THE ORDEAL OF GENERAL STONE (Part the Second)

Benjamin Franklin Wade (1800-1878), Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War

In which we continue our discussion of the ordeal of Brigadier General Charles P. Stone.

Our book recommendation for this episode is Over Lincoln’s Shoulder: The Committee on the Conduct of the War by Bruce Tap.

“Tap’s case is one worth making. He argues that the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War produced little good and some harm, polarizing politicians against professional soldiers, limiting strategic options, and inflating the reputations of military incompetents.  These errors, he shows, stemmed from ignorance of military art and from partisanship. Although his conclusions will raise some eyebrows, he provides good evidence for his case. A solid and readable old-fashioned political history, this book will correct our image of the relationship between Republicans and the army in the Civil War.” ~ Mark E. Neely, Jr.

Listen to Episode 75: GeneralStonePartSecond