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Seeing the Elephant
Recollections of War Times: By An Old Veteran while under Stonewall Jackson and Lieutenant General James Longstreet
Recollections of War Times is a dramatically improved edition of William A. “Gus” McClendon’s memoir of his service in the 15th Alabama Infantry. It has long been recognized among the rarest books by any veteran of the Army of Northern Virginia.
Keith Bohannon has conducted relentless research that uncovered a gratifying array of new information about McClendon, as well as new photographs. The introduction based on that research might be a model for the genre, full of details acquired from arcane sources that throw new light on the subject. Bohannon's new exhaustive index also makes McClendon's memoir notably more accessible.
"Gus" McClendon joined the 15th Alabama Infantry Regiment, and served in many of the Eastern Theater engagements. More than fifty years later, he sent down his reminiscences, still an unreconstructed Southern patriot, although able to look back with some amusement on his younger self.
Keith Bohannon has conducted relentless research that uncovered a gratifying array of new information about McClendon, as well as new photographs. The introduction based on that research might be a model for the genre, full of details acquired from arcane sources that throw new light on the subject. Bohannon's new exhaustive index also makes McClendon's memoir notably more accessible.
"Gus" McClendon joined the 15th Alabama Infantry Regiment, and served in many of the Eastern Theater engagements. More than fifty years later, he sent down his reminiscences, still an unreconstructed Southern patriot, although able to look back with some amusement on his younger self.
300 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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October 29, 2018
This book was written in 1906 and published without copyright in 1909. The story is written by a surviving member of the 15th Alabama under General William C. Oates. The book opens with a dedication to the Stars and Stripes and a dedication to the United States of America. In 1906 as in 2018 this is appropriate and respectful; he may have been Unreconstructed but he was never a loud mouth nor harbored resentments to his Northern States Americans. When the author signed on with the 15th Alabama he did so to escape the “Home Guard” company he first enlisted with in March of 1862 – the author was 16 at the time and would turn 17 in August 1862; as with any youth eager for adventure he had to argue with his parents – times don’t change any more than the basic character of infantrymen a soldier is a soldier regardless of era; technology is the only change that occurs. By wars end the young Private would be a well respected 1st Lieutenant having been first promoted to 4th Corporal and then Orderly Sergeant prior to his being elected to 4th Lieutenant; then, he would be promoted to 1st Lieutenant before the wars end. As is so often the case and has been told in other books – we see a youthful exuberance in a young fellow wanting to defend his cause. He would later come to realize it was a Lost Cause in reflection to a point in time much later when he recalled an event where Fort Sanders (Knoxville, TN) could not be taken against the Federal Forces.
Private McClendon, CSA was in some of the largest battles from the beginning to the end of the war. Writing his work in 1906 it is apparent to me that when he visited some locations through travel some 30+ years later in the mid 1890’s something stirred in him that he knew he would have to write his account of his experiences. From the low ranks of both the CSA and USA forces many servicemen did this sort of thing following the war and it should be read today to the value of the time that it occurred from the perspectives of both sides Americans killing Americans was referenced by the author following one of his harrowing battle experiences. This work at times is a parallel to that of the biography that General Billy Mitchell wrote on General Greely. General Greely was himself a Private during the War Between the States. McClendon would fight at the Battle of Second Manassas (Bull Run) and Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam.) Specifically, when he wrote his account of Sharpsburg he referenced how some people call it Antietam and I found this to be placed with light humor. Another point of humor is how Stonewall Jackson considered General Banks to be his Commissary. There were many sides to this story however, that held no humor and one in particular was when McClendon was forced to help bury dead Union Soldiers following a battle. He was descriptive of this work only to a point, but one could tell he still had many bad memories of not only burying dead, but in other battles seeing dead on both sides. Add to this where one loses close friends and this for any person would be tough to say the least.
As stated, McClendon fought at the Battle of Second Manassas (his first full engagement), Sharpsburg, Fort Sanders, Fredericksburg, Richmond and many skirmishes along the way and many more forced marches. Having served with the 15th Alabama we know this is the unit that faces Colonel Chamberlain, USA on Little Roundtop at Gettysburg. McClendon seems to have been a man of some form of predestination if you will. He his sick twice with fluctuating temperatures that continued through the war. His first illness hits May of 1862, the second one that forced his hospitalization was June of 1863. He is then forced to be transported to a hospital in Lynchburg Virginia and is only released at the end of the month. On 1 July 1863 when Gettysburg is in its early fight he is released from the hospital and heads back to his unit. He doesn’t catch up with the unit until after the Battle of Gettysburg has been completed. To his recollection and discussion with fellow soldiers when the battle was over he calls it a near loss. He believes he was saved from death from missing this battle. He gives a very good written description on how General Lee was hoping that General Meade would have followed him to attempt to route the Confederate Forces and believe that had he done so, he would have lost miserably as the remainder of the Confederate Forces wanted more fighting on their terms (he was back with his unit by this point in time.) Meade would gain criticism as we know from President Lincoln for not attempting to route the rebellion after Gettysburg; it is well that Meade in fact hadn’t. Talk about an interesting historical perspective!
1st Lieutenant William McClendon was at Appomattox on 12 April 1865 for his final orders and release home. On the 9th of April he would see General Robert E. Lee for the last time on his horse Sorrell waving his hat and with tears streaming down his face. As Lt. McClendon approached Appomattox Court House on that 12th of April he recalled a most dignified and respectful Union Forces presence standing at Parade Rest as he and his Company, Battalion, Regiment approached marching. He also had recalled how immediately in the field of battle upon the surrender how Union Forces were sharing what food they had with their Confederate brethren and that there was no animosity, no hatred according to his experience almost as nothing at all occurred. It is a well written account of a normal soldier’s existence.
This book is free; the fact that Amazon and Kindle sell this book is a shame; there is no copyright and should be a free download as are books such as War and Peace among others. If you want a copy of this book just go here to Yale University Press and obtain your digital copy for free.
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?i... It is 25MB in size and will take a bit to download.
Private McClendon, CSA was in some of the largest battles from the beginning to the end of the war. Writing his work in 1906 it is apparent to me that when he visited some locations through travel some 30+ years later in the mid 1890’s something stirred in him that he knew he would have to write his account of his experiences. From the low ranks of both the CSA and USA forces many servicemen did this sort of thing following the war and it should be read today to the value of the time that it occurred from the perspectives of both sides Americans killing Americans was referenced by the author following one of his harrowing battle experiences. This work at times is a parallel to that of the biography that General Billy Mitchell wrote on General Greely. General Greely was himself a Private during the War Between the States. McClendon would fight at the Battle of Second Manassas (Bull Run) and Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam.) Specifically, when he wrote his account of Sharpsburg he referenced how some people call it Antietam and I found this to be placed with light humor. Another point of humor is how Stonewall Jackson considered General Banks to be his Commissary. There were many sides to this story however, that held no humor and one in particular was when McClendon was forced to help bury dead Union Soldiers following a battle. He was descriptive of this work only to a point, but one could tell he still had many bad memories of not only burying dead, but in other battles seeing dead on both sides. Add to this where one loses close friends and this for any person would be tough to say the least.
As stated, McClendon fought at the Battle of Second Manassas (his first full engagement), Sharpsburg, Fort Sanders, Fredericksburg, Richmond and many skirmishes along the way and many more forced marches. Having served with the 15th Alabama we know this is the unit that faces Colonel Chamberlain, USA on Little Roundtop at Gettysburg. McClendon seems to have been a man of some form of predestination if you will. He his sick twice with fluctuating temperatures that continued through the war. His first illness hits May of 1862, the second one that forced his hospitalization was June of 1863. He is then forced to be transported to a hospital in Lynchburg Virginia and is only released at the end of the month. On 1 July 1863 when Gettysburg is in its early fight he is released from the hospital and heads back to his unit. He doesn’t catch up with the unit until after the Battle of Gettysburg has been completed. To his recollection and discussion with fellow soldiers when the battle was over he calls it a near loss. He believes he was saved from death from missing this battle. He gives a very good written description on how General Lee was hoping that General Meade would have followed him to attempt to route the Confederate Forces and believe that had he done so, he would have lost miserably as the remainder of the Confederate Forces wanted more fighting on their terms (he was back with his unit by this point in time.) Meade would gain criticism as we know from President Lincoln for not attempting to route the rebellion after Gettysburg; it is well that Meade in fact hadn’t. Talk about an interesting historical perspective!
1st Lieutenant William McClendon was at Appomattox on 12 April 1865 for his final orders and release home. On the 9th of April he would see General Robert E. Lee for the last time on his horse Sorrell waving his hat and with tears streaming down his face. As Lt. McClendon approached Appomattox Court House on that 12th of April he recalled a most dignified and respectful Union Forces presence standing at Parade Rest as he and his Company, Battalion, Regiment approached marching. He also had recalled how immediately in the field of battle upon the surrender how Union Forces were sharing what food they had with their Confederate brethren and that there was no animosity, no hatred according to his experience almost as nothing at all occurred. It is a well written account of a normal soldier’s existence.
This book is free; the fact that Amazon and Kindle sell this book is a shame; there is no copyright and should be a free download as are books such as War and Peace among others. If you want a copy of this book just go here to Yale University Press and obtain your digital copy for free.
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?i... It is 25MB in size and will take a bit to download.
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