Lincoln as Commander in Chief

[Thomas Thorne]

Being a Virginian himself, Scott believed Virginians in particular and Southerners in general had a greater aptitude for command. Many civil war accounts talk of ambititious pre-war Northern officers resigning out of discouragement over career prospects based on a perception of bias by Scott but I wonder if this is true.

As to Laurie Verge asking why Scott did not train his officers for high command,only the Prussian Army with its prerequisite of graduation from the Prussian War Academy-which was the world's first staff college-before an officer was posted to the great general staff,the brains of the Prussian Army, had formal military continuing education for high command and staff work. .

After Prussia created the German Empire after its brilliant military successes against serially Denmark,Austria and France from 1864-1871 every nation created the modern staff college and the general staff system. .

Imitation is the surest sign of flattery.
Tom