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Some men are lucky to have died early in a conflict - and Earl van Dorn was one such General, who was killed over an affair by the woman's husband. Had that not happened - who knows how many more battles he had left in him to lose. Van Dorn - like so many others in US history - was promoted well past his own abilities to command. He excelled as a cavalry officer - in Mexico, the Indian Wars, and even at Holly Springs. He was promoted up from LT to MAJ in Mexico for exploits on the battlefield.... and was the model cavalry officer. But underwhelming spectacular defeats at Pea Ridge and Corinth showed he was not able to be effective with other than cavalry forces...
Confederate Major General Earl Van Dorn
Posted from warfarehistorynetwork.com
Leadership
American History
Military History
Civil War
Cavalry
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 13
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At Corinth Mississippi - there is a great battlefield museum run by the US Park Service at Battery Robinette. My own thoughts standing there and looking at the attack plan and the terrain that Van Dorn used were - "What the hell was he thinking frontal assaulting this when he could have flanked it! "
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LTC Eric Udouj
1stSgt Nelson Kerr - Hood was one of the finest Brigade and Division Commanders in our history... and then he peaked past his abilities.... way past them.
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1stSgt Nelson Kerr
I agree . He was p ut into a job he was not ready to handle, thanfully so It helped shorten the war and lowered Union casualties.
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LTC Eric Udouj
1stSgt Nelson Kerr - As did Pemberton being placed in Charge of Vicksburg after van Doran's use of marshal law got him fired...
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1stSgt Nelson Kerr
LTC Eric Udouj - It is nice when out nations enemies are incompetent, I wish that was more often the case.
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Six degrees of separation - there were three military commanders that were gunned down while not on the battle field during the civil war. Union Major General William "Bull" Nelson was one of them - he was shot by Union Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis - can only imagine the problems his name caused - over an insult. Davis was at Pea Ridge in March and killed Nelson in September of 1862. He was never charged due to need of experienced officers.
"Major General John A. Wharton" was the third killed over a personal insult as well.
"Major General John A. Wharton" was the third killed over a personal insult as well.
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