The New York Times has an excellent article today by Prof. Terry Jones on the 1864 Red River Campaign. Unlike most articles on the Civil War, it bluntly depicts the crimes and wanton destruction committed by the invaders against civilians. Confederate general Richard Taylor fought brilliantly and completely flummoxed the northern army under Gen. Nathaniel Banks. Taylor had fought under Stonewall Jackson in the Valley Campaign and had far better judgment and instincts than most Confederate commanders. Naturally, his southern superiors rewarded him by taking away most of his troops. Maybe Taylor did not incur enough casualties to satisfy the West Point rulebook his superiors worshipped.
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