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| Posted: Fri Jan 26th, 2007 09:56 pm |
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1st Post |
Doc C
Member
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Has anyone read Robbin's Last In Their Class? Sounded interesting.
Doc C
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| Posted: Sat Jan 27th, 2007 03:12 am |
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2nd Post |
susansweet
Member
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It looks good . I read all about it on a website I stumbled on and have no idea where it is . Would be an interesting read .
Oh no another book!!!
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26th, 2007 01:07 pm |
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3rd Post |
Ronayne64
Member
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Great book! Makes me wish I would have found the site of Benny Havens Tavern while I was at West Point.
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26th, 2007 11:17 pm |
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4th Post |
CleburneFan
Member
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I read the book last year. The complete name is "Last in Their Class:Custer, Pickett and the Goats of West Point". When I saw the book's jacket, I believed the book was mainly about Pickett and Custer. It does deal at length with them but several other interesting graduates are covered also.
I learned a lot about life at West Point in those days and I had never heard of Benny Havens. I also didn't know that those with last in class ranking were called "goats," almost a badge of honor to some.
Another thing I was expecting was concentration on the Civil War, but the book revealed much about the Mexican War also. I haven't paid as much attention to the Mexican War as I should have given that so many important leaders on both sides of the Civil War served in the Mexican War along side each other. Actually, come to find out, I discovered the Mexcian War is quite interesting. I am surprised that more hasn't been written about the actual battles and the participants of this war.
I really enjoyed this book. It deals with a topic--life at West Point in the mid-1800s--and what became of the graduates after their training. It also gives hope to anyone who finsihes last in any setting. One can become distinguished at a later time.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 30th, 2007 02:31 am |
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5th Post |
younglobo
Member
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cleburne .. Civil war times did a good article on Benny Havens a couple of issues back check it out
Also have any of you all seen " Class of 61" tells the story of the class and the outbreak of the war basically about 4 roomates and how the war touches there lives , have it on VHS Somewhere, TV movie special deal.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 30th, 2007 01:04 pm |
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6th Post |
| Posted: Thu Aug 30th, 2007 01:06 pm |
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7th Post |
CleburneFan
Member
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Thanks, Young Lobo. I'll check NetFlix and see if they have a copy. I would really be interested in seeing that story.
To me the drama of classmates, room mates, even students and their instructors at West Point fighting against each other in the Civil War makes for very compelling reading and viewing , in the case of a movie.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 31st, 2007 06:14 pm |
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8th Post |
| Posted: Fri Aug 31st, 2007 11:08 pm |
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9th Post |
susansweet
Member
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I am finally reading Last in their Class. I am loving it . I have learned so many things I did not know before about West Point and the graduates.
One issue that I found very interesting is that the imortals (the lowest ranked cadets) may have chosen to be there and worked hard to stay in the bottom and still graduate so they could become cavalry instead of Engineers. They wanted the fast paced life in the saddle and in battle as opposed to doing Engineering.
Another issue brought up and explained by the author was Pickett's charge may have been attempted as it had worked before for him in the Mexican War . I had never read this before and found it very interesting .
The antics of the cadets kept me laughing though part of the book. The deeds of the men later as soldiers was impressive.
I can just see Heth and Burnside pulling off the stunts they did at West Point. Burnsides corrupted by Heth instead of Burnside reforming Heth as orginally planned.
I was amazed at how many men who were roommates at WP became leaders in opposition later on in the Civil War .
Going to read Class of 46 after this to round out West Point study.
Susan
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CleburneFan
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susansweet wrote:
I was amazed at how many men who were roommates at WP became leaders in opposition later on in the Civil War .
Susan
Also, teachers and students who opposed each other in the war. Even USMA commandants who were up against their own students. Take for example, Lt General William J. Hardee who was the USMA commandant of cadets while John Bell Hood was a student. Hardee was later outranked by Hood when his former student was promoted over the senior-in-rank Hardee to succeed Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign in 1864.
That book was just chock-full of interesting facts and very readable. I am surprised it didn't do better in book sales. I still think the cover design may be a detriment, because it doesn't really tell waht they book is-- about until you read the fine print.
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susansweet
Member
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Good point Fan. One of our book group didn't read it because he thought it was mainly about Custer and Pickett. Now that I talked to him about it in email he is going to read it .
I wish it had done better . It is so full of backstories. I even recommended it the other day to "our General Pickett" at the local reenactment. He is going to get it to add to his stories he tells .
Susan
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Texas Defender
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CleburneFan-
John Bell Hood graduated from the USMA in 1853. That year, William J. Hardee had returned to the Academy as a tactical instructor. However, he was not given the post of commandant of cadets until 1856.
William J Hardee, 1815-1873
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