What Was The Role of David Herold

[John Fazio]

(09-26-2013 12:03 PM)L Verge Wrote:  You are quite right about people of that era having a code of etiquette by which they judged others and were judged themselves. You have a valid assumption here relative to Davis's state of mind if you take into account the extreme pressures that he was under for a long period of time because of the political and military aspects of the war.

Everyone of us who have been under pressure even slightly like this knows that it is often a little thing or a small slight that can throw you off balance. Of course, it's another situation where we can only "suggest" or speculate, but the psychological aspects should be considered.

Laurie:

Thank you for your comments, with which I quite agree. If we add the offense taken by Davis because of Lincoln's failure to reciprocate Davis's kindness re sending of condolences to the Lincoln family upon the death of Willie (if that in fact was the case), to the Wistar and Dahlgren-Kilpatrick Orders, we gain a clearer understanding of what ultimately happened and Davis's possible role in it. Though I recognize that there is and probably always will be some question as to the authenticity of the offending parts of the Orders, if not of the Orders in their entirety, perception is more important than reality, and the perception of the Southern people, the Southern press and the Confederate Government was that they were genuine.

John