trivia

[Baron]

Jersey John,

You are correct sir! Longstreet was not killed though he survived until 1904. The really weird thing about him getting shot was it was under almost the exact same circumstances as when Jackson was shot, by his own men while returning to his own lines after scouting the Union lines and he was within 5 miles of the spot where Jackson was shot and almost exactly a year later.

On of your earlier guesses was AP Hill, he was killed the last day of the siege of Petersburg. He was riding to rally his troops and rode up on a Union force that had broken through his lines. He obviously was not aware his lines were breached. What a shame he died a week before the surrender of Lee to Grant.

[JerseyJohn]

Baron, very pleased to have gotten that one, sir, even though it was on the rebound with you providing additional clues.

Very interesting things here. You're filling in a lot of things I didn't know about the Civil War. Glad Longstreet lived so long after it ended; he's always been one of my favorites. I think I remember reading many years ago that both Jackson and Lee died with A. P. Hill in their last words.

I'd love to see a really good American Civil War strategy game come out, as I'm sure you would.

...

Here's something trivial, but it's been driving me nuts for years.

Can anyone tell me the name of the general on the left side of this photo (to Hitler's right)? I believe this picture was taken on Hitler's birthday, 1942. His Operation Blue generals presented him with a cake in the form of the Caucasus. Hitler cut Baku out for himself, saying he wanted the choicest piece, which is probably what they were laughing about in the picture.

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

No clue who that is.. but he seems to be some kind of arse licker..

Best Civil War game I have played is the Civil War Generals Series... I`ve played parts one and two.. there were both availabe in german (which was a surprise to me.. I thought I`m the only one in Germany who cares)....

[Kuniworth]

Jersey picture looks a bit like Eduard Dietl

[JerseyJohn]

Kuni, Many thanks, I'm pretty sure that's him. The odd part is I had a feeling he commanded mountain troops and was in the Finnish theater, and he was. Also commanded the 3rd Mountain division at Narvik. It's good to have a name for the face. Thanks for coming up with the answer.

Hyazinth, I don't know if that description would fit him, but apparently he was a fighting general. His bio describes him as one of Hitler's favorite generals, I'm sure there were many routes to that place, but I don't think this particular man chose that one.

He died in a plane crash in 1944. He was a generaloberst at the time (US four star general).

-- I think you're right about being one of the few Germans interested in the American Civil War. Online I haven't seen many Europeans who either know much about it or are even interested. Which surprises me because I think it was one of history's most interesting conflicts, and took place at a time when weapons and tactics were going through crucial changes.

I've seen several PC games on the subject, but the best of them kept crashing after a couple of years gametime. Very discouraging, because it was otherwise a very good game that caught the feeling of the times.

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

Large EDIT: I agree it is Dietl.. I`ve seen a few more photos.

@ JJ: may I ask which was your most beloved CW game? You would be amazed how many CW Reenactment groups you will find in Germany.. we are in the 65th year of american occupation, and some aspects of american culture find a lot of friends.

There is an interesting fact: I was interested in the CW since I was a teenager (North against South has certain similarities to the fight Germany against Russia, but just a few).. and after my 20th birthday my parents revealed to me that I`m a quarter american.. but this fact has nothing to do with my interest for that war.

[xwormwood]

Well, first i was sceptical too, but you need to take a look at his ears and his chin, and than you will realise that it is probably Dietl.

[Kuniworth]

The general in the snow. Remember? Rommel

was the general in the sun. The two propaganda poster boys of nazi germany.

[JerseyJohn]

Large EDIT: I agree it is Dietl.. I`ve seen a few more photos.

@ JJ: may I ask which was your most beloved CW game? You would be amazed how many CW Reenactment groups you will find in Germany.. we are in the 65th year of american occupation, and some aspects of american culture find a lot of friends.

There is an interesting fact: I was interested in the CW since I was a teenager (North against South has certain similarities to the fight Germany against Russia, but just a few).. and after my 20th birthday my parents revealed to me that I`m a quarter american.. but this fact has nothing to do with my interest for that war.

Glad we're all agreed about it being Dietl. Had a good chuckle from your saying it might be a major asking Hitler if he wanted a cup of tea. Actually, I'd believe he had a general who did that, not a major. I was doubting it as well, but Xwormwood and Kuni convinced me.

The American Civil War from Sumter to Appomattox put out by Interactive Magic back in the early Windows days is the one I like best. Unfortunately it has some kind of flaw in it and will only work properly for the first year or two game time, then the supplies drop to zero or something, and, of course, everything goes haywire.

Very interesting about your being part American. I'm part German and Austrian, a little Irish but mainly Italian.

Never really thought of Germany as being under American occupation all this time but I suppose that's one way of seeing things. I remember the late sixties, when I was in the Air Force, and Germany was one of the choice postings.

The American Civil War was the first wargaming area I got into. That's because the centenial came up when I was 12, but interest really started a year earlier in 1960. There were Civil War games all over the place, most of them just toy soldiers on a map. And a lot of movies, TV shows etc.

I remember buying one of Avalon Hill's early board games, Battle of Gettysburg and I thought they forgot to put the rules in the box. A few years back I looked it up on the Internet, read an article about it and it turns out they didn't actually have any written rules, just a mapboard with a grid and cardboard pieces. Some were tiny squares marked OP and HQ, other large rectangles were infantry divisions, and smaller rectangles were cavalry brigades and slightly smaller rectangles were artillery units, I think they were II & III markings. My fellow eleven year old buddies liked the idea of not having rules because it meant we didn't have to ignore them, we always made up our own rules anyway.

[Snowstorm]

Any more trivia questions?

I must admit my Civil War trivia knowledge isn't that great, but now that it's shifted more to WWII, perhaps I might have a shot at it.

[Baron]

This one is bit of a softball but here we go:

Who was the Confederate General that commanded troops that actually attacked Washington during the war? What Unionist exposed himself to Confederate fire during the battle?

[Baron]

A bonus jug for the answer to these questions:

Who was the Captain who told the above Unionist "Get down you damned fool"?

What was he later famous for?

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

I think I just know the answer for the first part of the question... Jubal A. Early?

[Baron]

Hyazinth von Strachwitz,

You are correct, he waited a day after appearing before Washington and the delay allowed the Union 6th Corps to rush troops to the capital. During the attack on the second day these veteran troops easily beat off the Confederate skirmishers.

Now for a clue as to the identity of the Unionist - he was a very tall man from a border state.

[JerseyJohn]

Don't know the captain's name, but the tall unionist has to be Abraham Lincoln. :cool:

I remember someone saying "It's a good thing Early was late."

[Baron]

Jersey John,

Once again you are correct!

The officer that supposedly yelled at him to get down was future Supreme Court Justice -

Oliver Wendell Holmes

I'm not sure is this was ever proven beyond a shadow of a doubt but it is pretty commonly told.

You are going to need a driver after all the jugs you've won!!

[JerseyJohn]

Thank you, Baron. Whether it's true or not it makes a great story. :cool:

-- A driver? Everyone who's ever been a passenger with me behind the wheel has always said I ought to have one. :eek:

In one of Kurt Vonnegut's novels the main character has an ancestor who looks and dresses like Abe Lincoln. He's walking around Gettysburg during the battle and is killed by a Confederate sharpshooter, who is himself shot a moment later. As Union soldiers gather around his last words are, "You can all go home now, boys. I just killed old Satan."