Joe Johnston

[whitworth]

played the hand of the army, outnumbered and out supplied.

He wouldn't destroy his army; couldn't destroy the enemy.

[gary]

Mary Boyd Chestnut recorded an interesting observation on Uncle Joe. She had guests who went hunting with Joe. Joe enjoyed a reputation for being an excellent marksman but would not risk a shot if he thought it would ruin his reputation. Applied to him as a field commander, he would not risk a battle unless absolutely assured of success. Joe would fight, but only if he was entirely confident of the outcome. Sounds a lot like Montgomery of WW II fame (who claimed never to have lost a battle but called Operation Goodwood a distraction that allowed Patton's Operation Cobra to succeed and also Market Garden which was supposed to capture Antwerp and gain that valuable port to shorten the Allies' supply line but got whipped real bad).

[larry_cockerham]

Seems to me there's something to be said for a man playing reality civil war and returning home under his own steam and in an upright position? Joe Johnston could make that claim.

[ole]

Enough! Tired of picking on JEJ. He was a decent and caring man and would have made a superb peacetime general officer, happily shuffling papers and rotating units in a timely manner. And monitoring their supplies and morale.

ole

[larry_cockerham]

I've never noticed any particular criticism of Joe when it came to his last battle at Bentonville? The AOT put up a helluva fight while it lasted. He was still out there pitching after Lee had folded his tent.

[ole]

He had some sand. And?

ole