Reveille in Washington, 1860 - 1865 by Margaret Leech

[David Lockmiller]

(11-24-2017 11:45 PM)Gene C Wrote:  David asked if I could be more specific in my previous comment.

There is a concept called The Butterfly Effect
the video below explains it better than I can,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V8owSSFGZs

I understand your video about The Butterfly Effect, Gene.

Now, I have a nice little story to tell from "Reveille in Washington" at pages 201-202.

The fine autumn days [of 1862] went past. The capital grew restless, waiting for Lee's army to be driven from the Valley. Little was said in the Cabinet meetings, clouded by discouragement. Now and then, Stanton's voice uttered a musical sneer; but for the most part he brooded in silence. With McClellan in power, he felt that his importance and influence were gone, and he threatened to resign.

For six weeks, the Army of the Potomac lay in Maryland. The country groaned with impatience and dissatisfaction. Stocks declined. Volunteering lagged. The State ballot boxes gave a verdict adverse to the administration. The President repeatedly begged, persuaded and ordered McClellan to advance. McClellan said that the army was not ready. It was true that his soldiers were in need--like those of General Lee, though not so sorely--of shoes, blankets,clothing, horses and camp equipment. McClellan's mood was one of proud, dark, brooding resentment. His communications with Stanton and Halleck were few and rigidly formal. He regarded himself as the savior of his country, who should be spared interference. Much of his time was spent in controversies with the Quartermaster's Department over his supplies--those supplies that he had been able to forget in his great phase of resolution in September. [End of "Reveille in Washington" quotation.]

Now, suppose that "a regiment of mutinous volunteers [did not] behave so badly that they drove their colonel to resign, and Grant was [not] put in his place." And, suppose Grant, still wanting to make a significant contribution to the Union cause in the American Civil War, took it upon himself to travel to McClellan's camp at this particular time to offer his services based on his West Point education and military experience in the Mexican war. Suppose McClellan then offered to Grant a position as a Quartermaster officer. Grant would have accepted and remained forever a "caterpillar." And, it is highly unlikely that his appointment as a Quartermaster officer would have made one iota of difference in terms of a favorable outcome of the Civil War.

What did happen because "a regiment of mutinous [Illinois] volunteers behaved so badly that they drove their colonel to resign, and Grant was put in his place" is that Grant transformed himself into being the "Butterfly" who helped President Abraham Lincoln to save the Union for posterity. So, according to the "Butterfly Effect" video, you might say that it was the regiment of mutinous Illinois volunteers who are responsible for Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox. No, I don't think so. It can only be said: But for that particular circumstance, the outcome of the American Civil War might have been entirely different. "For Want of a Nail" named Grant, the American Civil War might have been lost.