ebooks The Riddle of Babi Yar: The True Story Told by a Survivor of the Mass Murders in Kiev; 1941-1943 by Ziama Trubakov in History

Description

As was the custom in the 19th century; foreign nations sent observers to other nations’ wars; where these observers could learn tactics; see the latest weaponry; and report back to their own country. General George B. McClellan was an observer of the Crimean War and saw the Siege of Sevestapol; which heavily influenced his tactics during the Civil War. The Confederacy had a few of them; most notably the British observer Arthur Fremantle; who witnessed Gettysburg. But Heros von Borcke had no intention of being an observer. Coming ashore in May 1862; the 6’4 “giant in gray” and his huge Solingen straight sword cut the ideal image for a cavalry officer; especially one under the swashbuckling J.E.B. Stuart’s command. Heros von Borcke had a colorful career in service of the Confederacy; coming into contact with famous soldiers like the “Gallant” John Pelham and J.E.B. Stuart himself; who admired the Prussian and eventually made him chief of staff. Von Borcke was also present at some of the war’s most noteworthy campaigns; including Stuart’s famous ride around McClellan’s army; the Battle of Fredericksburg; and the Battle of Yellow Tavern; where Stuart was mortally wounded. Von Borcke was nearly killed by a shot to the neck just before the Battle of Gettysburg; but he recovered to continue fighting in 1864 through the rest of the war. In 1876; von Borcke wrote these memoirs warmly recalling his Confederate comrades and descriptively telling the tale of the Civil War. When von Borcke died on May 10; 1895; 31 years to the date of the Battle of Yellow Tavern; it was due to complications from the grievous wound he suffered during the Battle of Middleburg in June 1863.