Distinguished Militia Gen’l During an Action, circa 1861. A humorous depiction of a Union general who, in the midst of battle, reads a book on military tactics. Humor aside, reading books on how to perform in battle was a serious endeavor. As Captain Oliver Wendell Holmes noted, “It’s very well to recommend theoretical porings over the Bible & Homer—One’s time is better spent with Regulations & the like.” click image to enlarge |
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