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Internal strife centers around Confederate Gen. Bragg
Published: January 19, 2013
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESSBraxton Bragg was disliked and distrusted by many of his subordinate generals.
By TIM ISBELL — [email protected]
The new year of 1863 had barely started and President Jefferson Davis already had a brewing crisis in Tennessee. Gen. Braxton Bragg was seemingly at war with his subordinates more than with the Union army. This internal war had gone so far that Davis ordered Gen. Joseph E. Johnston to inspect the Confederate Army of Tennessee and see if Bragg should remain in command.
Davis had given Bragg command of the Army of Tennessee after Albert Sidney Johnston's death at Shiloh and P.G.T. Beauregard's removal due to health reasons. Bragg was known as a strict adherer to rules and regulations.
Ulysses S. Grant told a story of Bragg during the Mexican War. Bragg was serving as company commander and company quartermaster. As company commander, Bragg made a request upon the company quartermaster for an item.
As company quartermaster, Bragg turned down the company commander's request. This continued with written requests and denials sent. Finally, Bragg asked the post commander to settle Bragg's dispute with himself. The commander was incredulous, saying, "My God, Mr. Bragg, you have quarreled with every officer in the army, and now you are quarreling with yourself."
After Shiloh, Bragg had fought battles at Perryville, Ky., and Stones River, Tenn. At each battle, Bragg chose to retreat even when some of his subordinates thought victory was at hand.
After Perryville, Dr. D.W. Yandell wrote, "General Bragg is either stark mad or utterly incompetent. He's ignorant of both the fundamental principles and details of his noble profession, and he has lost the confidence of both his men and his officers."
At Stones River, Bragg had won a tactical victory which turned into defeat when the Army of Tennessee retreated, ceding central Tennessee to the Union. Although some of his subordinates initially suggested this move, these and other generals now blamed Bragg for defeat at Stones River.
Bragg actually polled his generals for their opinions, offering to resign if they believed him wanting. Despite their lack of support, Bragg did not resign.
Maj. Gen. William Hardee expressed a lack of confidence, and Leonidas Polk wrote Davis, asking him to put Johnston in command.
Brig. Gen. Franklin Cheatham vowed never to serve under Bragg. Brig. Gen. John C. Breckinridge considered challenging Bragg to a duel. Bragg responded, court-martialing one general for disobeying orders, accusing Cheatham of drunkenness during Stones River and calling Breckinridge an inept leader. Bragg confided to a friend that it might "be better for the President to send someone to relieve me."
Davis hoped Johnston would arrive in Tennessee and take command. Johnston hoped to return to command of the Army of Northern Virginia. The odds of that happening were small, as Robert E. Lee was firmly entrenched there.
After talking to Bragg's subordinates, Johnston surmised that discipline and morale in the army were high. Johnston refused any suggestion that he take command from Bragg. In March 1863, Davis ordered Johnston to take command. Johnston refused, stating Bragg's wife was ill and Johnston thought to remove him during her illness was inhumane. Later Johnston was ill and could not assume command.
Meanwhile Bragg's feud with his subordinates continued throughout the Tullahoma campaign, when he was outmaneuvered from Chattanooga, victorious at Chickamauga and suffered disastrous defeat at Missionary Ridge.
It would not be until Dec. 27, 1863, that Johnston would assume command. By then, the state of Tennessee would be lost to the Confederacy.
Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2013/01/19/4416330/internal-strife-centers-around.html#storylink=cpy
Published: January 19, 2013
0 Comments E-mail Print
Expired Image Removed
LIBRARY OF CONGRESSBraxton Bragg was disliked and distrusted by many of his subordinate generals.
By TIM ISBELL — [email protected]
The new year of 1863 had barely started and President Jefferson Davis already had a brewing crisis in Tennessee. Gen. Braxton Bragg was seemingly at war with his subordinates more than with the Union army. This internal war had gone so far that Davis ordered Gen. Joseph E. Johnston to inspect the Confederate Army of Tennessee and see if Bragg should remain in command.
Davis had given Bragg command of the Army of Tennessee after Albert Sidney Johnston's death at Shiloh and P.G.T. Beauregard's removal due to health reasons. Bragg was known as a strict adherer to rules and regulations.
Ulysses S. Grant told a story of Bragg during the Mexican War. Bragg was serving as company commander and company quartermaster. As company commander, Bragg made a request upon the company quartermaster for an item.
As company quartermaster, Bragg turned down the company commander's request. This continued with written requests and denials sent. Finally, Bragg asked the post commander to settle Bragg's dispute with himself. The commander was incredulous, saying, "My God, Mr. Bragg, you have quarreled with every officer in the army, and now you are quarreling with yourself."
After Shiloh, Bragg had fought battles at Perryville, Ky., and Stones River, Tenn. At each battle, Bragg chose to retreat even when some of his subordinates thought victory was at hand.
After Perryville, Dr. D.W. Yandell wrote, "General Bragg is either stark mad or utterly incompetent. He's ignorant of both the fundamental principles and details of his noble profession, and he has lost the confidence of both his men and his officers."
At Stones River, Bragg had won a tactical victory which turned into defeat when the Army of Tennessee retreated, ceding central Tennessee to the Union. Although some of his subordinates initially suggested this move, these and other generals now blamed Bragg for defeat at Stones River.
Bragg actually polled his generals for their opinions, offering to resign if they believed him wanting. Despite their lack of support, Bragg did not resign.
Maj. Gen. William Hardee expressed a lack of confidence, and Leonidas Polk wrote Davis, asking him to put Johnston in command.
Brig. Gen. Franklin Cheatham vowed never to serve under Bragg. Brig. Gen. John C. Breckinridge considered challenging Bragg to a duel. Bragg responded, court-martialing one general for disobeying orders, accusing Cheatham of drunkenness during Stones River and calling Breckinridge an inept leader. Bragg confided to a friend that it might "be better for the President to send someone to relieve me."
Davis hoped Johnston would arrive in Tennessee and take command. Johnston hoped to return to command of the Army of Northern Virginia. The odds of that happening were small, as Robert E. Lee was firmly entrenched there.
After talking to Bragg's subordinates, Johnston surmised that discipline and morale in the army were high. Johnston refused any suggestion that he take command from Bragg. In March 1863, Davis ordered Johnston to take command. Johnston refused, stating Bragg's wife was ill and Johnston thought to remove him during her illness was inhumane. Later Johnston was ill and could not assume command.
Meanwhile Bragg's feud with his subordinates continued throughout the Tullahoma campaign, when he was outmaneuvered from Chattanooga, victorious at Chickamauga and suffered disastrous defeat at Missionary Ridge.
It would not be until Dec. 27, 1863, that Johnston would assume command. By then, the state of Tennessee would be lost to the Confederacy.
Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2013/01/19/4416330/internal-strife-centers-around.html#storylink=cpy