I hope you didn't take me wrong Rap re: my comment about "glory." I certainly agree with you but I find so much history written around "stirring tales" that its easy to forget what was really happening.
Its obvious most on this thread are well read and can have reasonable discussions so let me throw in something else.
More than the battles, more than the leaders, more than the politics, and frankly more than anyting else, I am fascinated and in awe of the geography and logistics. Visiting the battlefields is one thing but analyzing the movements and terrain before, during, and after engagements is more inspiring than any stories of battlefield courage. Much has been built since and forests harvested but the lay of the land is still pretty much the same. I guess this thought probably comes to us all somewhere but for me it came driving along I24 in Tennessee. The land between Murfreesboro (Stone River) and Chattanooga is varied and rough. After you come off the plateau and cross Monteagle the mountainous terrain is formidable. I thought of Rosecrans bringing his men along behind the Confederates under Bragg in the late winter and early spring and becoming so bogged down they had to stop for months just to regroup. NOT from the prior battle but simply because of the effects of trying to move this army and losing wagons, men, horses, artillery, supplies, and food.
Rosecrans was cautious and often too cautious along with being erratic in battle but like "Little Mac" he put his men first and trained well. For this army to stop after starting speaks volumes about the terrain. When things did get going it was late and we all know the story of the Union disaster that was Chickamauga.
I think of the fabrics of the times and trying to dry wool blankets and clothing. Boots that didn't fit tromping through miles of mud so the wearer could ascend a steep and long, rocky, slope.......... I have to believe it was truly a different breed of man back then and just survivng the times of NO battles was praiseworthy......and a bit unbelievable.