Major General David B. Birney in the Civil War

Major General David B. Birney in the Civil War David Birney - Early Life Career: Born in Huntsville, AL on May 29, 1825, David Bell Birney was the son of James and Agatha Birney.   A Kentucky native, James Birney was a noted politician in Alabama and Kentucky and later a vocal abolitionist.   Moving back to Kentucky in 1833, David Birney received his early schooling there and in Cincinnati.   Due to his fathers politics, the family later moved to Michigan and Philadelphia.   To further his education, Birney elected to attend the Phillips Academy in Andover, MA.   Graduating in 1839, he initially pursued a future in business before electing to study law.   Returning to Philadelphia, Birney commenced practicing law there in 1856.   Finding success, he became friends with many of the citys leading citizens.   David Birney - The Civil War Begins: Possessing his fathers politics, Birney foresaw the coming of the Civil War and in 1860 began an intensive study of military subjects.   Though he lacked any formal training, he was able to parley this newly-acquired knowledge into a lieutenant colonels commission in the Pennsylvania militia. Following the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, Birney commenced working to raise a regiment of volunteers.   Successful, he became lieutenant colonel of the 23rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry later that month.   In August, after some service in the Shenandoah, the regiment was re-organized with Birney as colonel.    David Birney - Army of the Potomac: Assigned to Major General George B. McClellans Army of the Potomac, Birney and his regiment prepared for the 1862 campaign season.   Possessing extensive political connections, Birney received a promotion to brigadier general on February 17, 1862.   Leaving his regiment, he assumed command of a brigade in Brigadier General Philip Kearnys division in Major General Samuel Heintzelmans III Corps.   In this role, Birney traveled south that spring to take part in the Peninsula Campaign.   Performing solidly during the Union advance on Richmond, he was criticized by Heintzelman for failing to engage during the Battle of Seven Pines.   Given a hearing, he was defended by Kearny and it was determined that the failure was a misunderstanding of orders. Retaining his command, Birney saw extensive action during the Seven Days Battles in late June and early July.   During this time, he, and the rest of Kearnys division, was heavily engaged at Glendale and Malvern Hill.   With the failure of the campaign, III Corps received orders to return to Northern Virginia to support Major General John Popes Army of Virginia.   In this role, it took part in the Second Battle of Manassas in late August.   Tasked with assaulting Major General Thomas Stonewall Jacksons lines on August 29, Kearnys division took heavy losses.   Three days after the Union defeat, Birney returned to action at the Battle of Chantilly.   In the fighting, Kearny was killed and Birney ascended to lead the division.   Ordered to the Washington, DC defenses, the division did not take part in the Maryland Campaign or Battle of Antietam. David Birney - Division Commander:      Rejoining the Army of the Potomac later that fall, Birney and his men were engaged at the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13.   Serving in Brigadier General George Stonemans III Corps, he clashed with Major General George G. Meade  during the battle when the latter accused him of failing to support an attack.   Subsequent punishment was avoided when Stoneman praised Birneys performance in his official reports.   During the winter, command of III Corps passed to Major General Daniel Sickles.   Birney served under Sickles at the Battle of Chancellorsville in early May 1863 and performed well.   Heavily engaged during the fighting, his division suffered the highest casualties of any in the army.   For his efforts, Birney received a promotion to major general on May 20. Two months later, the bulk of his division arrived at the Battle of Gettysburg on the evening of July 1 with the remainder arriving the following morning.   Initially positioned at the south end of Cemetery Ridge with its left flank at the foot of Little Round Top, Birneys division moved forward that afternoon when Sickles advanced off the ridge.   Tasked with covering a line extending from Devils Den through the Wheatfield to the Peach Orchard, his troops were spread too thin.   Late in the afternoon, Confederate troops from Lieutenant General James Longstreets First Corps attacked and overwhelmed Birneys lines.   Falling back, Birney worked to re-form his shattered division while Meade, now leading the army, funneled reinforcements to the area.   With his division crippled, he played no further role in the battle. David Birney - Later Campaigns: As Sickles had been severely wounded in the fighting, Birney assumed command of III Corps until July 7 when Major General William H. French arrived.   That fall, Birney led his men during the Bristoe and Mine Run Campaigns.   In the spring of 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and Meade worked to reorganize the Army of the Potomac.   As III Corps had been badly damaged the previous year, it was disbanded.   This saw Birneys division transferred to Major General Winfield S. Hancocks II Corps.   In early May, Grant commenced his Overland Campaign and Birney quickly saw action at the Battle of the Wilderness.   A few weeks later, he was wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House but remained in his post and commanded his division at Cold Harbor  at the end of the month.       Moving south as the army advanced, Birney played a role in the Siege of Petersburg.   Taking part in II Corps operations during the siege, he led it during the Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road in June as Hancock was suffering the effects of a wound sustained the previous year.   When Hancock returned on June 27, Birney resumed command of his division.   Seeing promise in Birney, Grant assigned him to command X Corps in Major General Benjamin Butlers Army of the James on July 23.   Operating north of the James River, Birney led the successful assault on New Market Heights in late September.   Falling ill with malaria a short time later, he was ordered home to Philadelphia.   Birney died there on October 18, 1864, and his remains were interred in the citys Woodlands Cemetery. Selected Sources David Birney - III CorpsLest We Forget: David BirneyFind A Grave: David Birney

Crisis in Kosovo essays

Crisis in Kosovo essays The tension in Kosovo has existed for centuries, dating back as far as 1389 when Serbs lost an epic battle to the Ottoman Turks in Kosovo. Not until 1912, more than 500 years later did the Serbs regain control when Kosovo became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. With the conclusion of World War II, as an absolute monarchy under the name Yugoslavia, the country became a communist republic. Autonomy was granted to Kosovo in 1974 in a revised constitution. Kosovo, although a Serbian province, was largely occupied by ethnic Albanians who established Albanian-language schools and institutions. In 1987, Slobodan Milosevic rose to power in Yugoslavia, riding the wave of Serbian nationalism with his promises of a Greater Serbia. Escalating tensions between the Serbs and the ethnic Albanians and the fear of secession prompted Milosevic to strip Kosovo, though 90 percent Albanian, of its autonomy and army troops and police were deployed in battle strength to maintain order. Kosovos Albanian majority voted in 1992 to secede from Yugoslavia, voicing a desire to merge with Albania. President Bush warned Serbs that the United States would use force if the Serbs attacked Kosovo. In 1997, The Kosovo Liberation Army began killing Serb policemen and others supporters of the Serbs. The conflict turned into a guerilla war after Milosevic sent troops into the areas controlled by the Kosovo Liberation Army and killed 80 Kosovars. Shortly after, talks were held for the first time advocating a peaceful path to independence for Kosovo, but the Albanian side boycotted further meetings. Later, the United Nations Security Council called for an immediate cease-fire and political negotiations, but with little support from either side. NATO allies then authorized airstrikes against Serb military targets, but were not prompted to take action because Milose...

The Action Series Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Action Series - Essay Example Further, this essay will zone in on the similarities and the differences between the themes and ideological presentation in the action series. In essence, The Transporter is a sequential action series created by Luc Besson and Robert Kamen Mark that stars Jason Statham. The initial concept behind the film is French, but also has elements of Canadian influence. Ideally, the film revolves around Frank Martin who is a courier driver with expert freelancing style (Griep and Marjorie 40). Frank Martin is a driver who does not ask questions about the package for delivery, will deliver anything and anywhere as long as the price is good meaning that Frank follows all the rules to the latter. Moreover, Frank is a mercenary with excellent driving skills, combat experience and great survival skills (Ebert 70). Frank also sets few ground rules that include the client should not change the deal, no name exchange, not to make promises that are hard to keep, and never to open the package in questio n. Frank also adheres strictly to the time schedule set by the client. Plot difference for the series The transporter is a four part action series that began in 2002 with 2013 playing host to the launch of fourth part of the series. The plot summary for the initial part of the series involves Frank transporting a package for an American gangster when he notices an anomaly as he was changing a flat tire (Gross 38). He notices movement in the package, but refuses to open the package as per rule number three. His curiosity makes him to break his rules where he opens the package to find a gagged woman (Minai and Yaneer 44). However, Frank sticks to the initial plan and delvers the package as required by the American gangster that asks him to deliver a briefcase. Frank is adamant to make the delivery, but instead takes the briefcase that becomes a bomb that destroys his customized car (Kiley 69). Furious, Frank returns to the gangster to seek revenge for the loss of his car, where he cau ses a commotion and makes away with one of the cars belonging to the gangster (Segal 47). Unfortunately, it turns that the gagged woman he was transporting initially was in his getaway vehicle. He feels that it is a safer hideout in his house (Griep and Marjorie 58). Meanwhile, Tarconi a local French law enforcer arrives at Frank’s residence as he had been trailing him due to his suspicions of Frank’s criminal involvement. Therefore, the plot captures a story of illegal shipping of Chinese natives by the American with intent of recruiting them in to modern day slavery (Ebert 78). In the second part of the series, Frank seeks employment as a chauffeur for a USA top brass official in Miami after quitting illegal transportation of packages in France. The transporter (2005) shows Frank going into legitimate chauffeuring as a favor to a friend with his reason being reformation. He chauffeurs Jack Billings where his job involves him taking the child to school and to any plac e that the child would want (Kiley 80). Ironically, Jack and Frank grow fond of each other to an extent that Frank feels an attachment to the boy. However, when unknown individuals kidnap the boy, Fyrank becomes the immediate suspect to the crime. He fights to bring the boy safely to his family despite the father having trust issues. The risks involved in the recovery include a virus that the kidnappers intend to unleash in order to destroy