Civil War History - "What if..." DiscussionsWhat if they had attacked instead of digging in...? What if he was in charge of the army instead...? Did you ever have a "What if..." question, and you weren't sure where to post it? Here's the place to ask these speculative questions!
You have been ordered to the right to support a division on the right of the army that is outflanked.
The sun has set, but you are issued orders to march beyond the army's flank and lay your corps across a road to the north, "with your left extending down this way" so says your army commander.
Your men have been on the march all day and have covered nearly twenty miles with little food.
There is a little confusion in the march to the right, you are sent a guide to show you where the right of the outflanked division is, but otherwise - your men are making slow, but sure progress.
A lot of unknowns, Still trying to figure out which battle and which Army. As I understand it a Corps was around 10,000+ men. I would find out from my guide which direction to go and keep him with the main body of my corps. However I would send some some folks ahead in that direction ( probably a company ) of some of my best to see what was out there. Probably not for more than five hundred yards ahead and proceed slowly behind them to my position. Once in position I would set up pickets and if possible begin to feed the men and allow them to rest in some type of relay pattern with at least one third of my Corps on the ready at all times. There other things I would do, but after I figure out which army and which battle.
Following orders is paramount unless there is an extenuating circumstance.
In this case there was none. Lt. Gen. A. P. Stewart stated that he was uncertain as to General Hood's intent, so in the "confusion" he bivouaced his men and failed to complete his assigned task. That task being to advance beyond Cheatham's right and place his men across the Columbia Pike north of Spring Hill.
By 11 P. M. his men were soundly sleeping as the Federal army marched north to Franklin.
I'm not a West Pointer, but I am aware that when ordered to do something, its gonna happen unless something drastic happens. In the Marines the principles of leadership include Mission accomplishment and troop welfare, unfortuantely troop welfare after mission accomplishment.
Stewart's excuse for not sending his men across the pike was that they had marched all day and had not eaten. I understand that stinks - but he wasn't even facing an enemy threat!!!
Gunny I went to the same school you did, and I believe I said I would march my men and get them in position. and once in position then I would start taking care of troop welfare. If I understood your thread he was to put his men in position across the road. By getting them into position orders have been followed. Since it would be unwise to have all of your troops eating or sleeping at once, I decided to keep at best one third on line, one third eating and one third sleeping. Of course you follow your orders, I believe that has been the gist of my replys.
Looks like what they could have used is a couple of ole Marine Small Unit leaders in charge that night that night. My experience has been that just because they went to Acadamy doesn't make them good. While John Bell Hood may have made his share of mistakes, he sure didn;t get much help from some of his Generals IMHO.
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No. 2 - Same scenerio 
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