Who should have commanded...

[timewalker]

Originally Posted by OpnDownfall

As I have said in other threads, it would depend upon what Richmond wanted from the AoT. A make-do attempt to reinvigorate the war in the West or a planned campaign to save as many confederate lives for the inevitable post-war rebuilding of the south?
For the first Hood would be my choice. People let Hood's resulting failure blind them to the fact that Hood came closer to success than many assume. The AoT completely out maneuvered Schofield and was spared complete destruction at Spring Hill, only by luck. Schofield's command was the projected solid battle trained core of Thomas' army still assmebling in Nashville. If Schofield had been destroyed, there would have been no Franklin and the hard driving Hood would have been at Nashville before Thomas had completely assembled the rest of his army, minus Schofield.
If tacitly accepting inevitable defeat and keeping the army out of harms way until the war was over, then Johnston should have been retained or some other mild mannered unaggressive general; Hardee, possibly?

Hood also came close in the battles before Atlanta. He found McPherson's flank open and only Dodge's timely arrival saved McPherson from having his flank rolled up and Sherman's army driven back. Then he would have been remembered as the savior of Atlanta.

[Dred]

Originally Posted by EricJacobson

Oh I forgot Forrest. NEVER. He was a cavalry commander. Would anyone suggest putting Jeb Stuart in command of the Army of Northern Virginia?

well... He didn't do so ba when Jackson was shot and he took over his unit. an entire army tho? Maybe not so much. And I didn't think Forrest was much accustomed to military protocol was he?

I haven't voted yet... I need to think about this one a bit.

[Baggage Handler #2]

Why not.... Longstreet.

Grant's holed up south of Richmond.

Pete's pretty good - nobody really hates him, and he darned near had Rosie for lunch one day, maybe he gets lucky again.

Problem is I don't think JD sees it as a matter of holding Atlanta until late October (yes the election is in November, but you have to hold it at least until October for a shot at a peace), so he isn't going to be content with having two Union armies chewing up greenbacks behind dug out positions - he wants to roll the dice and come up with something glorious.

He picks Hood. For JD, I think, this is perfectly logical.

In hindsight it appears to be little more than murder, but that's the value of hindsight.

[whitworth]

who could have logistically defended the western Confederate states, adequately from the U.S., over time.

No Confederate general could offset the power of Union logistics in the west, with steamboats a very important aspect.

Even R.E. Lee couldn't protect western Virginia from the steamboat logistics the Union had on the Ohio River and the Kanawha River. The B&O railroad in the northern part of Virginia was controlled mainly by the U.S., except for raids by Confederate troops.
There were some secessionist fools in Virginia in 1861, who thought General Lee could defend Wheeling, Virginia. Fools with no grasp of logistics.

[Nico_Davout]

Strangely unrealistic pool, except Hood and Hardee none of these generals could be next AoT commander because of rank and post they were occuping on 17th July 1864.

I`d vote for 'Old Bory', but since he is not here I choose Hood. Peachtree Creek & Atlanta were able planned. In his second battle he tried to do too much with too little, but what else he could do? Stay and let Sherman flank him or withdraw like Johnston aka I`ll retreat instead (because I have no idea what to do).

[DHPatrick]

I went with Johnston, but Forrest would have been a close second.