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The Best Political General of the Civil War: John A. Logan – Through the Merits of his Performance

Who was the best political general of the Civil War?
John Alexander Logan

By Bob Pence
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2023, All Rights Reserved

Editor’s note: The subject of the annual Dick Crews Memorial Debate at the February 2023 Roundtable meeting was: “Who was the best political general of the Civil War?” Four members made presentations on the topic; the article below was one of those four presentations.

What is a political general?

A political general is a general officer or other military leader without significant military experience who is given a high position in command for political reasons, through political connections, or to appease certain political blocs and factions.

The most important reason for appointing political generals was to appease important blocs of voters. President Lincoln used such appointments as a way to get the support of moderate Democrats for the war and for his administration (“War Democrats”). The first three volunteer generals whom Lincoln appointed, John Adams Dix, Nathaniel Prentice Banks, and Benjamin F. Butler, were all Democrats.

The Best Political General of the Civil War: Edward Ferrero – “Meritorious Service”

Who was the best political general of the Civil War? Edward Ferrero

By Charles Patton
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2023, All Rights Reserved

I was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at the Lincoln Forum, and we went over to tour the cemetery and the battlefield. I saw some USCT reenactors in uniform with a regimental flag showing their colors with the name of the commanding officer, General Edward Ferrero, proudly displayed. I had a conversation with one of the reenactors, who gave me a brief history of what action the 51st New York saw during the Civil War. When I saw the topic for this evening’s discussion, I recalled my visit to Gettysburg and the conversation with some of the reenactors.

The Great Debate of 2023: Opening Remarks

Who was the best political general of the Civil War?

By William F.B. Vodrey – debate moderator
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2023, All Rights Reserved

Editor’s note: The subject of the annual Dick Crews Memorial Debate at the February 2023 Roundtable meeting was: “Who was the best political general of the Civil War?” Four members made presentations on the topic; the article below was the opening remarks made by the moderator of the debate.

Good evening, everyone, and welcome!

We’re here tonight for the annual Dick Crews Memorial Cleveland Civil War Roundtable Debate, named after my longtime predecessor as moderator. Dick once told me that the debate got its start as a Roundtable tradition because of the difficulty of finding speakers who were willing to travel to Cleveland in January. In moderating again tonight, I stand on the shoulders of giants, including Dick.

The Great Debate of 2023

Who was the best political general of the Civil War?

The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2023, All Rights Reserved

According to available information, fewer than half of all the generals in the Union army during the Civil War were graduates of West Point. Because of a shortage of men to serve as generals, a number of men who lacked military training were given the rank of general. These generals are referred to as political generals, because they often received their rank due to political connections. Quite a few of these political generals, not surprisingly, proved to be inadequate – or worse. However, some of the political generals were effective and did well for the army in which they served.

The 2023 Dick Crews Memorial Debate posed the question: “Who was the best political general of the Civil War?” Four debaters presented arguments in favor of a political general whom each debater considered the best. The four political generals for whom arguments were presented are Edward Ferrero, John A. Logan, John C. Breckinridge, and Benjamin F. Butler. Below are the texts of those four arguments, along with moderator William Vodrey’s opening remarks.

President Lincoln on Emancipation Proclamation Day, January 1, 1863

By Daniel J. Ursu, Roundtable Historian
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2022-2023, All Rights Reserved

Editor’s note: This article was the history brief for the January 2023 meeting of the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable.

On January 1, 1863, 160 years ago this month, arguably the most important action by President Lincoln and perhaps the most consequential and important result of the Civil War took place. It was the official signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Students of the Civil War know this, but often overlook what the day was like for President Lincoln and some of those around him.

General Burnside of “Burnside’s Bridge” Fame Faced Infamy at Fredericksburg for Lack of a Bridge

By Daniel J. Ursu, Roundtable Historian
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2022-2023, All Rights Reserved

Editor’s note: This article was the history brief for the December 2022 meeting of the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable.

Exactly 160 years ago today on December 14, 1862, the Union Army of the Potomac (AOP) retreated from Fredericksburg after its disastrous winter assault on Confederate forces dug in and well positioned on the bluffs above the town and beyond. The defeat of the Union attack was so complete and comprehensive that it solemnly moved Robert E. Lee to utter one of his most famous quotes, recounted by Shelby Foote in Volume II of his The Civil War: A Narrative, “A British observer saw ‘Antique Courage’ in Lee’s manner as he turned to Longstreet…lowering his glasses after a long look at the blasted plain where still more Federals massed…’It is well that war is so terrible. We should grow too fond of it.'”

The Hero of Gettysburg Surveyed the Great Lakes.

By Daniel J. Ursu, Roundtable Historian
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2022-2023, All Rights Reserved

Editor’s note: This article was the history brief for the November 2022 meeting of the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable.

Many of our members have enjoyed the recreational pleasures of living on the Great Lakes and especially Lake Erie. Most of us at one time or another have boated, fished, swam, sunbathed on a beach, or simply enjoyed a pleasure cruise, for instance on the Goodtime III. However, it is probably overlooked when we enjoy Lake Erie that this is due in part to the work done prior to the Civil War by the hero of Gettysburg, none other than General George Gordon Meade.

A Tour of the Seven Days Battlefields

By Paul Siedel
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2022, All Rights Reserved

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in The Charger in October 2022.

While trolling through the web one day last April I came across an ad for a tour of the Seven Days battlefields sponsored by Woodbury Tours and directed by Mr. Bobby Krick, one of the foremost historians of the Seven Days Battles. As I had never studied this series of battles, I decided to attend. The tour lasted two days, June 11 and 12, 2022, so on June 10 I packed my car and my dog and headed for the Richmond Airport, where our hotel was located. That evening we congregated for pizza, drinks, and a lecture by Mr. Doug Crenshaw, author of the book Richmond Shall Not Be Given Up: The Seven Days Battles, June 25 – July 1, 1862. We all received a signed copy of the book and discussed our adventure of the next two days. The next morning we all got together for breakfast, and Mr. Krick introduced himself. He explained our agenda, and we were off at 8:15.

“Old Abe” the Eagle

By Daniel J. Ursu, Roundtable Historian
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2022-2023, All Rights Reserved

Editor’s note: This article was the history brief for the September 2022 meeting of the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable.

As mentioned in my last history brief, this edition was to continue to whet the appetite for new Roundtable president Lily Korte’s upcoming annual field trip from September 22-24 to cover General Phil Sheridan’s 1864 campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, with the completion of my recap of Jackson’s 1862 Valley Campaign. However, since tonight’s speaker is focused on the Valley, Lily thought it best for our group to have a different history brief topic tonight lest they feel overwhelmed with too much “Valley Campaigns”! To wit, what do “Old Abe,” the 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment, and the modern-day 101st U.S. Airborne Division have in common? Many of you probably already know, but for the remainder and as a recap for others, you will now find out!

In 1861 in the state of Wisconsin, the leader of the Flambeau sect of the Chippewa Tribe of American Indians, whose name was Chief Sky (Chippewa name: Ahgamahwegezhig), cut down a tree with an American eagle nest that contained two baby eaglets. Only one of the eaglets survived. The chief, seeing an opportunity, traded the eaglet to a local farmer for a bushel of sweet corn.

The Sound and the Fury: William Faulkner’s Great-Grandfather

By Brian D. Kowell
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Copyright © 2021, All Rights Reserved

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in The Charger in December 2021.

“I want to be a writer like my great-granddaddy.”

–William Faulkner

William Clark Falkner was a lawyer, farmer, businessman, politician, soldier, poet, and great-grandfather to one of the greatest writers in American literary history. Born September 25, 1897 in New Albany, Mississippi, the writer William Faulkner never knew his great-grandfather. The young Faulkner spent his boyhood listening to stories told by his elders about the Civil War, slavery, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Falkner family. Faulkner’s grandfather also told him about the exploits of William’s great-grandfather, William Clark Falkner – or as the family referred to him – the “Old Colonel.”

Who was the best political general of the Civil War?John Alexander Logan

Who was the best political general of the Civil War? Edward Ferrero

Who was the best political general of the Civil War?

Who was the best political general of the Civil War?

Who was the best political general of the Civil War?
John Alexander Logan