Civil War History - The South & Western TheatersCheck this forum for all South and Western Theater Questions. Included are the Western, Pacific, Trans-Mississippi, & Lower Seaboard and Gulf Approach Theaters.
General Bragg is a sticky subject. Much has been written toward his defamation. There is no question that he cast a spell over the AoT that would last till war's end and infect the entire chain of command in that army.
As an over all leader of men, it is apparent to me that Bragg had an identity crisis. Literally - an inner battle with himself. Paranoid fears, led to him eventually asking subordinate's personal opinions of him - only to attempt a scourge of those who openly confessed a disapproval in Bragg's conduct on the field of battle.
Just Look at his actual conduct in planning and success in the first half or first day of all of his major engagements. Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga - although all three were successful in the first phase, he would fail to follow up the success in the day or days following. Literally all that was gained at Chickamauga was effectually lost by allowing the Federals to withdraw to the fortifications of Chattanooga.
His initial actions appear to have been well conceived and conducted generally well at his level, but this "fear factor" that he personnally suffered allowed him to doubt himself and perhaps the true abilities of his army. We know how he felt about Tennesseans at the beginning of the war - distrust.
This dictator sort of generalship that he conducted allowed little initiative - unlike General Lee in the east. Initiative would rarely be taken by a subordinate commander in the AoT unless it would unquestionably lead to success - an attitude that unquestionably squandered many great opportunities for success... even after his removal as the army commander and till the end of the war.
As a fan of the western theater I have read much on Braxton Bragg.
Bragg won only one battle during his entire ACW career and I attribute that victory more to Longstreet's leadership than anything Bragg did. He was so disconnected with the front line that he didn't even realize he had won. Once he did understand he had gained a victory he launched another a purge of his officer corps rather than pursuing a defeated foe.
Bragg could develop sound battle plans but he could never gain the final victory. He could win the initial fight but always failed to close the deal. He reminds me of the football team that can last three quarters but then loses it in the last quarter.
He failed to gain the loyalty of his officers and men with his martinet attitude and poor judgment. Bragg was always more concerned about fighting against his own generals rather than the enemy. I think it's significant that people like DH Hill and Longstreet could be newcomers to the AOT but immediately develop an intense dislike of Bragg.
Even after becoming military advisor to Davis he still let his personal prejudices cloud his judgment when he did everything he could to get Hood promoted to army command.
He obviously had identity issues and lacked confidence when he decided to send a circular to his generals asking their opinions about his recent actions.
People always give Hood a hard time for Franklin but no one ever mentions how Bragg slaughtered Breckenridge's men at Stones River.
His reorganization of the AOT during the middle of Chickamauga is a complete mess and this confusion led to a delay with Polk's attack on the 20th.
Bragg gave everyone a preview of his subsequent actions as an army commander when he was a corps commander at Shiloh. He was disconnected with the front line, he lacked proper tactical judgment especially at the Hornets Nest, and he launched an irrational attack against Randal Gibson after the battle.
So was Braxton Bragg really that bad? Yes he was and Jeff Davis made it worse by sticking with him for so long.
Forrest said it best: "What does he bother fighting battles for?"
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Last edited by Admiral_Porter; 12-31-2005 at 02:34 AM.
I have read several similar versions of this Bragg story; this one adds a bit about his troops attempting to kill him, which is new to me:
"Bragg had a reputation for being a strict disciplinarian and one who adhered to regulations literally. There is a famous story about him as a lieutenant commanding a frontier post where he also served as quartermaster. He submitted a requisition for supplies, then as quartermaster declined to fill it. As company commander, he resubmitted the requisition, giving additional reasons for his requirements, but as the quartermaster he denied the request again. Realizing that he was at a personal impasse, he referred the matter to the post commandant, who exclaimed "My God, Mr. Bragg, you have quarreled with every officer in the army, and now you are quarreling with yourself!" It is alleged that some of his troops attempted to assassinate him on two occasions in August and September 1847, but he was not injured either time. In the more serious of the two incidents, one of his soldiers exploded a 12-pound artillery shell underneath his cot. Although the cot was destroyed, somehow Bragg himself emerged without a scratch."
Even the West Point graduates were like fish out of water. None were specifically trained to handle a unit as large as a corps in the then modern combat of the time. Some succeeded, while others failed.
Their education at the military academy would only take them so far. Lee never had a course on the military use of railroads, as he graduated just as the first railroads were getting built.
ALL the officers went through OJT. Some benefitted; some didn't.
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
For all of discussion about Bragg on the negative side, there still remains one question in my mind. If we look at what we now know and the condition of the western army, just who could have done better?
If we look at it in another direction, if we try to put ourself in that time and place, and knew only what was known at the time, Who would have been the best choice to lead the AOT?
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For all of discussion about Bragg on the negative side, there still remains one question in my mind. If we look at what we now know and the condition of the western army, just who could have done better?
It would be harder to find a general who could have done worse.
Quote:
If we look at it in another direction, if we try to put ourself in that time and place, and knew only what was known at the time, Who would have been the best choice to lead the AOT?
No one could know, as none were developed for command. Unlike the north, the pool of generals in the Western Confederacy kept getting smaller. In the spirit of the question, Taylor comes to mind.
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
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