Second-Guessing the US Civil War: A Diary
Created | Updated Jun 3, 2018
Second-Guessing the US Civil War: A Diary
It is especially useful to study archival material in order to answer the question: 'It is just us, or were humans always this dumb?' Case in point: criticising politicians. Surely people in the past had more respect for their elected leaders? If the wartime diary of Count Adam de Gurowski is anything to go by: in a word, no. Gurowski, a Polish-born immigrant to the US, had very definite opinions about how the war was going, and whether Lincoln was on the right track. If they'd only listen to him…
This diary is in English, but a lot of the count's work isn't, because he spoke eight languages. One of his translators described him as 'a madman with lucid intervals.' We can just imagine him shouting at a television set.
Complaints from June, 1863
June 3. – Count Zeppelin, an officer of the staff and aide to the King of Wurtemberg, came here to observe and to learn how not to do it1! The Count visited the army at Falmouth. He was horror-struck at the prevailing disorder, and at the general and special miscomprehension of the needed knowledge and of the duties prevailing in the staff of the army. The Count says that if this confusion continues, the rebels may dare almost every thing. Count Zeppelin is what would be called here, a thorough Union man. He revolted greatly at witnessing the nonchalance with which human life is dealt with in the army2, and the carelessness of commanders about the condition of soldiers; the latter he most heartily admires, and therefore the more pities their fate. He assured me that rebel agents scattered in Germany tried their utmost to secure for the rebel army officers of the various arms. This explains the organization and the brilliant manceuvrings of the celebrated Stuart's cavalry, the novel rebel tactics in the use of artillery, and the attack by columns at Chancellorsville.
June 3. – Hooker, they say, waits to see what Lee will do. In other words we are on the defensive, after such efforts and so much blood wasted. O, Ezekiel! 0, Deuteronomy3! help me to bless the leaders and the chiefs of this people.
I am told by a very good authority, that Mr. Lincoln takes a special care of his fellow-townsmen in Springfield. What a good, honest, neighborly sentiment, provided always that the public good is not suffering by it!
June 3. – A senator, who urged Mr. Lincoln to dismiss Halleck, was answered, that "as Halleck has not a single friend in the country, Mr. Lincoln feels himself in duty bound to stand by him." Admirable, but costly stubbornness.
June 3. – Poor Hooker ! He is now the laughing-stock of Europe. I wish he may recover what he has lost or squandered. But alas! even now Hooker makes no attempt to surround himself with a genuine staff.
I wrote to Stanton, imploring him for the country's and for his own sake, to compel Hooker to reform his staff, and not to allow science to be any longer trodden under foot. I implored Stanton that either the President or he would select and nominate a chief-of-staff for Hooker, or rather for the Potomac army, as it is done in Europe. Stanton understands well the disastrous deficiency, and if he conld, he would immediately go at it and change. But, first, the statutes or regulations, obligatory here, leave it with the commander to appoint his own staff and its chief. Stupid, rusty, foggyish and fogyish regulations, so perfectly in harmony with the general ignorance of what ought to be the staff of an army! Second, Stanton must yield to another will, and to what is believed here to be the higher knowledge of military affairs4.
Editor's Note: This diary goes on and on like this. It's interesting to see what people at the time thought was going on. It reminds us that our view of current affairs may be just as blinkered.
