Joshism
Captain
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2012
- Location
- Jupiter, FL
I just recently finished reading "Darkest Days of the War" by Peter Cozzens which covers the events in western Tennessee and northern Mississippi after Halleck captured Corinth. The main focus of the book are the battles of Iuka and Second Corinth.
After Van Dorn's battered army retreated from Corinth, there was a failed attempt to trap it north of the Hatchie River, including the Battle of Davis Bridge. Van Dorn escaped via another route, but Rosecrans continued his tardy pursuit anyway until ordered by Grant to break it off. Rosecrans vehemently disagreed with this decision. "If Grant had not stopped us, we could have gone to Vicksburg." (See pages 301-304 in "DDotW" for more details.)
What do you think? Could Rosecrans, with reinforcements from Grant, have pressed on to Vicksburg in October 1862? Would he have been forced to retreat for logistical reasons, much like he was in December? Did he have enough men for such a campaign? (Ever since Buell had moved east, Grant's army had been spread between the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers to block any Confederate attacks into western Tennessee.)
After Van Dorn's battered army retreated from Corinth, there was a failed attempt to trap it north of the Hatchie River, including the Battle of Davis Bridge. Van Dorn escaped via another route, but Rosecrans continued his tardy pursuit anyway until ordered by Grant to break it off. Rosecrans vehemently disagreed with this decision. "If Grant had not stopped us, we could have gone to Vicksburg." (See pages 301-304 in "DDotW" for more details.)
What do you think? Could Rosecrans, with reinforcements from Grant, have pressed on to Vicksburg in October 1862? Would he have been forced to retreat for logistical reasons, much like he was in December? Did he have enough men for such a campaign? (Ever since Buell had moved east, Grant's army had been spread between the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers to block any Confederate attacks into western Tennessee.)