Lee Killed at Chancellorsville......

[trice]

Originally Posted by 5fish

This is for you Ole.

I will take a stab at a list. It is a short you and most of the character are well know.

Gen. Sam Cooper, He was senior to even Gen. Lee...

Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard

Gen. J. E. Johnston

Gen. B. Bragg

Gen. J. Longstreet: My impression is when I read about the AoNV that "Old Pete" was consider number two man to Gen. Lee. Even thou Gen. Jackson was closer to Gen. Lee on a personal level.

Gen. K. Smith

If Lee had died at Chancellorsville instead of Jackson, I think Jackson would have been the popular choice by the people but politics would have trump his popularity. I think the most politically powerful general would have gotten the job..

Generals
Cooper: Definitely senior, but not likely to go into the field, IMHO. He was 65 in 1863, and had rarely left Washington during his service in the US Army before the Civil War (2nd Seminole War, 1841-42).

Beauregard: Would have wanted the command badly. Davis had reasonable reservations about putting him in such a field command, but might have decided to risk it. South Carolina might have raised an uproar about his leaving. IMHO, not likely to have been the Davis choice -- or a good field commander in the situation.

J. E. Johnston: He was recently appointed to command in the Dept. of the West (Dec. 1862) His health was still weak, recovering from the Seven Pines wound. Associated with Davis' political opponents. Due to the situation in the West, not a likely choice, IMHO.

Bragg: Senior enough, but under a cloud. This is the political uproar within the AoT after Murfreesboro, the Bragg against Polk-Hardee-etc. mess. Not likely, IMHO.

Lieutenant Generals
Longstreet: One day senior to Jackson. That was a deliberate decision by the Confederacy, since both were nominated on the same day. A likely choice.

E. Kirby Smith: Like Longstreet, one day senior to Jackson. Also a deliberate decision by the Confederacy, since both were nominated on the same day.

Several Lt. Generals were nominated on 10/10/1862: Longstreet, Smith, Jackson, Hardee, Holmes, Pemberton, and Polk. Only 2 were given rank dating from 10/9/1862 (Smith and Longstreet); the rest were given rank dating from 10/10/1862. This shows a deliberate heirarchy established by the Confederacy as of that point in time.

But at any time, the Confederacy could have promoted one of the Lt. Generals to General to solve the problem. They would later do this, for example, by promoting Hampton over the head of Joe Wheeler in 1865 when they transferred him down to the Carolinas to assist in opposing Sherman. So if they really want Jackson or one of the others, they can simply change his date of rank, or promote him to General to rank all the rest of the Lt. Generals. (Not that the others will be happy with that.)

Also factoring into this is the situation at Charleston, in Tennessee, and at Vicksburg.

Grant crossed the Mississippi April 29 and has Vicksburg under siege by May 18. This pretty much eliminates Pemberton (trapped in the city and suddenly not looking so good as a commander) and any subordinates. It also brings Johnston to Mississippi, charged with the relief effort, and so unavailable for Virginia without a replacement. If Johnston is going to Virginia, who will command in Mississippi? That question has to be answered in order to move Johnston back to the ANV.

Smith is also now pretty much cut off from the East by the Port Hudson and Vicksburg sieges. It will take a long time to move him, and you also have to replace him when you do (which probably means Holmes gets his spot). If anything, you might see Smith to Mississippi and Johnston to Virginia from out there, which would really mess up the attempt to relieve Vicksburg. Not likely, IMHO.

Beauregard had just defeated Admiral Du Pont's ironclad assault on Ft. Sumter, and Quincy had not yet started the attacks on Fort Wagner in early May of 1863. Beauregard would have lusted for the field command of the ANV, but SC political efforts might have pressured Richmond to keep him in Charleston. Davis himself had said the year before (after relieving Beauregard of his command for unauthorized absence): "If the whole world were to ask me to restore General Beauregard to the command which I have already given to General Bragg, I would refuse it." IMHO, Davis might have swallowed his bile and used Beauregard, but it would have taken a lot of public pressure to get it done.

Recalling Bragg causes problems as well. His command has just been weakened by the detachment of Stevenson's division to Mississippi, and Rosecrans is building up for the Tullahoma Campaign in late June. If Bragg goes to Virginia, that means either Polk or Hardee gets the AoT, probably Davis' old West Point roomie Polk. Somehow I can't see that one.

That pretty much narrows the choices to Jackson and Longstreet. With Longstreet justly famed from the recent Battle of Fredricksburg and Jackson the hero of the hour from Chancellorsville, it's hard to say who might be chosen. I think it might have been 50-50.

Tim

[5fish]

Trice,

A very enlightening post you have offered us.

I think Pres. Davis would want to put his mark on the AoNV and Pres. Davis would have pick the "Fighting Bishop" Polk... Roommates once..