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Location: Tennessee
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EPISODE 2.15 -
January 6, 2006
Toward a New Civil War Paradigm
Guest: Richard McMurray
Dr. Richard P. McMurry, author of The Fourth Battle of Winchester and Two Great Rebel Armies, presents a fresh approach to Civil War history.
Blake's Review:
An excellent interview!!! Finally, as it had been a few episodes since I had a good one to review.
This interview is enjoyable for many reasons. First, they spend a lot of time on counterfactual history which is always an amsuing game to play. Second, they discuss a lot of generals and ideas which are debatable and controversial and that's always fun. Lastly, it's simply an interview which flows well and never lags.
What happens if Lee wins at Gettysburg?
McMurray is adamant that it would not have mattered in the slightest if Lee won at Gettysburg. "Lee's army would have taken such a beating and suffered such heavy casualties [having succeeded in Pickett's Charge], that he would have had to retreat anyway." McMurray sees the battle as hardly important in the Civil War and argues that Mill Springs, Shiloh, Fort Donelson, all were more important in the long run than Gettysburg. "If you look at the battle itself, what it did, what it accomplished, what it meant, it did not accomplish or mean very much."
What if Grant is defeated by Lee in 1864?
It would not have mattered as the South would have still lost the war. If Lee defeats Grant and pushes him back to the Rappahannock by the end of the summer of 64 or in 1865, then Sherman is still invading Virginia from the south after taking the Carolinas and the outcome of the war remains the same.
What if McClellan defeats Lincoln in 1864?
Again, McMurray says nothing changes. McClellan was not about to end the war once Grant was outside Richmond and Petersburg and Sherman was in Savannah. McClellan wanted a military victory and would have taken all the credit for the eventual victory. McMurray believes the real history altering changes if McClellan would have won would have been felt in the post-war era and with reconstruction.
Could the Civil War have ended differently?
McMurray hypothisizes that it could have but only if Jefferson Davis made alternate decisions particularly in the west.
Where was the Turning Point in the War?
McMurray believes it is in 1861 when Polk invades Kentucky and ends their neutrality. From there, be argues, it is all downhill for the Confederacy
McMurray goes on to blast Joseph Johnston as a totally inept commander while lamenting the early death of Albert S. Johnston at Shiloh. McMurray argues that AS Johnston was respected by Davis and was the only one who could have worked with the president in long run. McMurray sees the string of poor decisions made by Davis concerning the western theater all coming about as a result of Johnston's death at Shiloh.
Another counterfactual idea, what if Joseph Johnston is killed at Seven Pines and A.S. Johnston is only wounded at Shiloh? The what-if chats in this interview are endlessly entertaining but, ultimately, unanswerable.
Who is the most underrated general of the war? Braxton Bragg. McMurray defends Bragg and blames many of the Confederate problems on the cancerous presence of Leonidas Polk in the Army of Tennessee.
If you are just looking for a fun interview and something to put on which will get your mind going, this is the one 
_________________ Gen. Blake Strickler
Confederate General-in-Chief
El Presidente 2010 - 2012
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