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.
Custersluck, I have one book written by a soldier in the west, called A Boys Service with the 76th Ohio written by Charles Wilson. The 76th is the regiment most of the boys from my hometown of Granville, Ohio joined during the war, so it holds a particular fascination to me. But the 76th was at many of the major engagements in the west: Shiloh, Vicksburg, the Atlanta Campaign, Sherman's March and so on. I found it very interesting. Also, you might be able to find some of Lt. Col. Richard Burts letters online. He was an officer in the regiment and wrote letters to a paper describing what it was like fighting. Hope that gives you a little fix on personal accounts!!!
__________________ "The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize." George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796
Ok, Bro...Im originally a Buckeye too...From Lakewood...Im still a huge Tribe fan...been in MI since the 4th grade...I will follow that up!...custersluck13
Yes, that was definitly brought up in the early stages of this post. I cant see how a young man, missing a arm and a leg...not to mention, he was failing in a very hard romance with a woman he loved, who didnt love him...I think he definitly needed some leave! Not command. But you know, we are arguing which is worse? Falling from a 3 story building or a 4? Neither was the man to win the CSA a vital theatre of operations.
Yes, that was definitly brought up in the early stages of this post. I cant see how a young man, missing a arm and a leg...not to mention, he was failing in a very hard romance with a woman he loved, who didnt love him...I think he definitly needed some leave! Not command. But you know, we are arguing which is worse? Falling from a 3 story building or a 4? Neither was the man to win the CSA a vital theatre of operations.
Sorry if I've replowed a field here didn't mean to.
Your right of course as to the 3rd or 4th floor metaphor perhaps a better question is who should have commanded the AoT. My money would be on Patrick Cleburne. Jusy sayin.
My money would be on Patrick Cleburne. Jusy sayin.
A great many northern and southern partisans name Cleburne as the better choice. However, it was not to be. Jeff Davis was the Union's lucky charm.
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
Yes, that was definitly brought up in the early stages of this post. I cant see how a young man, missing a arm and a leg...not to mention, he was failing in a very hard romance with a woman he loved, who didnt love him...I think he definitly needed some leave! Not command. But you know, we are arguing which is worse? Falling from a 3 story building or a 4? Neither was the man to win the CSA a vital theatre of operations.
You are missing one thing. R.E.Lee probably would not win with AoT in 1863 or 1864. The reason is simple, poor corps commanders - Polk and Hardee vs Jackson, Longstreet or even Early. Poor cavalry commander - Hardee vs Stuart or Hampton.
Bragg made mistakes, but his subordinates were not helping him. Polk was disobeying many times his orders and was commanding his corps very poorly. Polk and Hardee were undermining Bragg`s authoritet in the army which was not helping to build trust between all them. How many missed oportunities and disobeyed orders were just before Chickamauga when Bragg has managed to find isolated Union corps (dont remember who`s general was it). Bragg ordered to attack and what happens? Nothing. Same at Chickamauga with Polk. And yet this is all Bragg`s fault 'like always'.
With such lieutnants - which were best at talking how to remove Bragg - he could not do much.
I am not big fan of B.Bragg, but he wasnt that bad as it is generally written about him. With resources and subordinates he was given, he has done more then it could be expected IMO.
You know, I do understand your argument, BUT we have to remember that something about Bragg is contentious. Now, we can pick on his corps commanders all we want, but at least part of the performance of the Army of the TN is reflected in the dysfunctional relationships that arose between the individuals in command.
Its impossible to determine how Lee would've fared in the West, because the same relationship that developed between Lee and Jackson or Longstreet, et al. may not have developed with Polk, et al.
In sports, they refer to players whose mere presence somehow makes the players around him better ball players, to a certain extent I think the same is true of Lee; there is simply something intangible about his personality and leadership style that fits in well for the Army of Northern Virginia that somehow makes those around him better soldiers.
Bragg clearly lacked this quality and we can point fingers at Davis for not replacaing him, at Polk and Hardee for going over his head, but at the end of the day, the Army of the TN is in Bragg's hands and he is ultimately responsible for making the parts run smoothly.
Problem is that AoT was not in Bragg`s hand entirely. Both Polk and Hardee were mutinying their division commanders against Bragg. How can one work with such subordinates?
Hardee was gathering his fellow officers from his corps and was (I am missing the word, sorry for my English) 'talking bad' about their army commander. Where is his sense of duty?
Polk was simply disobeying orders from his superior (he was doing that even when ASJ was in command!) and when Bragg was trying to get rid of him Davis shielded Polk once and another.
For me, it is Polk who is to be blamed in the first place for many AoT failures.
R.E.Lee could give one word to T.Jackson and he knew what to do with enemy. Bragg could have sent a full order to Polk and he could simply disobey this order and yet it is said that this is 'all Bragg`s fault'. Some people are completely un-cooperative. General Polk was such person from the moment he has entered Columbus (KY) altough he was said not to do it.
__________________ Nico, Maréchal d'Empire
Last edited by Nico_Davout; 09-25-2007 at 07:09 PM.
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