Ask A Gettysburg Guide #68- Gouverneur K. Warren- with LBG Lewis Trott

[@EstellaBeard]

Great Episode! Learned a lot about the Governor! Thanks Lewis Trott!

[@lewistrott417]

Thank you!!

[@addressinggettysburg]

👍

[@McNair39thNC]

Yes Johnny Winter. He’s a blues singer. I believe he’s passed.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Indeed

[@melissapollom427]

I was watching Finding Your Roots Tuesday night Jeff Daniels was one of the guest. Daniels found out his 2nd great grandfather was at Gettysburg with 16th Michigan he fought on Little Round Top. Daniels was shocked! He knew he had a relative in the Union army but Daniels said he never knew where he was at. Daniels made the comment about it being serendipitous about him playing Chamberlain in Gettysburg. Just an fyi I thought it was interesting.

[@mwdjr3158]

Thanks for bringing this to us.

[@addressinggettysburg]

Our pleasure! Thanks for listening to it!

[@bryanfields5563]

"Shelly Winters" - omg... 😆🤣

[@bryanfields5563]

And by the way, I can never remember Johnny's name either

[@BJNich78]

@@bryanfields5563 Not to be confused with Jonathan Winters.

[@richsnyder8015]

Great episode!

[@addressinggettysburg]

Thank you

[@melissapollom427]

I was in Gettysburg at the cheap souvenir shop across the street from Sheets when Michael Jackson died. The whole town was quiet.

[@addressinggettysburg]

A traumatic day for all Americans, to be sure

[@McNair39thNC]

I’m sympathetic to Warren and believe he was shafted. But I like Grant too, Sheridan, not so much!

[@addressinggettysburg]

That seems to be the consensus

[@derekmills3001]

Good stuff as always! Lewis is a treat to hear talk about tl Gettysburg. The staff officer you mentioned as with Warren (Ranald McKenzie) was a talented dude..think he ended the war commanding the cavalry in the Army of the James. I think Lewis is right..the Overland Campaign was butchery but I think Lincoln is more to blame than Grant....he (Lincoln) insisted on the overland route... If I remember correctly Grant wanted to launch operations from the NC coast to cut off the ANV's supplies...

[@andrewjohnston6752]

Ranald Slidell Mackenzie was no lightweight. He became the Army’s go to commander on the Plains after the Civil War, hence Mackenzie Hill at Fort Sill. Grant considered him as having the most potential of any officer in the Army. Despite his success on the plains he suffered mental illness and had to leave the Army.

[@seatravelers]

Thank you for another great guide video! BTW, "Naptown" is a nickname for Indianapolis.

[@addressinggettysburg]

You’re welcome! Thanks for the info! Now I have to listen to it to understand what you’re referring to lol

[@tberkoff]

Matt/Lewis, if one was promoted and mustered in at that rank in the US Volunteers, one was given the salary for that higher rank. For example, if you were a captain in the US Army and were promoted to full brigadier general in the US Volunteers, you are given the salary of a brigadier general. In some cases, officers wore the uniform of a brevet brigadier general or a brevet major general later in the war (especially after the Congressional omnibus promotions bill of March 13, 1865), but these officers were not mustered in at that rank or given the salary of these higher ranks. It was a huge pay cut for these individuals who went from general officers during the war to captains or majors in the postwar army.

[@lewistrott417]

Thanks for the clarification!

[@addressinggettysburg]

👍

[@McNair39thNC]

That was my understanding. And a Brevet rank wasn’t the same thing as rank in volunteers.

[@Farlomous]

great video, love them, Civil War and WW2 nut I was mad when I had to choose Macarthur's firing for my senior capstone. I loved Warren as the Chief Engineer and always thought the Overland Campaign could have been significantly more successfull had he remained in that billet and instead one of the other strong division commanders given command of V Corps. I agree with your perception of Grant's handling of the Overland Campaign, but I also feel had Grant not been there the AoP would still probably be slogging around Northern Virginia. He should have fired Butler from the Army of the James and pulled more troops from the Washington defenses to reinforce that Army and order it to take the path south around Richmond and cut the supply lines from North Carolina which would have forced Lee to make an even tougher decision to stick with Grant or fight he was south to reopen the lines. Your assessment of Sheridan is not tough enough, he was a worthless P.O.S. who if I was Warren I would have executed him and then went the Sickles route and pled insanity. Sheridan was a short little man with who should have been stomped long before that and risk Grant's wrath. I think had Lincoln lived Warren would have been exonerated earlier despite Grant's influence. Also, I don't think Grant would have lasted long either with a Lincoln who lived. But it was sad what happened to Warren, and more should have been done to restore his honor.

[@addressinggettysburg]

But Sheridan helped whip them Rebs. Lots of value in that. Thanks for listening and sharing your thoughts! Keep it up

[@Jpxv2613]

Great episode. Really sad how he was done dirty by Gran and Sheridan. Such an enlightening episode. Great stuff Matt & co!

[@addressinggettysburg]

Yeah he got a rough deal there. Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it

[@BJNich78]

McGilvery Avenue is already over by the Peach Orchard.

[@addressinggettysburg]

?

[@BJNich78]

@@addressinggettysburg I've never understood if it was a segment of Wheatfield Road or a discontinued/abandoned park road but there is a regulation cast sign near the peach orchard turnout on Wheatfield Road that says "McGilvery Artillery Avenue". It's one of two park avenues named after someone of lower rank than Colonel.

[@GeographyCzar]

YAS!! Somebody finally said it: Sheridan was unprofessional. (And an angry racist little b****, but that’s for the next war).

[@addressinggettysburg]

Lol

[@thomascanavan8686]

Warren ordering Smith to fire...did Smiths men understand signal corps wigwags? Hmmmm

[@addressinggettysburg]

Hmmm

[@lewistrott417]

Warren actually sent a messenger down to Smith's Battery with orders to fire a round. That of course is according to Warren's telling of the story.

[@thomascanavan8686]

Guess my question would have been, were officers trained to understand signal corps messages. At least artillery officers. Forerunners of the modern Fo's. Thanks for replying.

[@lewistrott417]

That's a great question. Undoubtedly someone like E. Porter Alexander would understand, having started out in the Confederate signal corps. But I'm not sure the avg artillery officer would understand the messages. Chances are during normal operations and combat, they wouldn't be in a position to see the signal corps in operation, although at Gettysburg several battery commanders would have been able to (On LRT and Cemetery Hill). Either way, great question, thanks.

[@thomascanavan8686]

Thanks Lewis. See you on some of the tours. Stay well

[@ford8603]

Waste of time

[@addressinggettysburg]

😂

[@ford8603]

@@addressinggettysburg When you start belittling Grant and Sheridan it's time to turn it off.

[@lewistrott417]

While I cannot remember what all was said for this recording, I didn't think I belittled either of them. I will leave room for criticism if in fact I did, and that's fine. The fact remains though in my estimation both were wrong in regard to Gouverneur Warren; one simply had the facts wrong and would not reconsider, perhaps based on his own personality, while the other would not allow a fair hearing which might overturn a controversial decision by one of his favorites. Apologies however if I came across as belittling, my hope is everyone may enjoy these episodes even though disagreements over content may arise.

[@jumpmaster82nd.]

​@@lewistrott417 Grant, in his memoirs certainly makes it sound like Warren was a bit indecisive, slow to move and tended to over think situations. (Paralysis by analysis?) I'd have to do my own study of the official records to make an informed decision. If so, he didn't seem to show it in the summer of 63. Don't think he had the same weight of command on him then though. Good stuff! Thanks!

[@lewistrott417]

Yes, Grant certainly had his issues with Warren early on and almost had him relieved during the fighting at Spotsylvania. If he had been relieved then, the controversy would be a small blimp compared to what it became 10 months later. Warren certainly had his issues, specifically giving unwanted advice as to what he thought other commanders should be doing at certain times. But when he was actually relieved, the circumstances were unwarranted and Grant’s testimony during the inquiry was disingenuous at best. At one point he suggests Warren is responsible for the debacle at the Crater. Warren was a loyal Soldier and was stripped of the satisfaction of a service well done at the end simply because (in my opinion) of ego and pride. Sheridan could not admit he was wrong and Grant would never contradict either Sherman or Sheridan. As I said in the recording, it amazes me Grant showed more respect to Lee afterwards than he did to Warren. But maybe Warren was rewarded in the end….how many thousands see him on Little Round Top each year? Warren is a part of every standard tour I give and he gets his due with me. Thanks and as an aside….All OK Jumpmaster, keep those feet and knees together !!!