| Author | Message | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1311 Registered: 5-2003 |
At the beginning of the American Civil War, many officers of the United States Army were from southern states. As their home states left to join the Confederacy, these officers almost all resigned from the army and went home. One southern officer, Lieutenant Edward Alexander of Georgia, did not leave the US Army at once when his state left the Union. Instead, he planned to stay in the army for another two months and then resign. One month into this two-month wait, he changed his mind and resigned immediately. Explain his actions -- both the wait and changing his mind. | ||
| Lynne (Lynne)
New member Username: Lynne Post Number: 3983 Registered: 12-2000 |
Anything to do with his pay? Pension rights? A bet? Something his wife had made him promise to do? His political leanings? Did he ancestors from northern states? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1312 Registered: 5-2003 |
Anything to do with his pay? A little. Pension rights? No. A bet? No. Something his wife had made him promise to do? No. His political leanings? No. Did he ancestors from northern states? No. | ||
| Lynne (Lynne)
New member Username: Lynne Post Number: 3989 Registered: 12-2000 |
Did he need to be where he was for a certain length of time before some pay rise would come into force? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1313 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did he need to be where he was for a certain length of time before some pay rise would come into force? No. | ||
| Lynne (Lynne)
New member Username: Lynne Post Number: 3990 Registered: 12-2000 |
Did his money go further where he was? Would he have a lot of payments to make if he moved back home? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1314 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did his money go further where he was? Would he have a lot of payments to make if he moved back home? No to both. | ||
| Lynne (Lynne)
New member Username: Lynne Post Number: 3992 Registered: 12-2000 |
Was the length of his service relevant? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1315 Registered: 5-2003 |
Was the length of his service relevant? No. | ||
| Lynne (Lynne)
New member Username: Lynne Post Number: 3993 Registered: 12-2000 |
Anything to do with his senior officers? Men who were lower in rank than him? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1316 Registered: 5-2003 |
No to both. | ||
| Alhucema (Alhucema)
New member Username: Alhucema Post Number: 771 Registered: 11-2008 |
Did something happen in the two-month period which made him change his mind? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 481 Registered: 10-2008 |
Did it have anything to do with public perception of him in his home town? Lines of communication between the north and south? Lines of travel? Was he waiting for something that he thought would take two months? But it took one? Was there something that would only be happening/effective for a short time, and it occured/went into effect after one month? Was there a particular reason he had to leave immediately after one month, and couldn't wait two? Or was he just eager to go home? Did he fear he wouldn't be paid at all if he left? | ||
| Dropofahat (Dropofahat)
New member Username: Dropofahat Post Number: 298 Registered: 8-2009 |
Is is family (if he has one) relevant? Is the birth of a child relevant? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1318 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did something happen in the two-month period which made him change his mind? Yes. Did it have anything to do with public perception of him in his home town? No. Lines of communication between the north and south? No. Lines of travel? Yesish. Is is family (if he has one) relevant? Is the birth of a child relevant? No to both. Was he waiting for something that he thought would take two months? Yes. But it took one? No. Was there something that would only be happening/effective for a short time, and it occured/went into effect after one month? No. Was there a particular reason he had to leave immediately after one month, and couldn't wait two? Yes. Or was he just eager to go home? Yes. Did he fear he wouldn't be paid at all if he left? No. | ||
| Alhucema (Alhucema)
New member Username: Alhucema Post Number: 778 Registered: 11-2008 |
Did the something which caused him to change his mind happen - in his home? In the political environment? In his body? (eg was he injured or something along this line?) | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1319 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did the something which caused him to change his mind happen - in his home? In the political environment? In his body? (eg was he injured or something along this line?) No to all. | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 494 Registered: 10-2008 |
Would something (possibly) prevent him from returning home in 2 months? Did he realize that he was waiting for something that had already happened? Or for something that would never happen? Is American citizenship relevant? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1329 Registered: 5-2003 |
Would something (possibly) prevent him from returning home in 2 months? Yes. Did he realize that he was waiting for something that had already happened? No. Or for something that would never happen? Yes. Is American citizenship relevant? No. | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 499 Registered: 10-2008 |
Did he think the southern states would return to the Union within two months? Or that the war would be over? Was he staying because he anticipated some advantage? Some reward? Because he feared for his safety if he left? Did he think that if he stayed, he somehow wouldn't have to fight for the south? Or conversely, did he think he'd be guaranteed high rank in the Confederate army? Was he trying to become a spy? Was he a spy? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1352 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did he think the southern states would return to the Union within two months? No. Or that the war would be over? No. Was he staying because he anticipated some advantage? Yes. Some reward? No. Because he feared for his safety if he left? No. Did he think that if he stayed, he somehow wouldn't have to fight for the south? No. Or conversely, did he think he'd be guaranteed high rank in the Confederate army? No. Was he trying to become a spy? No. Was he a spy? No. | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 506 Registered: 10-2008 |
Did his initial decision to stay have anything to do directly with Georgia' secession? With iminent war? Did his later decision to go home early have anything to do directly with secesion? With the war? Was he waiting for a person to do something? For an organization to do something? For the US army to do something? For the Confederacy to do something? Is his service before Georgia's secession relevant? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1364 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did his initial decision to stay have anything to do directly with Georgia' secession? No. With iminent war? Yes. Did his later decision to go home early have anything to do directly with secesion? No. With the war? Yesish. Was he waiting for a person to do something? No. For an organization to do something? Yes, see next question. For the US army to do something? Yes. For the Confederacy to do something? No. Is his service before Georgia's secession relevant? Yes. | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 510 Registered: 10-2008 |
Was he waiting for an award? Waiting for retirement? Was the factor that caused him to leave after one month the beginning of the war? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1369 Registered: 5-2003 |
Was he waiting for an award? No. Waiting for retirement? No, but you're vaguely OTRT. Was the factor that caused him to leave after one month the beginning of the war? No. | ||
| Noel (Noel)
New member Username: Noel Post Number: 380 Registered: 7-2009 |
Is slavery relevant? Was he a slave? A freed man? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1371 Registered: 5-2003 |
Is slavery relevant? Was he a slave? A freed man? None of the above. | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 526 Registered: 10-2008 |
Was he waiting to be formally released from his current position? Is there anything about him specifically that made him wait when other officers left? Or could other officers have waited for this: they just didn't? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1376 Registered: 5-2003 |
Was he waiting to be formally released from his current position? Yope. Is there anything about him specifically that made him wait when other officers left? Yesish. Or could other officers have waited for this: they just didn't? Yes. | ||
| Markobr (Markobr)
New member Username: Markobr Post Number: 179 Registered: 5-2009 |
Did he expect his unit to be redeployed? To some place from where it would be easier or cheaper for him to get home? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1379 Registered: 5-2003 |
Did he expect his unit to be redeployed? Yes. To some place from where it would be easier or cheaper for him to get home? Yes. You're halfway to the solution. | ||
| Markobr (Markobr)
New member Username: Markobr Post Number: 187 Registered: 5-2009 |
"Halfway" means I found out why he didn't resign at once and we still have to find out why he resigned after one month? Did he get information during this month from which he could conclude the unit wouldn't be redeployed at all? Or redeployed to a place unsuitable for his plans? That the unit might be redeployed but he wouldn't be able/allowed to go with his unit? Oh, and one more question to the first part: Did he originally expect to get home easier by waiting? Cheaper? Both? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 1380 Registered: 5-2003 |
"Halfway" means I found out why he didn't resign at once and we still have to find out why he resigned after one month? Correct. Did he get information during this month from which he could conclude the unit wouldn't be redeployed at all? No. Or redeployed to a place unsuitable for his plans? No. That the unit might be redeployed but he wouldn't be able/allowed to go with his unit? Yes. Oh, and one more question to the first part: Did he originally expect to get home easier by waiting? Cheaper? This. Both? ************************** Spoiler *************************** When Georgia seceded, Alexander was assigned to Washington Territory on the Pacific Coast. To get home, he would have to sail to Panama and from there to the Confederacy -- an expensive journey for a mere lieutenant with a family. However, he knew his unit would be deployed back East with the start of war. If he remained in the Army, he could return home at government expense. His unit was indeed redeployed. But when it arrived in California, Alexander was suddenly detached and assigned to Alcatraz Island. In the knowledge that the government would not now pay for his trip home, Alexander was forced to resign and pay for the trip himself. | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 555 Registered: 10-2008 |
Ah, great puzzle, and a good plan on his part. Too bad it didn't work out. |
