Talk:Ellen Spencer Mussey

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General, not Colonel

I disapprove of the recent edits by Donner60 (talk | contribs). According to the American University College of Law, Ellen Spencer Mussey's husband, Reuben D. Mussey, Jr., "led African American troops as a general in the Union army during the Civil War", not limited to the rank of Colonel. Bullmoosebell (talk) 05:38, 22 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I think it is clear from the Eicher book cited in the article and from the absence of Mussey's name from Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. ISBN 0-8071-0822-7 and other sources that he led the troops as a colonel, not a general. What is not clear is whether the Eichers are correct that Mussey's later appointment as a brevet brigadier general was not confirmed. Hunt and Brown do not appear to support the statement and in fact list Mussey as a brevet brigadier general. I have added a footnote concerning this conflict in sources as the only accurate way to try to reconcile this conflict in the sources. Donner60 (talk) 10:43, 24 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]