If you had the power

[richard]

If in the spring of 1863, you had been given the power to change the command structure of the Confederate forces, what you have done. Would the changes you would have made been already too late, or do you think that it could have changed the course of the war?

[gary]

After Chancellorsville, using the advantage of interior lines, I'd shift forces east to help Johnston relieve Vicksburg and drive Grant north. I'd stop at least 20k men from deserting by shooting Bragg. After Vicksburg, a drive south to relieve Port Hudson and drive away Banks and then onto retaking New Orleans.

[samgrant]

Originally Posted by gary

After Chancellorsville, using the advantage of interior lines, I'd shift forces east to help Johnston relieve Vicksburg and drive Grant north. I'd stop at least 20k men from deserting by shooting Bragg. After Vicksburg, a drive south to relieve Port Hudson and drive away Banks and then onto retaking New Orleans.

Gary, I'll somewhat agree with your solution to the Bragg problem, but since he was apparently bomb-proof, might he also have been bullet-proof?

On relieving Vicksburg, I'd guess you have the advantage of hindsight. It is my impression that the the Confederate high command (read Davis), as late as late April of 1863, still considered Vicksburg as impregnable.
After all, Grant had tried at least four projects to get to Vicksburg, and each was unsuccessful. One cannot fault J.D. for not worrying much about Vicksburg, but he was apparently unknowing of the determination of that general Grant.
It wasn't apparent even to Pemberton till early in May that something new was afoot with Grant.

Then again how would those 20k get to Vicksburg in time? Chancellorsville ended on May 6(?). Grant started crossing the Mississippi on April 30, and Grierson had cut the railroad to Jackson on April 25.

Perhaps you are suggesting that these 20k, had they arrived, would have been enough to add to Johnston's troops to be able to lift the siege. I doubt that would have been successful. I think Grant had things well in hand.

On May 24th, Grant wrote to Halleck: "I hear a great deal of the enemy bringing a large force from the east to effect a raising of the siege. They may attempt something of the kind, but I do not see how they can do it." The next day he continued: "I can manage the force in Vicksburg and an attack force on the rear of 30,000, but may have more to contend against."

[william42]

Gary, that's a well-thought out answer, and a good plan, but my question would be: Would Davis have allowed you to whack Bragg? And if you had done it without Davis' knowledge would your victories be enough to absolve you from punishment, after word got out that you had indeed whacked General Bragg? In other words, "Mr. President, first the bad news: Gary Yee capped General Bragg with a snipers rifle. Now the good news: He drove Grant north from Vicksburg, kicked General Banks in the butt, relieved Port Hudson, and recaptured New Orleans. So...are we mad at him or what? I mean...what should I tell the press, Mr. President?"

TW

[lrd89]

I like Gary's answer regarding Bragg, but I would just fire him and replace him with Longstreet.

[gary]

Ole Jeff wouldn't have any of his ginerals shot, even the bad 'uns. Bragg was actually quite capable as an administrator and would have been better as a chief of staff to an army commander. As a fighting general, well, he'd have to pack his bags.

Relieving Vicksburg would still have the same difficulties that Joe Johnston faced. If you could get the men there, you'd have to ensure that the food and munitions would continually flow to them to ensure some sort of relief effort. You'd have to worry about an alert Grant who would have used his advantage of the central position, pull men out of the siege and turn on the relief forces and drive them back (like Gaius Claudius Nero did with Hannibal when he stole a march and destroyed Hannibal's reinforcements led by his brother, Hasdrubal OR Caesar at Alesia in detaining the enemy on one front to destroy the relief army) before returning to Vicksburg. Or Grant would pull his men out, allow the relief column to reach Vicksburg and then hammer them in too. Grant was quite the strategan.

Nor could relief be merely from the direction of Jackson. It would also have to come from Arkansas and the same problems arise again (the relief expedition was too little and way too late).

Coordination of mutliple columns was something that was quite beyond the capability of the Confederacy (with no help to poor communications that could be intercepted).

[william42]

Coordination of mutliple columns was something that was quite beyond the capability of the Confederacy (with no help to poor communications that could be intercepted).

That's a subject that I've needed clarification on for a long time. I'm not a reenactor so I'm ignorant on a lot of manuever type movements. First, is this correct: Marching "in column" is when the unit, (army, corps,division) moves, say, down a road, and soldiers would be two abreast, or 3, or 4? And the unit is strung out for quite a distance behind the front rank of 4 abreast? ( Looking at a map, a column marching from south to north would be a vertical line? )

File: Moving by file. Is a file not also a column? Don't people line up behind one another in a file?

The Confederate charge at Franklin, I believe, started with 3 or so different "columns", moving from different points, heading north. Then at some point, they had to "fan out", so to speak, when coming closer to the enemy. What is that manuever? Is that moving into a "line" of battle whereby the soldiers spread out, east to west, in a northern movement?


"Cleburnes Division, along the eastern border of the Columbia Pike, came to within 400 paces of Conrads position, halted, and shifted from brigade column into two lines of battle. Then, with their bayoneted rifle muskets held at 'trail', (authors quotes) the long gray line suddenly lurched forward." "Conferacys Last Hurrah", Wiley Sword, p. 188-189

"...shifted from brigade column into two lines of battle."

That's the "fan out" part, is it not?

...their bayoneted rifle muskets held at "trail",..

I don't know what "trail" means.

Anybody who wants to jump in on this feel free. I enjoy reading about CW battles but have a hard time getting through the books because of my ignorance of manuevers. Steve Cone helped some with his animated "Hardees" link, but I still have questions. Thanks.

TW

[gary]

Darn, technical question. I was thinking of relief column (as in an entire army) and not columns of that army in movement. You'd want them to arrive at the same time so as join up to bring their full weight to bear and to keep them from being defeated independently before they can be joined.

[richard]

Gary, you came very close to describing the command structure when you said that J.D. would not have his generals shot. I really think that it is not who the commanders were but how they were used. Also the lack of developing younger men for field leadership. Some of the structure prevented Lee and others from using what they had to there advantage.

[gary]

BTW, trail arms means that you grip the rifle by the point of balance and carry it such that it the rifle (stock & barrel) are virtually parallel to the ground.