29erUK (sj@c1944.demon.co.uk)
Tue, 7 Dec 1999 22:05:18 +0000
In message <0.621bb143.257ecf58@aol.com>, COB9KY@aol.com writes
>I am ignorant of American culture and history, because I happen to disagree
>with Oren's and Stuart's views on gun ownership, and their interpretations of
>the Civil War.
>
I spent many five years in uniform (real uniform, issued by the British
army, and I did earn a medal) defending your right to disagree with my
views or anybody else's and to voice that disagreement publicly.
What you do not have the right to do is insult other people just because
you feel slighted in some way, or because they own different types of
firearm to yours.
If you insult another person's nationality you can expect them to react
accordingly, especially when you portray their ancestors in your living
history role!
>Because I don't subscribe to the view that hordes of Spencer Rifle - toting
>Dismounted Cavalry, Sharpshooters and jingling Cavaliers of the Custer mould
>give an accurate portrayal of the Civil War as it happened, sorry, as they
>would like to think happened, then I am not fit to be involved in Living
>History.
The incident I quoted is a matter of record, it happened in 1865 near
Five Forks, Virginia.
It is not typical of the war, but it does disprove your statement that
cavalry could not successfully assault "formed infantry". This was a
mounted action by the 1st Division. Elements of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd
Division did this on foot at Haw's shop a few months earlier.
The expression 'You'uns load on sunday and fire all week' was not coined
by me or Mr. Truitt, but an unknown Confederate enlisted man who had
witnessed the devastating firepower of the Spencer.
The sabre charge of Napoleonic times was obsolete; the 8th Illinois was
slaughtered at Chancellorsville, although they saved the battery they
were protecting, and Farnsworth's charge at Gettysburg was even more
tragic, but once 'modern' weapons were married to intelligent tactical
command, the cavalryman came of age. The British discovered this in
South Africa a few years later.
-- Stuart K Jarman 29th US infantry Division WWII reenactors (UK)
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