1
100
3
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13
THE KILLER ANGELS b y M ichael S haara
S teve F lanagan
T he t ide o f l~erica's g reat a nd v icious s truggle, t he C ivil
W ar, t urned o n a h ot a nd s ultry J uly a fternoon i n 1 863 j ust o utside
a q uiet P ennsylvania f armtown c alled G ettysburg.
I n a nd a round
t he h ills a nd f ields t here t wo h uge a rmies s tumbled o nto e ach o ther
l ike a ngry d inosaurs a nd c lashed. F or t hree d ays t he f ate o f t he
U nion i tself h ung b y a t hread u ntil t he o utcome o f t he b attle w as
d ecided b y a l ast, v ain, t erribly c ostly c harge t hat h as b ecome
f amous i n f olklore a nd h istory.
T he m omentous e vents t hat t ook p lace a t G ettysburg i n t hat s econa
s ummer o f c ivil w ar a re e xcellently relate~ i n M ichael S haara's
n ovel T he Ki~ler ~n gels. S haara t ells t he s tory o f t he m en w ho
p articipated a nd d irected t he a ction o n b oth s ides. He h as s ucceeded
i n s killfully w eaving t ogether t he h istorical e vents t hat h appened
w ith t he s ights, s mells, f ears a nd f eelings o f t he m an i n c ombat.
I ntroduced t o t he r eacer a re R obert E . L ee, t he r evered a nd
b rilliant t actician; J ames L ongstreet, a s ad m an w ho s truggles t o
e xecute o rders t hat h e k nows c annot s ucceed; J ohn B uford, t he U nion
c avalry c cmmander w ho p icked t he g round u pon w hich t he b attle w ould
b e d ecided; J oshua L awrence C hamberlain, a m an o f s ensitivity a nd
g reat b ravery, a nd m any o thers.
P erhaps t he b est t hing t hat S haara h as d one i n t his b ook i s t o
h elp u s t o e xperience w hat i t f eels l ike t o b e i n c ombat. W ar i s
s hown i n a ll i ts a spects o f s avagery, d eath, f ear, g lory a nd
f utility.
S haara i s a f ine s toryteller a nd t he b ook m aintains a s teady
p ace w ith n one o f t he l ulls t hat c an b e t he d eath o f a n ovel. A
n~~er o f c lear a nd s imple m aps a re i ncluded t hat m ake t he u nderstanding o f t he b attle m uch e asier.
I m ust a dmit t hat I h ad u nderestimated t he v alue o f n ovels i n
h elping o ne t o u nderstand h istorical e vents a nd t he p eople t hat m ake
t hem h appen. My s kepticism w as r ewardingly r elieved a fter a f ew
c hapters o f T he K iller A ngels. T he v ehicle S haara u ses· i s t he b attle
o f G ettysburg b ut t he b ook i s a bout p eople a nd i s h ighly r ecommended.
�
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Vol. 04, num. 3, Clio - 1977
Date
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1977
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THE KILLER ANGELS by Michael Shaara
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Steve Flanagan
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7
THE COURT-MARTIAL OF GEORGE ARHSTRONG CUSTER by. D ouglas C . J ones
S teve F lanagan
W hat i f G eneral C uster h ad b een t he s ole s urvivor o f t he f amous
B attle o f t he L ittle B ighorn? W hat w ould h is f uture h ave b een i n
s uch a s ituation? No o ne w ill e ver kno\07 o f c ourse, b ut i n t his
h ighly r eadable n ovel D ouglas c . J ones e xplores t hese q uestions.
..
T he p remise o f h is b ook i s i maginative a nd t he s tory i s v ery
s killfully t old.
I n J ones' b ook G eneral C uster i s b rought b efore
a m ilitary c ourt f or h is a ctions o n t he L ittle B ighorn d uring t he
c ampaign a gainst t he S ioux a nu C heyennes i n t he s ummer o f A merica's
c entennial 1 876. T he c harges a gainst C uster a re d isobeying o rders,
n egligence a nd c onduct p rejudicial t o g ood o rder a nd d iscipline.
I n a w ord, a mbition:
G eorge C uster w as t he f air h aired b oy w onder o f m any n ewspapers
a nd o f m uch o f t he s ocial s et o f t he E ast. He w as a f lamboyant a nd
c ontroversial f igure f rom t he s tart o f h is m ilitary c areer. He h ad
b een p reviously c curt-martialec f or t he h arsh t reatment h e s howed h is
m en i n a n e xpedition o n t he p lains i n t he l ate 1 860's. H is p unishment h ad b een c ne y ears s uspension f rom t he A rmy w ithout p ay.
T hrough n ewspaper c overage, m any o f t he a rticles h e w rote h imself,
h e b ecame a p ublic f igure w ith a v isible f ollm-ring. T here v 1ere
e ven s tories o f a p ossible r un f or t he p residency. J ones e xplores
a ll t he f acets o f t he c ontroversy w hich w ould a rise i f s uch a v ocal
p ersonality b ecame t he o bject o f s erious a ccusations.
A ll t he i mportant m ilitary f igures o f t he p eriod f rom C ommanding
G eneral o f t he A rmy W illiam T ecumseh S herman o n d own p lay a r ole
i n t he c ontest. P olitical f orces a re a t \Orork d uring t he t rial a lso
t o i nfluence i ts o utcome. T he c ourtroom e xchanges a re e xcellently
d one a s a re t he g limpses o f l ife i n 1 877 New Y ork C ity w here t he t rial
i s t aking p lace o n G overnors I sland. T he s uspense b uilds a s we
f ollow t he a rguments o f b oth p rosecution a nd d efense u ntil a t l ast
t he c ase g oes t o t he c ourt o f m ilitary o fficers w ho m ust d ecide
C uster's f ate.
J ones a lso s pins a t heme t hroughout t he n ovel w hich s ays t hat
i n s ome r espects t here a re n o r eal w inners i n w ar a nd a ll i nvolved
l ose s omething. T his i s d one s ubtly w ithout t aking a way f rom t he
m ain s tory o f C uster's a lmost l ast s tand. T he b attle i s r etold v ividly a s w itness a fter v litness t ells t heir p art o f t he e pisode u ntil
f inally C uster h imself t akes t he s tand a nd t ells o f h is r ole f or
t he f irst t ime.
T he C ourt-Martial o f G eorge A rmstrong C uster i s f ine a nd f ast
r eading t hat e mploys a u nique a pproach i n t he u se o f t he n ovel a s
h istory.
�
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Vol. 04, num. 3, Clio - 1977
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1977
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Physical Dimensions
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THE COURT-MARTIAL OF GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER by. Douglas C. Jones
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Steve Flanagan
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_...,_
....
T EE B EGHHliNGf. OF I NDUSTP.Y I N E IGHTEENTH CE!~TURY D ANBURY
B ill D evlin
r ·rost p eople knmo~ f rom s ouvenir m aps a nd c apsule h istories t hat
D cnbury ' :1egan ~ . s a t iny a qricul t ural s~ttlement i n t he v icinity o f
S outh a nd P ain S treets i n 1 684 a nd q rew i n t he n ineteenth a nd e arly
t vrentieth c enturies t o h e k nm·m a s t he h at c enter o f t he U nited
S tEttcs. F e¥7 p eople r ealize t hat 2 00 y ears a go D anbury ' l't!as t he s cene
o f a d iverse ! :'ange o f a ctivities t hat f oreshadoNec'l, t he a dvent o f t he
i ndustrial r evolution.
T hroughout n ost o f t he e ighteenth c entury, D anbury w as a s teadily
g rowing, a gricultural co~munity t hat i ncluded B ethel a nd t he s outhern
p art o f B rooJ:;:fielcl. . Alena i ts r n.ain t horouahfare, Tmvn S treet, 'l't!ere
·t he h omes, s hops, t averns- and s tores o f do~ens o f t radesmen a nd
m erchants. T hese m en c onstituted c. p rosperous r nic.dle a nd u pper
c lass t hat h eld n ost o f t he p ositions i n t he l ocal g overnment.
=:_,,"":;,::·•'!! ·~
S maller c 8nters o f p opulation i n o utlying d istricts w ere c lustered
a round c hurches, t averns o r g eneral s tores.
T hree t ypes o f l.-'7ater-po~7ered m ills s erveG t he a gricultural
t he e ssential g ristmill, t he sc:n•'!':',ill a nd t he f ulling
m ill. T he f irst g ristmill i s s aid t o h ave b een b uilt i n 1 702 h y
W akefield D ihble o n B eaver B rook, t :Jhere R oute 6 c rosses i t.
I n t he
l atter p art o f t he c entury, C aleb B enedict a nd H ajor D aniel S tarr
a lso r an g ristrills i n t his a rea. S tarr, o ne o f D anbury's r ichest
: men, m..rned a S<"~·'IJT\ill n earr.y a nd a t h is f l_eath h ad s even s laves vJho
f urnished p art o f t he l abor f or h is e nterprises.
community~
S a\•ffi'lills ' \:mre a n o bvious n ecessity \ '?here t he l and v as b eirg
c le.arec_ f or f a.rms. A s mall \ ·Jooden f lutter H heel p m·rcred a s m•7 u p
e.nc_ GO\vn A S a. s licing c arria0e, p ropelled h y a s econd ' tvheel 9 m oved
t he l og a long. Wood u as a lso u sed i n g reat q uantities b y t he n umerous l ocal b lacksmiths a nd p articularly f or t he f orges o f t he I ron~orks t hat p roduced b ar i ron.
A t t he f ulling m ill, o r c lothier's w orks 1 a c lothier c leaned
a nd d ressed p ieces o f h omespun a nd l ocally : nade 't·JOolen c loth J>y s ub-·
j ecting i t t o a t hree o r f our Clay p ounding b y v rater-pm,_rered h ammers
i n a v at ~!here i t t :ad f irst b een m ixed " dth " fuller's e arth".
F ollm·.7 ing t his, i t ' Has s tretched o ut o n t enterhooks (a_ w ooden f rame)
t o d ry.
Tf'_e na~ o f t he c loth ' ''as r aised u sing a f uller's t easel 1
t hen i t " ms c ut i nto l engths a nd i f n ecessary, d yed. T hese p rocesses
\ 'Jere l ater t aken o ver h y m achines w hich d uplicated t hose a ntiquated
p ractices. F vE=mtually t he o perations ~-Jere u nified a nd m echanized
i n t he t extilE' T 'lills o f t he n ineteE',nth c entury. Ho e xamples r emain
t oday o f f ulling : nills. T hese m ills s hared t he r ivers a nd s treams
'ltd t h t c:mneries "terhich u sed l ocal o ak a nd h emlock h ark, g round h y
h orse-driven b ark m ills, a s t heir t anning a gent a nd s upplied t he
111any s hoer s addle, a nd h arness m akers.
D uring t he A merican R evolution, s ections o f n anbury 't•Iere b urned
b y t he B ritish. O ne r eason f or T yron's r aid m ay h ave b een t he u se
�- 10-
of t he tm-Jn. a s a. b ase b y a c onpc.ny o f a rtificers-tradesmen o f a ll
d escription 'l:lho s upplied t he c ontinental a rmy ¥ ri t h m ateriel - ·vragons,
t -arrels, c~sks . n ?.ils, h arnesses, a nd s hoes.
F olloHing t he P evolution, t he nc'lt-T n ation t eqc.n a. s ustained a nd
d etermined c rive t o f ree i tself froJ'rl i mported c roons. T he g rm-1th o f
F~erican i ndustrv -.;,Jas o ne o f t he f irst ·c oncerns o f t he c rovermnent.
J \lexa.nder E .?.Milton, S ecretary o f t he T reasury, c irected J ohn C hester
t o i nquire o n t he s tate o f i ndustry i n a ll o f t he v arious t ovms
l arge e nouqh t o m erit c oncern.
I nquiring i n D anbury, h e r eceived
r eplies f rom J oseph P . C ooke, s electman a nd PY.o rchant, a nd O liver
B urr, p rominent h atter.
I n t he e arly 1 790's, G overnor S amuel H untington o f C onnecticut
c ommissioned H illiaJ"l B lodgett t o I!l.ake a s urvey I'1.ap o f t he s tate
indicatin~ t he l ocation o f c hurches, r oads, m ills, f orges a nc
f actories.
~hese m~ps a re e xtremely i nstructive o n t he e conomy o f
e ighteenth c entury Dan~ury.
An a rerl \vhere Jl.J'1.cricans h oped t o a chieve s elf-sufficiEncy
i n t he p roduction O f i ron a nd i ron a rticles 1 e specially n ails •
C ooke, i n h is l etter t o C hester i n 17~1, n otes w ith s atisfaction t hat
t he p roduction o f D e.nbury a rea. b lacksmiths h ad w ade t he!!! i ndependent
o f i~port8d n ails.
\ •!aS
r :uring t he e ighteentl., c entury, L itchfield c ounty a nd a djacent
a reas i n r·~c>.ss?.chusetts c>.nd Net,! Y ork \ ..;ere t he l ec.d.ing s ourcE:s o f i ron
o re i n F .JTlerica. F orges a nd f urnaces a bounded.
S ettlement o f \•That
i s n ow B rookfield b eaan a round a n i ron w orks. A s ection o f t he t own
s till b ears t he "Iro~ w orks " a ppelation, a ttesting t o t he i nitial
i :rr.portance c f thE=: r esource t o t he c orarrmni t y. E drnunc a nd F.phr~im
N ashhcrn erect~d rtn i ron "t-mrks o n t he b anks o f t he S till R iver i n
1 788. I t c.ppears o n t!:1e m ap, h ut w as s hort-lived; i t b urned i n
!1.ay .- 1791. T he o wners s uspected a runa'l.-laY a pprentice o f s etting t he
b laze. C"ooke n otes i n h is l etter t o P amil t on, '1,'1ri t ten i n O ctober
t hc.t i ron p roduction \ 'l2.S " liable t o m any d isc:,sters" a nd " rE:quires
t he u nremitting e xertions o f t he P roprietors, a nd d 0nands p illJlic
e ncourageMent".!
T he s tory o f t he ' vash.borns d oes n ot e nd h ere.
I n 1 792 t he
b rothers p nrcha.S(?d a n ewly c onstructed p aper m ill i n B eaver B rook
f rom D avid ~:rood a.nd L azarus B ea.ch.
I n t his t ype o f p aper m ill,
l inen a nd c otton r ags, a long w ith a f ew m ore e xotic i tems l ike
c alves' ~e.rs <'lnd h ide f leshings, v .rere a llm·!ed t o d ecompose. T his
p rocess c ompleted, t hey N ere pOlL"lded h y w ater-po'\>:reref1. h ammers t o
c reate t~.e • ·stuff", o f "L~7hich peo.per 'Has rn .~de. T he r otting c re?..ted
a n o dious s tench ,,,hich m ade t he m ills u npopular. T he b r. ~ -:thers s ole.
t he B eaver P rook m ill t o S etr. C omstock i n 1 798 ~ · h ut r etr=dned o vmer ship o f a s econd p aper m ill i n M ill P lain. T his o ne v as 1 -ter b urned
b y l ocal r esidents u nhappy \ "lith t he s tench . md l ,J.i t h t he f looding '· -:r:
;
t hat t he ~ill darn c aused. C omstock c ontinued t o o perate t he B eaver
B rook r nill, o ften l ec.sing i t o ut, u ntil 1 821 H hen i t, t oo 1 ! .urned.
l ater
Da.I!'!.s h uil t o riqinally f or s awmills a nc. g ristmills \ 'Jere o ften
use~ a s t he s ite f or a s econe
m ill. S uch a c~se w as t he
�----------------------11-
linse e 0 o il I "'illf l ocn.teCI b ehind t he p res e nt d 2y E l D orado r estecurant.
B uilt i n 1 792, i t s hc.reO. a p ond ' lrTi t h a n a lrec..dy e xisting S""~7ffiill
o t.mec b y S amuel Y .Jildman. F le,x vras g ro'trm e xtensively a s c c a.sh
c rop b y loc~l f armers i n t he e ighteenth c entury.
I ts f iber w as
]'!lade i nt.o l inen c loth v hile t he l inseed o il f rom fl~xseec1 'VTas u sed
i n P ·" '.int em C. ? .s a \·m od p reservative.
T he t E.xtile i ndustry 'trlo.R a nother a rec. o f a ctivity i n e ighteenth
c entury De.n:t--ury. A t l ec.st t hree c o:mpanies s et o ut t o m anufacture
c loth ?.t t he h eqinning o f t he 1 790's. O ne ~_,,ras J ohn J oyce ;:md C ompc-.ny, '1.\lho ? .dvertised a s a "mc.nufactory~ o f l inen, c otton a nd ' 'rool
a nd ' VlaS l ocated o n Tm·m S treet n ear F ranklin. r ,nother c onpany " ras
f ormed i n 1 7 9 1 h y C omfort E oyt a nd T homas T ucker.
T ucker \ Jets a
w ell-to-no t ec.cheri a nd H oyt, a f armer, t hough h e o wned a sUI"lac
m ill i n t he S helter P ock c ..ren f or t he e xtraction o f r ed d ye.
C ooke
h ad h igh h opes f or t his c or1pany, \ •Jhich h ad p urchased a s pinning
j enny, a c arding m achine a nd a f ly s huttle. He n oted t hat ~they
h ave m .anufacturec s everal p ieces o f c loth H hich m eet ~'ri t h ~- ready
s ale; t he p rospect i s s ome't·lhc.t p romising . .• " 2 T he j enny 'tl!c.s a
c rank'lflheel o perated f rame v hich c ould s pin 8 t o 1 1 t hreads c t o nce.
No r ecords r emain o f t he c ompany. J udson W hite b egan m aking s addle
c loth i n 1 790 a nd c ontinued f or .~ fe'ltJ y ears, b ut 1 :-·ter t urned t c
h atting.
T he r easons f or t he s uccess o f h atting i n D anbury ~ere i ts
r elatively g ood r oads, i ts p roxirni t y to Ne\•' Y ork C ity, ~nd t he
p resence o f s killed H orknen. H hatever t he r easons, t he l c.st d ecade
o f t he eig~teE>nth c entury S~"~>! r.. b oom i n t he h atting t rade h ere.
F armers c::.nd t radesmen b e gan t o l eave t heir forJY~. er o ccupaticns a nd
s et u p s ma.ll h at s hops. 0 li v er B urr c md C ompany h egan h atting i n
1 787 P ith o ne 2 .pprentice a nd o ne j ourneyman. T ha.t y e2.r t hey t urned
o ut 5 51 ' h"".ts. B y 1 800 B urr <md C onpany e mployed 3 0 a nd exp<.."~rted
9 ,000 h ats.- alr..ost h alf o f D anbury 1 s t otal f or t he y ear.
B urr,
i n h is r eply t o C hester 1 c omplained, h owever, t hat t he p oor w orkmanship o f t he p roliferatin g nev.> h 0.tters \-!as d riving do-vm p rices
a nd d iscouraging a pprenticeship, a nd h e a sked f or g overnment s tandards
s imilc..r t o t hese e xisting h y l a\·7 i n E ngl?.nd.
T he s upply c f f urs
f or f elted h ats F as ? . p rohlem f or B urr s ince t hey r,Tere p urchased b y
a m an i n Ca.nad21., s hipped t o E ngland a nd t hen t o I:-le'!t-r Y ork b efore
g etting t o h im. W holesale c osts w ere c onsequently i ncreGsed c t
e ach j uncture.
B y t he t urn o f t he c entury, D anbury h ad a lready a cquired i ts
r eputation c.s t he h at m anufacturing c enter o f .r-.merica. n ewly
s uccessful h atters b egan t o a ppear i n t he g overnment a longside o f
t he n erch?nts, t he l arge f armers a nd t he m ore s uccessful c raftsmen.
***********
F ootnotes
1 P apers o f Z\lE~ xander H amilton, V ol. I X ( Colt:Lmhic U niversity P ress,
!·I • Y • ; 1 9 6 5 } p • 3 3 5 •
2 I bid.
�
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Vol. 04, num. 1, Clio - 1976
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1976
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials.
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image
9 pgs
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
A Continuing Heritage:
Sketches of Connecticut Men in National Government
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Steve Flanagan