I vote for Braxton Bragg. If we're gonna indulge in what-ifs we might as well make it good.We talk a lot about Pemberton's inadequacies. What if Grant had been a Southern general in charge of Vicksburg, facing a Grant-like opponent? What do you think the Southern Grant would have done?
Better yet, Rosecrans or Buell.I vote for Braxton Bragg. If we're gonna indulge in what-ifs we might as well make it good.
Put Buell or Old Rosy in command of the federals and give Pemberton's force to Grant and Johnston's to McPherson. Now you have a fun what-if scenario.Who plays Grant?
Grant tells Forrest, disregard Davis and Bragg, say you never got the orders.Put Buell or Old Rosy in command of the federals and give Pemberton's force to Grant and Johnston's to McPherson. Now you have a fun what-if scenario.
Grant tells Forrest, disregard Davis and Bragg, say you never got the orders.
Well, Grant was besieged at Chattanooga by Bragg and look how that turned out!
I don't consider that a siege--the Federals had a line of retreat and the rebels never pushed the issue. I think it was more a case of two perplexed generals staring at each other, each wondering what to do, at least until Grant showed up.
I don't consider that a siege--the Federals had a line of retreat and the rebels never pushed the issue. I think it was more a case of two perplexed generals staring at each other, each wondering what to do, at least until Grant showed up.
Put Buell or Old Rosy in command of the federals and give Pemberton's force to Grant and Johnston's to McPherson. Now you have a fun what-if scenario.
Yeah. Johnston may have just backed up across the river and then backed up all the way to Texas.or just switch Pemberton and Johnston. I believe Pemberton would have been a better Johnston, because he could have supported Davis' wishes by supporting Johnston. But not sure what Johnston would have done - he might have found a way to escape without asking for help.
Not to be argumentative, but out of the last three sieges mentioned in this forum (Yorktown, Chatanooga and Vicksburg), you disagreed with historians that the first two were sieges, and you disagreed with historians as to when Vicksburg became a siege. ..
And there is your commander in chief, Jeff Davis.Who knows. No matter how good a general you are, when you have an enemy navy controlling the river at your back, and an enemy army encircling you in your front, options for doing much at all would seem rather slim.