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Beauregard began moving the troops from Bermuda Hundred to Petersburg because he suspected that the AOTP was moving to attack Petersburg...something he was proved right in assuming.
When he stripped the total force that was actually at Bermuda Hundred Lee's army was already on the way to reinforce him...which, correct me if I am wrong, would have put Lee's Army in the way of Benjamin Butler's one if he were to try and advance towards Richmond.
So I would actually say that Beauregard was not Lucky in this instance but correctly anticipated the Union movements and put his army in the way, preventing the Union from capturing an important point of the Richmond defences.
Besides which I dont think that Luck is a undesirable atribute as far as generals goes.
He left his entrenched position before Lee's men arrived and was lucky the union forced trapped on the Bermuda Hundred did not know the entrenchments were abandoned in front of them. Plus Butler was completely clueless to his job, duty and position.
At Petersburg many people feel were his better moments but in truth the AoP spirit was broken by the time it reach Petersburg. Union soldiers were not going to charge entrench positions, not after their Overland campaign nightmare fresh in their minds. Every time, they run into some dug in Confederates. They stopped too and would not go any further.
Butler's troops were the Army of the James and did not participate in Grant's Overland Campaig. It's failure was almost entirely due to the invincible incompetence of Gen. Butler.
Butler's troops were the Army of the James and did not participate in Grant's Overland Campaig. It's failure was almost entirely due to the invincible incompetence of Gen. Butler.
I know Butler AoJ was at Bermuda Hundred but when Hancock arrived at Petersburg his men were not going to charge at entrench position with any zest like they had earlier in the Overland campaign.
Even AoJ had their run ins with entrench troops and knew it was not wise. By this time in the war both sides were figuring it out charging entrench position was sending men to their doom.
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"States Rights are about States Wrongs" - Jesse Jackson
I found a little time to take a peak at PGT Baeuregard CW legacy and didn't find much.
I will admit. The years before the CW and the years following the CW, he was avery accomplished man. I would be impress but when you get to the CW years he falls short.
I can argue he lost the Battle of Shiloh. He called the attack off prematurely giving Grant time and a chance to counter attack. Grant did and chased him all the way to Corinth.
Not only can I argue he lost at Shiloh but he did loss Corinth, MS. and started the downward spiral of the confederacy in the west. He made Grant look good in the papers but the saddest thing, he was replaced by Bragg, that must be embarrassing.
I would admit I would take PGT over Bragg any day. What a offal choices to have PGT. or Bragg?
I may have to relook at Petersburg again?
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"States Rights are about States Wrongs" - Jesse Jackson
I was looking up Beauregard on google and I came across this site: http://blueandgraytrail.com/event/P._G._T._Beauregard which goes into a bit more detail than the average short biography of Beauregard does. It was an interesting read.
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"I would rather be a private in Virginia's army than a general in any army that was going to coerce her." - General JEB Stuart CSA
Not only can I argue he lost at Shiloh but he did loss Corinth, MS. and started the downward spiral of the confederacy in the west. He made Grant look good in the papers but the saddest thing, he was replaced by Bragg, that must be embarrassing.
Problem with Bearegard at Shiloh is that he claims victory a little bit too early. Confederates get the jump on Grant there, Buell's timely arrival does save the day for the boys in blue. As usual with Confederate successes/defeats on the battlefield, you can ask 'What if they had one more division?' - the South always seems to be a dollar short, but they are a dollar short from the get go
I can argue he lost the Battle of Shiloh. He called the attack off prematurely giving Grant time and a chance to counter attack. Grant did and chased him all the way to Corinth.
That's once. You really can't depict a man's career for one possibly unfortunate decision. And Halleck chased him out of Corinth. At 3:1 odds, you didn't really expect him to hang around in Corinth did you?
Beau wasn't that bad, but such is the meat of of this board, isn't it?
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Problem with Bearegard at Shiloh is that he claims victory a little bit too early.
He may have had good reason to believe that he had Grant bottled up against the Tennessee. In the morning, he could find his troops and resume the assault. Problem is, he didn't seem to have the drive to play it to the end. He waited for tomorrow.
Given that there was not much more he could do that night on the offensive, but you can bet your behind that Grant's and Buell's boys didn't sleep much that night. And there's the difference: get ready for tomorrow tonight.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
This is just a wikipedia pull, but I've read it in Foote, et al....the problem with these attacks is that they cause as much disorganization in the attackers as they do in the defenders. You read similar stories of Jackson's flank attack at Chancelorsville, as much as he tries to keep the momentum, the night and disorganization do keep him from the ford.....
The Union flanks were being pushed back, but not decisively....Just after the death of Johnston, Breckinridge, whose corps had been in reserve, attacked on the extreme left of the Union line, driving off the understrength brigade of Colonel David Stuart and potentially opening a path into the Union rear area and the Tennessee River. However, they paused to regroup and recover from exhaustion and disorganization, and then chose to follow the sound of the guns toward the Hornet's Nest, (such is the fortune's of war).... A final Confederate charge of two brigades, led by Brig. Gen. Withers, attempted to break through the line but was repulsed. Beauregard called off a second attempt after 6 p.m., with the sun setting (at this point the attack is spent). The Confederate plan had failed; they had pushed Grant east to a defensible position on the river, not forced him west into the swamps.
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