Your Loyal Blogger just finished
reading John C. Waugh’s outstanding book, “The Class of 1846 From West Point to
Appomattox: Thomas J. Jackson, George McClellan and their brothers.” This is a
tremendous piece of writing.
Sometime ago this blog published a
list of favorite 11 Civil War books read by the blogger. Waugh’s book on the
class of 1846 joins that list and gets very high up in the standings. This is a
very fine read if you like history or if you like people. It is a people story
about the Civil War era, the impact one class at the United States Military
Academy had upon the US Army and the Confederate cause.
The book studies closely the impact
these men had upon history as well as their impact as classmates on each other.
The US Army was a small force at the time and the classmates served with each
other often in the years before the nation was split apart by seccession. When
Civil War split the nation, the graduating class of 1846 was split as well.
The book is about the cadets.
McClellan and Jackson wooed the same
woman for her hand in marriage as young men. Waugh’s research into the
competing romances is masterfully done. If you don’t know who won, the beans
will not spill here. You’d best read the book.
McClellan was expected to be the star
of the class. He graduated second. He eventually became the commander of the
entire United States Army. At that point, he had overreached his competence and
Waugh looks carefully at McClellan’s shortcomings.
George Stoneman was a ranking
cavalryman for the US Army. He graduated 33rd in the class of 59
graduates. There is a chapter about his activities during the Chancellorsville
campaign and Waugh masterfully used that information as a lead in to Jackson’s
greatest performance and final days.
Jackson was a lesser student at the academy.
He struggled his first year and then gradually improved as a student and
finished in the middle of the class. From there, Jackson was effective during
the Mexican War and became the best-known Confederate commander, except for
Robert E. Lee.
George Pickett was also a member of
the class of 1846, finishing dead-last as a student. Best-known as a
participant in what we now call Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg, he was a better
fighter than he was a cadet.
How these men navigated the academic difficulties
that make up matriculation at West Point is an interesting story by itself.
Their interaction as friends and soldiers in the years prior to the Civil War
is a little-studied part of our military history. Waugh’s book sheds light on
all of this.
Waugh is a former newsman. His writing is
newspaperesque: Sharp, to the point and informative. This is heck of a book.
Warning, the book was published back in 1994 and our copy was purchased for
five (that’s 5) dollars at a used book store in Tucson, Arizona. You might have
to peruse one of the online book sources to get your copy.
The Class of 1846 was published by
Warner Books.
Thanks for reading.
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