Transcript David Rodes - History | Furman University

What Stood Out in a Leader?
Military Leadership in the South:
Maj. Gen. Robert Emmet
Rodes
Although military leadership is typically viewed as purely centered on rank
superiority, most of what makes a leader goes beyond the chain of command.
Standing in a leadership position does not make one a leader.
Major General Rodes
Biography:
Reputation:
The key ingredient in leadership is motivation. A leader must
be able to motivate his or her followers in a certain direction. In
southern culture during the Civil War Era a person reputation
was vitally important to his ability to motivate people. Soldiers
often followed the “legend” of their great leaders without
actually knowing them. To be a leader in the south one had to
impress his followers and earn their respect.
Southern soldiers in the Civil War revered their generals as more
than normal men. Southern generals possessed the complete
admiration and respect of their soldiers.
Image:
Born: Lynchburg, Virginia 1829
Robert Rodes was in a family with a long military history. He graduated from The Virginia Military
Institute (VMI) in 1848 and became an engineer designing canals for public transportation. He later
moved to Alabama and became the Chief Engineer of the Northeast and Southwest Alabama
Railroads in 1858.
Motivate your troops and you will
be surprised at what they can accomplish:
A leader is someone who can direct and motivate a
group of people toward the achievement of a particular
goal.
Rodes had established himself as a successful engineer, but what he really wanted to do was teach
mathematics. After getting married in 1857 he moved back to Virginia and received a professorship at
VMI. Unfortunately the Civil War broke out before he was ever able to begin teaching and Rodes
decided to fight for his home state of Virginia.
He joined the 5th Alabama regiment in 1861 as a colonel, but after his distinguished performance
at the battle of 1st Manassas he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. Rodes fought with
the Army of Northern Virginia throughout he war and gained a reputation as a magnificent general.
His men, colleges, and historians as being a capable leader of extraordinary courage praised him. He
always led his men from the front and fought with them in the thick of battle. He was promoted to
Major General after the battle of Chancellorsville and continued fighting until he was killed at the
battle of 3rd Winchester in September of 1864. He was shot while holding off the Union Army to allow
General Early’s forces to retreat to safety.
One’s personal appearance and how he presents himself is a
major part of leadership. If an officer looked the part, then his
men were more likely to follow him. General Rodes stood over
six feet tall. He was blond with a prominent mustache and
“flashing blue eyes”, according to Doughlas Freeman. Atop his
impressive black charger, Rodes’ distinguished appearance was
often enough to gain people’s attention.
Character:
A person’s character motivated soldier beyond the chain of
command, which meant that soldiers listened to an officer for
more reasons than just rank. Character is a combination of one’s
morals, temperament, and personality as reflected through their
behavior. General Rodes was a man of outstanding character.
His colleges remember him to have been strict in his duties, but
possessing a great generosity and sense of humor. Many even
described him in their memoirs as having a kind and lovable
disposition. His men described him as having “firmness
tempered with kindness”.
Courage:
A leader’s place is in front of his men.
Soldiers are less motivated by a leader who
stands in the rear, out of danger, and pushes
his troops forward. Throughout history, the
most effective leaders are in front of their
troops in the heat of battle. A leader’s job is
dangerous and if he wants to motivate his
soldiers he cannot be a coward. One must
lead from the front and inspire the soldiers to
follow. General Rodes was always on the
front lines, charging in to battle with his men
and he had the battle scars to prove it.
General Rodes (Personal)
Leaders must set clear goals:
Southern Military Leadership
(As a Whole)
Military leaders have a vast amount of man-power and resources at
their disposal, but to accomplish anything with it they must provide a
clear goal for the group to reach. The military leaders of the south
failed to define what the army’s true goal was and therefore failed to
effectively direct the efforts of their soldiers. Abstract goals included
preserving slavery, winning independence, and preserving honor, but
the Confederate leadership as a whole did not set a definite goal to
unite the soldiers.
Leadership Successes:
Leadership Failures:
Strong Motivation of Troops
Unclear Overall Goal (Lost of
thrust, but undefined direction)
Aggressive Strategy
Underestimation of Slave Loyalty
Good Treatment of Soldiers
Pursuit of Personal Glory
Professional Image
Strong Character
Leadership Successes:
Leadership Failures:
Disciplined
-Rodes always conducted himself in a
formal manner when in front of his men
and demanded the strictest discipline
from them. As a result, his men were well
trained and proficient in combat skills.
Often Harsh with Subordinates
-He was known to snap at subordinates for
being tardy and never tolerated
insubordination. Some, like General Bryan
Grimes, believed he was too quick to correct his
men at times.
Professional Appearance
-He presented himself in a dashing
uniform, prominent mustache, and
flashing blued eyes
Excessive Pride
-He rose in rank quickly and sometimes suffered
from an inflated ego.
Core Knowledge of Tactics
-He was an honor graduate of VMI and
exhibited excellent strategic and tactical
skills.
Reckless Risk of Personal Safety
-He was always on the front lines, but
sometimes he took risks in rallying his men. He
was wounded numerous times.
Be Aggressive:
Concerned for Soldier’s Health
-Though he expected excellence from his
men on the field, he took care of their personal
needs and made sure the sick were well taken
care of.
“The sight of him was sure to exhort a cheer which
was rarely given to any besides General Jackson”
During the Civil the Confederate officers were more
prone to taking risky moves than the Union officers
because the southern forces were nearly always out
numbered. President Lincoln replaced his generals
repeatedly throughout the was because he could not
find an aggressive one that was willing to take chances
the way the southern generals did. When officers take
chances they do not always win, but, as the southern
leaders learned, it can sometimes pay off with a
decisive and unexpected victory.
Confident
-He stood straight and spoke clearly. He
always appeared cool and collected.
Strong Character and Reputation
-He inspired confidence in the men
around him and his fame spread. Soldiers
knew his was a great leader before even
meeting him.
Bold and Aggressive Strategies
-He seldom ever wasted an opportunity
on the battle field. He was know for
making quick decisive movements.
Sources:
The United States War Department. War of Rebellion: Official Records
of the Union and Confederate Armies, vol. 12 (Washington:
Government Printing Office, 1884), 942.
Ernest B. Furgurson. Chancellorsville 1863: The Souls of the Brave
(New York: Vintage Books, 1992), 163.
The Fame of General Rodes in the Confederate Army:
His Overall Rating as an Officer:
80
Chancellorsville was Rodes’ greatest victory.
He displayed amazing leadership and courage during
the battle and was promoted to Major General directly
70
60
Orville Vernon Burton. The Age of Lincoln (New York: Hill and Wang,
2007), 51-38
Susan Leigh Blackford. Memoirs of Life In and Out of the Army In
Virginia During the War Between the States (Lynchburg, Virginia: J. P.
Bell Company Printers, 1896), 105.
Rodes was a disappointment at Gettysburg.
He was overly cautious and slow to act,
which caused him to look foolish.
50
30
20
Randolph Shotwell. The Papers of Randolph Abbot Shotwell. (Raleiph,
NC: North Carolina Historical Commission, 1929), 350.
10
Pictures:
1861
1862
1st Manassas
Shiloh
Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov (accessed March 20, 2012).
Ken Burns on PBS. Battle of Chancellorsville.
http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/map10.html#. Accessed March 25,
2012.
1864
1865
3rd Winchester
End of the War
0
Civil War Begins
The Century, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: People's Pictorial
Edition. http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/27794 (accessed
March 20, 2012).
1863
Seven Pines
Antietam
Fredericksburg
Chancellorsville
Gettysburg
Chattanooga
Reputation of General Rodes
Sources:
Larry Tagg. “Major General Robert Emmet Rodes.” The Generals of Gettysburg: The Leaders of America's
Greatest Battle (New York: De Capo Press, 2003), 54.
Darrell L. Collins. Major General Robert E. Rodes of the Army of Northern Virginia: A Biography (New York:
Savas Beatie, 2008), ix.
General Rodes and his men made a risky move at
Chancellorsville when they moved to flank the Union
Army. The bold move paid off and allowed the
Confederates to gain a crushing victory. The
Confederates were outnumbered during the battle and
may never have gained the victory if the southern
generals were not willing to take the risk.
Confederates charging a Union camp.
Some historians like Darrel Collins accuse General
Rodes of not being aggressive enough based on his
performance at Gettysburg, however, Rodes proved
himself to be an aggressive leader early in the war at
Seven Pines. During this battle General Longstreet
commended Rodes on making “one of the most
important and decisive movement on the field”.
40
Virginia Military Institute Archives. "VMI's Civil War Generals".
Accessed January 30, 2012. http://wwwvmiedu/archives.aspx?id=5649
A true leader takes care of his soldiers:
Nearly forgotten from history after the war.
Historians do not mention him much because
most of his personal papers were lost when his
wife burned them.
Battle of Chancellorsville