User talk:69.134.18.77

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[edit] Evander Laws Profile

I noticed that Laws is credited with commanding an Alabama Brigade. This was in name only, since he also had regiments from Mississippi and North Carolina. My ancestor fought under Laws in the 6th NC in several battles. At Antietam 2 of Law's 4 regiments were from Mississippi (2nd and 11th). At Fredericksburg, 3 of Laws 5 regiments were from NC (6th, 54th, and 57th). In fact, it was largely the 57th NC and 54th NC that saw action under Laws at Fredericksburg. To pretend that he commanded an exclusively Alabama brigade in all these actions is incorrect and insulting to the other states' regiments.

The statement "Law and Hood were used again as the primary assaulting force in Longstreet's surprise attack against the Union left flank, almost destroying Maj. Gen. John Pope's Army of Virginia" is a gross overstatement. They did experience two marvelous charges, but came nowhere near destroying the Army of Virginia. The entire forces of Longstreet and Jackson were contesting with Gen. Pope's army and together defeated Pope, but did not "almost destroy" his army and certainly 2 brigades of the Confederate army did not almost destroy the Army of Virginia.

I had another ancestor in the 21st NC of Jackson's Corps in Trimble's Brigade. This brigade saw much more action at 2nd Manassas than did Hood's and Law's Brigades. The 21st fought all three days at Manassass including the first evening that was about 20 hours before Laws, Hood, and Longstreet even showed up. So to imply these two brigades accomplished something that the entire Army of Northern Virginia was unable to do is absurd and insulting to the entire ANV and especially Gen. Jackson.

Somone please rectify these inaccuracies and place the qualifying remarks necessary. Misinformation is far, far worse than no information. bwilliams29@nc.rr.com 69.134.18.77 (talk) 02:09, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

I'll take a look at it. Hal Jespersen (talk) 13:42, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
I updated the article. You are correct that the term "Alabama Brigade" is confusing for the 1862 battles because it was not an all-Alabama brigade until 1863. However, that is the name that is generally used, so I put in a footnote. Also, the assertion that Longstreet's attack was the decisive one at Second Manassas is pretty generally accepted. Jackson obviously played a major role in the battle, but during Longstreet's attack, he really did not do very much. The reason it is appropriate to say "almost destroyed" is that if the Union position on Henry House Hill had been taken and the road to Centreville had been cut off, the Army of Virginia may very well have been destroyed in place. In any event, I have added a citation from John Hennessy, a noted historian of the battle. By the way, I am copying this discussion to Law's Talk page. Hal Jespersen (talk) 21:59, 5 May 2008 (UTC)