GDG- Killing Lincoln

atmackeyjr at aol.com atmackeyjr at aol.com
Sun Jan 15 11:47:18 CST 2012 

Since there was just as much speculative indulging into the characters' thoughts and conversations that there was no record of in The Killer Angels as there was in Gods and Generals, one has to wonder.

Best Regards,
Al Mackey


-----Original Message-----
From: CWMHTours <CWMHTours at aol.com>
To: gettysburg <gettysburg at arthes.com>
Sent: Sun, Jan 15, 2012 12:26 pm
Subject: Re: GDG- Killing Lincoln


Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
i Phil-  Here's my tastes- and my point.

 read Killer Angels, not as history but hostorical  fiction.  I loved it.

ut I got 1/2way through Gods and Generals and there was so  much 
peculative indulging into the characters thoughts and conversations that  there 
as 
o record of I threw it at the wall.

 think I gave it to a young kid who didn't know about the  Civil War and 
aid "Here!"

ever finished it and I wouldn't unless I was in jail and had  the choice 
f reading it or staring at the walls.

Just  the facts, ma'am." Sgt. Joe Friday. Dragnet.
Your Most Obediant  Servant  
 
n a message dated 1/15/2012 12:14:11 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
vitiello1 at comcast.net writes:
Esteemed  GDG Member Contributes:
eter a fair question, that's why I was careful to  use the word "most" in 
y comment. I was referring less to the O' Reilly book  (which I have read). 
'll say this that it does drive me crazy when I read  book when the author 
writes history with supposing to know what someone  may have said or 
hought based only on the whim of that author. it bothers me  more when certain 
known" historical facts are presented wrong weather in a  book or movie. 
ust shows a lack of a certain laziness to get it right  knowing
hat people who don't know better will now take that it is fact.  That 
eing said I've mellowed some over the last 50 years of my interest in  our 
istory that if a book, even if with errors in it can either inspire or  
nlighten our youth in our history than that is a good thing.
Peter  thank you for replying. hope I made some sense here on my thoughts 
n  this.
Phil
ew haven Ct  
Sent from my iPad
On  Jan 15, 2012, at 9:33 AM, CWMHTours at aol.com wrote:
> Esteemed GDG  Member Contributes:
 Phil-
 
 Should I understand that in  agreement with Chet that you think  it is OK 
o 
 mix fiction with  fact and then publicly call it history and try to  sell 
t 
 that  way?
 
 Your  Most Obedient Servant,
 Peter   
 
 
 In a message dated 1/15/2012 9:30:35 A.M. Eastern  Standard Time,  
 pvitiello1 at comcast.net writes:
 
  Esteemed  GDG Member Contributes:
 I'm sure no one hear will  recognize my name. I've  followed GDG for 
everal 
 years now and  only posted once. Having following this  current thread I 
 feel  compelled to leave a quick comment that I agree with  most of Chets 

 statements. I feel his grasp and understanding how history is   recorded 
nd how 
 historians over the years perceive what should be  considered  fact and 
hat is 
 not is spot on.
 
  Phil Vitiello
 NH Ct.    
 
 Sent from my  iPad
 
 On Jan 14, 2012, at 6:14 PM, Matt Diestel   <agatematt at gmail.com> wrote:
 
> Esteemed GDG  Member  Contributes:
>> 
>> Esteemed GDG  Member  Contributes:
>> 
> 
>  
>> So, Chet, if a book  inserts make believe events into  the  naration you
>> would  still call that  "history"?
>> 
>> Your  Most Obedient   Servant,
>> Peter
>> 
>> The amount ---  and  supposed seriousness --- of the errors in "Killing
>>  Lincoln" by all  indication is a matter that is still much in dispute. 

 That
>> is  certainly reinforced by the variety of  opinions that have been 
 posted  by
>> esteemed  members in this discussion thread.
>> 
>   In  direct answer to your question, would I call a book  which  
inserts
> make believe events into the narration ..  "history?"  --- No, I would 
ot
> but then in regards to  "Killing Lincoln" that is  an accusation which 
as
> not yet  been proved to my  satisfaction.
>   Too often, when  one person sees a set of  possible historical actions 
  in
> one way and accepts it and then writes  it in anything  from book form 
o a
> discussion point in this group,  there  are some who refuse to take it as
> simply an interpretation  with  which they disagree with and instead is 
s
> something  that is at best  historical error and at worse something
>  nefarious.
>   People can --- and do --- see historical  "facts" in different ways. As
> an example, I will point to the many  discussions this group has had  
ver
> the years as to what  Stuart was suppose to do at Gettysburg on  July 3.
> There are  those who take it as a historical certainty that Lee  gave  
is
> cavalry commander specific orders to place himself on  the  Union flank 
o
> attack when the forces of  Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble  broke the AOP line 
 and
>  forced that army to retreat. Other esteemed  members believe that to be 
so
> much non-historical hogwash, but I have  yet to read a  member accusing
> another of fabricating the truth because   they see facts in a different
> light.
>    Besides,  what is truly a fact. Given that much of the narrative of  
ny
> event is  based upon the gathering of evidence from  eye-witnesses, all 
f
> whom  may see the same event slightly  different or radically 
ifferently.
> That is evident by just going  to the Official Records and read the  
fter
> battle reports of  units which opposed each other. More often  than not, 
  the
> text reads in a way to make it seem that neither unit   was not on the 
ame
> piece of the  battlefield but probably  not on  the same planet.
>  OK, which author's work is the  lie? And  which one should historians
> choose? And if they  choose one then do  those who take the other side as
> gospel  then have the right to label  the opponent's version as  having
> inserted "make believe  events."
>   With  regards,
>                 Chet
> 
  
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