What Ten Union Individuals Were Most Detrimental to Ultimate Union Victory?

Great - now I have to learn something today which I was strenuously attempting to avoid...

(Fernando Wood - when I first read it my brain processed it as Fernwood 2 Night and I expected to see a picture of Martin Mull...)

Anyway, reading about this gent, did he want all of NY to secede or just NYC?
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Cheers,
USS ALASKA
He wanted New York City to be a “Free City” functioning independently of the USA and CSA. He also helped lay the groundwork for the 1863 Draft Riots and led opposition to the 13th Amendment in NY.
 
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In no particular order:

John Pope
Simon Cameron
Clement Valladingham
Benjamin Butler
Henry Halleck*
George B McClellan
The voters of Kentucky circa 1864 :giggle:

*I'd argue he lengthened the war in the West unnecessarily after Shiloh when he made snail like progress to Corinth.
 
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Henry Halleck, George Ripley was detrimental in some ways, General ___ Twiggs was a detriment early on with Texas, General Nathaniel Banks was a BIG detriment in 1864, I would say Clement Vallandigham was a detriment, but he was more of a distracting annoyance than anything. Also I think Fernando Wood was something more akin to an annoyance than a big problem for the War effort.

Here's one that'll cause controversy, and to me the biggest detriment, till he mostly got out of the way, Abe Lincoln.

Before anyone loses their mind, just here me out, and think about it, his constant meddling in the military's affairs probably did more harm than good, demanding an Army to move on the Confederacy before they were ready too, he would appoint political buddy's of his to senior generalships when they had no experience, he'd appoint political enemies to high up generalships to get them out of his way and they'd muck up everything as bad as his buddy's with general stars, he'd persuade the military to buy from companies he had connections too when they could be acquired elsewhere at better prices, he'd fire generals who may have decent otherwise after he placed them in an impossible positions they weren't good for, (Burnside had some merits, and knew he wasn't qualified for the senior command, Lincoln promoted him anyway), Lincoln would put political agendas ahead of military ones and the military would suffer as a result, and the list could on.

I think Lincoln redeemed himself to some extent after he promoted Grant and stayed the h**l out of the way, but the Union may have had a better chance of winning the War as early as 1862 if he had stayed out of the way. Hence why I consider Lincoln the biggest detriment to the Union war effort, he may have meant well, but he botched it royally time and again when he exercised his authority over the Army.
 
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I would add John C. Calhoun, who I also give the most credit for starting the war, by giving a living example of how to stab friends in the back and pretend the states don't need to pay attention to the feds. He was an early advocate of secession and author of the truly bizarre idea that slavery was good for the enslaved.
 
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He wanted New York City to be a “Free City” functioning independently of the USA and CSA.

Wow - that would have had an exciting and short life. And I can hear the Burghers of Philly, Balto, Boston and every other Union Atlantic port cheering him on.

Did he understand the...issues...that would have descended upon his 'Free City'? Very interesting...

Thanks for the input!
USS ALASKA
 
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General Nathaniel Banks was a BIG detriment in 1864

Sir, is this in reference to the Red River Campaign? In defense of Banks, didn't he have prior doubts as to the campaign's potential for success...


Yes. And in January 1864 he had his chief engineer write a report about what was needed to make a campaign against Shreveport work. This was forwarded to Halleck with no effect

...or are you referring to something else?
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Thanks,
USS ALASKA
 
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Sir, is this in reference to the Red River Campaign? In defense of Banks, didn't he have prior doubts as to the campaign's potential for success...

No sir, its a reference to him as a General period. His performance was always poor, even when he had a success, (Port Hudson probably could've been handled better), his failings in the Shenandoah alone should have gotten him the boot. On Red River, I'd say the idea had chances of big success, but Banks botched it royally, just as he usually botched things.

Wherever he was he was more of a waste and detriment than an asset in my eyes, even with apparent success, someone under him would have a chance to pull it off as well if not better than him. But that's me.
 
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He wanted New York City to be a “Free City” functioning independently of the USA and CSA. He also helped lay the groundwork for the 1863 Draft Riots and led opposition to the 13th Amendment in NY.

He wanted to secede with the Confederacy, if only he could figure out how to do it. New York's mayor gives us a very clear view of the Cotton Economy - he was all for it and understood how important it was to his City.

Everyone around here thinks only New Orleans revolved around cotton. Wrong, so did New York.
 
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