As I review my entries for the year, assess the State of the Blog, and make plans for where it’s going in 2008, I thought I’d solicit the opinions of my readers on what you would like to see more of here in the future.
All opinions are equally valid, so request away. Ironically enough, one of the things I discovered while reviewing entries is that posts soliciting questions have a pretty poor return rate. However, several bloggers are already taking their “holiday break”, so maybe there’s a chance.
The Fiddler’s Green series seem to be the most popular entries so far, and Brian Downey was even kind enough to make mention of them in his year end entry over on Behind Antietam on the Web. I have some roads to war and lost companies posts to finish up as well as a few other projects (Harry, I’m getting there with the cavalry at 1st Bull Run project, honest), and I’ve noticed that other than biographical entries I’ve left the 6th US Cavalry alone so far. But again, I’m looking for what YOU would like to see.
Recommendations for how to improve the site wouldn’t hurt my feelings either….
Regular Cavalry in the Civil War 
Don,I look forward to cavalry info for the Antietam Campaign (including the HF escape) as I am putting together something on that topic.Larry F.
Larry,I’m looking forward to getting the HF bit finished at last, as Brian has oh so very patiently been waiting for it for aotw.Were you referring to the intel piece I’ve heard rumors of? 8^)I plan to look into other cavalry aspects of the campaign, as I don’t know much about them. I know it was quite a scramble for the AotP cavalry units to get there, even though they didn’t do a lot during the fight. I’d also like to look into why they weren’t more involved in the Union pursuit after the battle.Thanks for the input and for stopping by.Don
Don,I hope to send a paper about intel during the Maryland Campaign to Brian shortly. I’d like to spend more time on it but right now I have to move on to my next project.This will be a much longer paper about cavalry on both sides during the campaign probably covering up to Sept. 20 or 22d (not including Stuart’s Second Ride around McClellan). Brian’s maps from AotW and the one he did for you for the HF escape will help and I plan on using several in my paper. If the paper goes well, I might think about making it into a book although I might need some help on that.Re Union pursuit–I don’t think there was not much done except for the sad Battle of Shepherdstown but if I do include the Second Ride I will have to dig deeper to see what “fatigued” McClellan’s horses after Antietam (apologies to A. Lincoln). Happy New Year!Larry F.
I’d have to dig into it a bit more, but the reason some of Mac’s horses were so fatigued was the rapid march to get there from the boats bringing them off the Peninsula. If I remember correctly, at least two of the regular regiments made the march in just two days.And none of the cavalry in McClellan’s or Pope’s army was in very good condition anyway. Jackson’s depredations against that supply depot had been very effective. For a brief summary, check Starr, Volume I, pgs 309-314.I can’t recall, but I thought I’d heard of a decent-sized cavalry fight during the campaign, though not part of the main battle.
Don,I’m now looking thru Carman and there were a couple of skirmishes one near Sugar Loaf Mountain which I will have to detail in my paper. There was also one in Boonesboro after South Mountain. After Antietam, Stuart did have some fun in Williamsport which I may have to include.Certainly both the Union cavalry and the Conf cavalry were busy before, during, and after the Maryland Campaign even though there were no major cavalry on cavalry battles.I have the HF breakout book but I look forward to also reading your upcoming AotW article about it. I sent my intel paper to Brian even though it still needs work but I don’t have the time now. Much of that paper will be incorporated in my cav paper anyway and will be enhanced.I have several of the cav regimental histories as well as a couple of the books on the U.S. cav you suggested. Those, along with some memoirs, Carman, and other primary sources should give me enough to chew on.Larry F.