Talk:Wilmer McLean

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[edit] Was 1st Manassas really on McLean's Farm?

It is common to believe that Mclean's Farm was involved the First Battle of Manassas and romantically he did say the war began in his front yard and ended in his front parlor. Technically his farm was involved in the inital probes of the Confederate defences in the Battle of Blackburn's Ford (McLean purchased Yorkshire from Col. Richard Blackburn) on July 18. His house was used by Early as HQ and his barn was a field hospital for actions on July 21, 1861. Geographically Yorkshire is between Signal Hill and Henry's Hill where the first Wig-Wag signal was sent and is not much farther from the Stone Bridge across Bull Run than Sudley Ford where McDowell's forces crossed, so it could be agrued that Blackburn's Ford was a part of First Manassas and the delineation is a NPS one for documenting & preservation prioritizing.

So is it correct to say McLean's Farm was a part of First Manassas like is commonly believed? Personally my take is it depends why you are here. If you have just a passing interest or doing a high school report than it's fine to say McLean's Farm was part of the first major land battle of the Civil War. If you're a post-grad doing initial research for something for peer review then it's better to be careful with the claims.--Nevik.flor 04:47, 8 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Too old to serve?

The article mentions that he was too old to serve in the Confederate Army. At age 46 at the start and with his experience as a major in the VA militia, wouldn't this have warranted him an officer's commission if he had sought one? I'm simply curious why this statement is in the article and (seperately) why he wasn't considered for an officer's commission. Regards, Daysleeper47 (talk) 19:49, 17 March 2008 (UTC)