Craig's Civil War Glossary

CRAIG'S CIVIL WAR GLOSSARY

By Joel Craig

Battles - Batttles were fought amongst the various generals of each army (ex. Jackson-Hill, Sheridan-Warren, Pope-Porter, Bragg-everybody). Occasionally the generals would fight battles with their respective governments; these are referred to as campaigns.
Skirmishes - Skirmishes are much like battles except on a smaller scale. In other words they were carried on behind the commanding general's back.
Actions - Actions were what occurred when the generals stopped battling each other and actually fought the enemy.
Engagements - Engagements occurred whenever a force was garrissoned near a town for a long period of time. The number of engagements increased in direct proportion to the percentage of the town's male occupants who were away serving in the armed forces.
Pursuits - Pursuits usually preceded an engagement.
Affairs - Any action involving General Earl VanDorn, CSA.
Descent - The odor of 60,000 unwashed soldiers marching by.
Attack - The place where General Schimmelfennig wishes he would have chosen to hide at Gettysburg. (Hint: above the house)
Operation - This was performed on soldiers unlucky enough to have stopped a minie ball.
Expedition - A term used to describe the Red River campaign (more commonly referred to as "fiasco").
Scout - A term adopted by spies in order to prevent their being hanged.
Reconnissance - An excuse to steal poultry and livestock.
Occupation - What most of the men had before they became soldiers.
Etc. - A term used entirely too often when giving orders. Use of this term lead to many misunderstandings during the war. ex. Lee to Ewell at Gettysburg: "Git over thar and take that hill, etc."

JOEL CRAIG Copyright Š1999 by Joel Craig.
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