Hey everyone, thanks for downloading the 195th episode of our

Civil War Podcast. I'm Rich. And I'm Tracy. Hello y'all. Welcome to the podcast.

In an excellent book of essays on the 1862 Maryland campaign edited by Gary Gallagher,

one of the selections was written by A. Wilson Green, who at that time was the staff historian

at Frederick Spurg and Spotsolvania National Military Park. In his essay, Green looked at

George McLean's generalship during the campaign and at Antietam. He says, quote,

when evaluating the conduct of a battle, it is important to remember the unique function of

each level of command. In simplest terms, the ranking officer bears responsibility for bringing

his units to the battlefield at the right times and in the right places. He must communicate his

objectives to his subordinates and be prepared to provide personal inspiration at crucial moments.

The actual combat is directed by subordinates, who, consistent with their overall mission,

must react to changing battlefield conditions. The best chiefdans create a climate in which

boldness and innovation are valued commodities. The best executive officers exercise these qualities.

For anyone who studies the fighting at Antietam on September 17, 1862, it's obvious there's a sharp

contrast between the command abilities displayed by and battlefield choices made by George McLean

and Robert E. Lee. In fact, the contrast is striking. Robert E. Lee had set up his headquarters

in a tent in a grove of oak trees on the west side of Sharpsburg. Today there's a historical

marker at the spot just alongside Route 34. But Lee left his headquarters early in the battle to

be near the fighting and he had been close enough to the front line to intercept stragglers.

One of them had just killed a pig and was screwing toward the rear to cook it.

Lee exploded in a rare outburst of fury and ordered the shirker sent to Stonewall Jackson to be shot.

Stonewall though thought it more practical to let the Yankees carry out the sentence. And so he

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