned their craft, they were, too.UltimaRatioRegisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-351462885444660232012-01-01T06:48:19.675-05:002012-01-01T06:48:19.675-05:00With all due respect, and not wishing to start the...With all due respect, and not wishing to start the flame fest again, it took four and a half long bloody years for the North to prevail. There were several points in the war where the South nearly broke the Unions will to continue (which is the point of war, remember?) Never the less, I'd hardly call it "crushed".Byronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-77486625426051879092012-01-01T01:42:39.256-05:002012-01-01T01:42:39.256-05:00Snort. "The South Will Rise Again!!!!!!!&quo...Snort. "The South Will Rise Again!!!!!!!"<br /><br />...and be crushed again by the North.Adversus Omnes Dissidentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-36623025219875445462011-12-31T08:10:06.287-05:002011-12-31T08:10:06.287-05:00I stand corrected sir! I'll fault a foggy mind...I stand corrected sir! I'll fault a foggy mind and my age :) . Still, Jerry Pournelle, David Weber, John Ringo and Robert Heinlein wrote some awesome military sci-fi. The best at it would be John Ringo...Byronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-65287841090432343992011-12-31T07:58:02.723-05:002011-12-31T07:58:02.723-05:00Check out the transformation in the vicinity of Ga...Check out the transformation <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/1853_U.S.C.S._Map_of_Galveston_City_and_Harbor%2C_Texas_-_Geographicus_-_Galveston-uscs-1853.jpg" rel="nofollow"><strong>in the vicinity of Galveston from then</strong> </a>...especially the impacts of the creation of Pelican Island and the jetties...<a href="http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/maps/USA_TX_Port_of_Galveston_34.php" rel="nofollow"><strong>to now</strong></a>.sidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-24526463815065776222011-12-31T07:44:41.353-05:002011-12-31T07:44:41.353-05:00<span>Pretty amazing how much Galveston bay ...<span>Pretty amazing how much Galveston bay has been transformed.... <br /> <br />Also, I would opine that in the days of shifty, shoaly, non improved waters and no GPS,...indeed no modern aids to navigation of any kind...you had to be a right competent <strong>SAILOR </strong>before you could even think about waging a sea battle... <br /> <br /><a href="http://gcaptain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/20090208_a15-cty-grounded.jpg" rel="nofollow"><strong></strong><span>Bet this crew would not have fared so well</span></a> <br /> <br />Heck, even todasy, Galveston Bay is a challenge to get around in, as its generally only 10-15 feet deep pretty much everywhere outside the dredged channels. <br /> <br />Anyway, <a href="http://www.thc.state.tx.us/archeology/aapdfs/CAT_Nov_10.pdf" rel="nofollow"><strong></strong><span>more perspective on the battle</span></a>... <a href="http://maritimetexas.net/wordpress/?p=2200" rel="nofollow"><strong>more here</strong></a>.<br /> <br />And a cautionary tale about pressing civil ship designs into kinda sorta warships.</span>sidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-4086556087029576802011-12-30T21:59:16.505-05:002011-12-30T21:59:16.505-05:00Slight correction: <span>A favorite toast of...Slight correction: <span>A favorite toast of John Christian Falkenberg of Falkenbergs Legion ( a series of books written by Jerry Pournelle, known as the "CoDominium Series"). </span> http://www.amazon.com/Falkenbergs-Legion-Jerry-Pournelle/dp/067172018X<br /><br />David Weber also writes great books, but John Christian is not in them.factcheckernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-50257768433759089332011-12-30T18:21:38.673-05:002011-12-30T18:21:38.673-05:00I believe the Harriet Lane was captured by the Con...I believe the Harriet Lane was captured by the Confederates and used later as a blockade runner. Small point of history, the Harriet Lane is credited with firing the first Naval shot of the Civil War at Ft Sumter. She was a Cutter of the Revenue Marine before being transferred to the Navy.Paul CG retirednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-12244704462703155562011-12-30T14:32:53.891-05:002011-12-30T14:32:53.891-05:00Warrior METOC's. It's more important than...Warrior METOC's. It's more important than given credit in the press.<br /><br />Amateurs talk tactics. Prosfessionals talk logistics. Same then. Same now.Guestnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-82185178576817134672011-12-30T14:24:35.589-05:002011-12-30T14:24:35.589-05:00yup, and then there is first sub kill in history.....yup, and then there is first sub kill in history... at a heavy price<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._L._Hunley_%28submarine%29ewok40knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-84298452238082058742011-12-30T14:03:00.956-05:002011-12-30T14:03:00.956-05:00 There was also USN Commander Cushing's raid ... There was also USN Commander Cushing's raid against CSS Albermarle, which was one of the most balls-on missions of the whole war. I'd also consider the USN's amphibious assault on Fort Fisher as another good story.<br /><br /> We often read about Old Ironside, and then somehow skip to Dewey at Manila, then right on to the Victory at Sea series, but the USN and CSN operations are full of amazing feats and stories that never seem to get the attention they deserve.AW1 Timnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-50196284140140111412011-12-30T13:42:02.101-05:002011-12-30T13:42:02.101-05:00yep, but there is nothing more demoralizing as dec...yep, but there is nothing more demoralizing as decisive enemy tech advantage - kind of like those: carpet bombing from 5 miles out while you have no air force - or laser guided karma thru window of safehouse...ewok40knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-61958184633367208212011-12-30T13:10:44.863-05:002011-12-30T13:10:44.863-05:00A favorite toast of John Christian Falkenberg of F...A favorite toast of John Christian Falkenberg of Falkenbergs Legion ( a series of books written by David Weber, known as the "CoDominium Series").<br /><br />Military sci-fi written by ex-military writers is ALWAYS good. And it always remembers Napoleons Maxim: "The moral is to the material as three is to one".Byronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-55397911393960680922011-12-30T13:08:16.995-05:002011-12-30T13:08:16.995-05:00Lt. B, the South was almost ALWAYS out gunned and ...Lt. B, the South was almost ALWAYS out gunned and out manned. Only rarely were they out-fought.Byronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-88746811051108747322011-12-30T11:09:10.682-05:002011-12-30T11:09:10.682-05:00Montrose Toast
<span>"He either fears ...Montrose Toast<br /><br /><span>"He either fears his fate too much, </span><br /><span>Or his desserts are small, </span><br /><span>Who dares not put it to the touch, </span><br /><span>To win or lose it all."</span><br /><br /><span><em>James Graham, 1st Marquess and 5th Earl of Montrose, 1612-1650</em></span><br /><br /><em></em><span></span><br /><span>(Common Paraphase: "Who Dares Wins")</span>DJ Elliottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-83639815667453004242011-12-30T09:42:46.483-05:002011-12-30T09:42:46.483-05:00The fact that the Union held FT Pickens and fought...The fact that the Union held FT Pickens and fought off and on for Pensacola and surrounding areas, led to a sort of complacency among the Union Forces. The Union could and did come and go at will along the GOMEX. There were other audacious attacks int he forgotten theater known as the GOMEX.<br /><br />good story Phib!MR T's Haircutnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-60836100070380643452011-12-30T08:52:17.591-05:002011-12-30T08:52:17.591-05:00Now if only men like that had been inchage of the ...Now if only men like that had been inchage of the css tennessee when she went a calling.Jamesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-1283204571462553922011-12-30T07:17:56.920-05:002011-12-30T07:17:56.920-05:00Wait a cotton pickin' minute! You mean to tel...Wait a cotton pickin' minute! You mean to tell me that if one goes into a battle with the mindset that one should be ready to fight it makes a difference?! But... But... But... My leadership tells me that I should focus on TIP, diversity, sensitivity, sexual orientation, and how sailors feel about themselves. I have been assured that these make us a stronger fighting force. Surely there is an opposing historical perspective to juxtapose against your Fullbore Friday and support the sensitivity argument. Surely there must be! LT Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-34729763009291356762011-12-30T03:40:10.236-05:002011-12-30T03:40:10.236-05:00Reminds me of Billy Mitchell, and Doolittle.
Like...Reminds me of Billy Mitchell, and Doolittle.<br /><br />Like the SAS motto "Who Dares, Wins".AW1 Timnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-20292982302344920202011-12-30T01:09:38.021-05:002011-12-30T01:09:38.021-05:00I wonder if it was a repeat of Washington's Ba...I wonder if it was a repeat of Washington's Battle of Trenton in spirit... (yeah bad pun :P)ewok40knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-78392606955269893292011-12-30T00:41:35.907-05:002011-12-30T00:41:35.907-05:00The HARRIET LANE got around, didn't she?The HARRIET LANE got around, didn't she?SCOTTtheBADGERnoreply@blogger.com