Matt McKeon
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- Aug 25, 2019
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I just finished Mosby's memoir of his partisan service. It was a little sketchy, cobbled together from his memories and letters and dispatches of the time. In the middle is a long piece about Stuart during the Gettysburg campaign, which I had trouble following without a map.
Mosby certainly has an attractive voice and personality. Fearless, without boasting, aggressive without cruelty, determined without vindictiveness. He described his friendship with Grant after the war, and wrote admiringly of both Stuart and Lee.
Compared with Sam Watkins writing, its certainly a less vivid and strongly drawn memoir. Mosby didn't write descriptions of combat or his feelings, perhaps because he didn't think he could convey the experience to the non veteran.
Rhodes also wrote less powerfully than Watkins (IMO), but his account is made up of contemporary letters, diaries, etc. He is content to describe the battles as "terrible." Wonderful window into the Army of the Potomac.
Mosby certainly has an attractive voice and personality. Fearless, without boasting, aggressive without cruelty, determined without vindictiveness. He described his friendship with Grant after the war, and wrote admiringly of both Stuart and Lee.
Compared with Sam Watkins writing, its certainly a less vivid and strongly drawn memoir. Mosby didn't write descriptions of combat or his feelings, perhaps because he didn't think he could convey the experience to the non veteran.
Rhodes also wrote less powerfully than Watkins (IMO), but his account is made up of contemporary letters, diaries, etc. He is content to describe the battles as "terrible." Wonderful window into the Army of the Potomac.