Bragg Assassination attempt or practical joke on Bragg?

[Aussie Billy Sherman]

I've been reading recently William P. Snows book, "Lee and his Generals". In the chapter about Braxton Bragg, there's an interesting story about an apparent assassination attempt on bragg's life which occurred on March 26 1847, shortly after the battle of Buena vista.
At around 2am, an artillery shell near bragg's bed was set off on a slow fuse. Bragg was lucky to escape uninjured. Bragg thought he didn't have an enemy in the world and came up with the possibility that it was a practical joke in poor taste from someone who didn't know of the consequences of such an action.
Now what I'm wondering is, do people think this is a possible early example of what would be later known as fragging? Considering the reputation Bragg had of being such a strict disciplinarian and the trouble he had with subordinates during the war, I think that's certainly possible. Or was it really just a joke? I'd really love to find out who did it too. Reminds me a lot of the Armistead hitting Early over the head with a plate which could've been fatal. A shame really.

 

[brass napoleon]

Never heard of this incident before. I'd have to say that if it was a practical joke, the jokester was pretty darn stupid!

 

[War Horse]

Interesting, I tried to look it up and found many references to two assassination attempts. Most sites refer to them as rumor.

Braxton Bragg, a strict disciplinarian, followed policy and regulations to the letter. He later survived two assassination attempts on his life in 1847. In one, the attackers exploded a twelve-pound ball under his cot. Bragg, who was unscathed, never brought charges against anyone for the attacks.


http://www.ncscv.org/braxton-bragg

 

[Jackson Hornets]

Bragg wasn't exactly the most well-liked general during the ACW so I'd imagine his personality and his strict adherence to discipline wasn't entirely different a decade or so earlier. I would either say it was early fragging or an extremely dim-witted prank. My opinion it being the former.

 

[Chattahooch33]

Expired Image Removed

A little more grape, Captain Bragg!!!

 

[Saruman]

I've been reading recently William P. Snows book, "Lee and his Generals". In the chapter about Braxton Bragg, there's an interesting story about an apparent assassination attempt on bragg's life which occurred on March 26 1847, shortly after the battle of Buena vista.
At around 2am, an artillery shell near bragg's bed was set off on a slow fuse. Bragg was lucky to escape uninjured. Bragg thought he didn't have an enemy in the world and came up with the possibility that it was a practical joke in poor taste from someone who didn't know of the consequences of such an action.
Now what I'm wondering is, do people think this is a possible early example of what would be later known as fragging? Considering the reputation Bragg had of being such a strict disciplinarian and the trouble he had with subordinates during the war, I think that's certainly possible. Or was it really just a joke? I'd really love to find out who did it too. Reminds me a lot of the Armistead hitting Early over the head with a plate which could've been fatal. A shame really.

This is from S.J. Martin's biography of Bragg -

"The probable villain in both attempts to kill Bragg was one of his battery gunners, Samuel B. Church. He didn't resemble a murderer. Church looked more like Tom Sawyer. He was about five feet nine inches tall, had red hair and freckles, and was missing his two front teeth. An expatriate, Church was living as a desperado in Mexico when he joined the army. He proved to be a problem soldier, and spent most of his time under Bragg wearing a ball and chain in prison. He later deserted and went to California, where he was arrested as a horse thief. Just as the executioner was slipping a noose over his head, Church claimed he was the one who had attempted to kill Bragg because he was "too severe in his discipline."

 

[diane]

It's one of those stories that are repeated so often nobody really questions it! The only place I've been able to find a source is an author who credited The Southern Literary Messenger. This was a very popular fiction/non-fiction publication in Richmond, specializing in Southern culture. Thomas White was the original editor, although he passed away before the Mexican War. His assistant editor was Edgar Allan Poe.

A large number of these types of 'accepted' stories turn out not to hold up under scrutiny. There's at least two extremely well known episodes of one general's life that are in every bio of him written in the last 100 plus years...finally somebody checked it out. Both stories were totally bogus! But it served to promote a certain negative image. That might well be the case with Braxton Bragg. He was only a captain during the Mexican War, and not the strange critter he became a couple decades down the road.

I don't know what category Poe thought assassination of Bragg might belong! At any rate, I wouldn't be surprised. Much more relaxed commanders had problems just because the men were largely frontiersman. Rugged, independent, sometimes maybe even criminal. Certainly not used to following anybody's orders or military discipline. That was one of the biggest problems with the American troops in Mexico then. Bragg was never, at any time in his life, the type of guy you'd go have a beer with and his men didn't warm to him as Jefferson Davis' did to him. That was because the Davis brothers were already very well known in Mississippi and their men were from there. Bragg didn't have that advantage.

There was a rumor of a plot to kill Stonewall Jackson for being...well, Jackson. He was not the most lovable general Lee had and his troops were not the most disciplined. This was when the men were still deciding for themselves who would be their boss. Jeb Stuart had the same problem. The Virginians had elected a popular fellow who was lax on them, wanting their favor, and Stuart simply took over without a vote. He was tough, no mistake. That got 'em madder than hornets and he thought he might find a lit cannonball under his bed, too! However, in both cases, the men soon realized why Old Jack and Stuart were being hard-azz and that disciplined troops won battles. Both won the genuine love of their men.

 

[Reb]

fun·ny
ˈfənē/
adjective

1. 1.
   causing laughter or amusement; humorous.
   "a funny story about the bomb under General Bragg's cot prank"
   synonyms: amusing, humorous, witty, comic, comical, droll, facetious, jocular,jokey; More
2. 2.
   difficult to explain or understand; strange.
   "I get a funny feeling that the bomb under General Bragg's cot wasn't a joke".

 

[Rio Bravo]

What Bragg was still sleeping in a Cot in 1847 ?

 

[Rebforever]

I've been reading recently William P. Snows book, "Lee and his Generals". In the chapter about Braxton Bragg, there's an interesting story about an apparent assassination attempt on bragg's life which occurred on March 26 1847, shortly after the battle of Buena vista.
At around 2am, an artillery shell near bragg's bed was set off on a slow fuse. Bragg was lucky to escape uninjured. Bragg thought he didn't have an enemy in the world and came up with the possibility that it was a practical joke in poor taste from someone who didn't know of the consequences of such an action.
Now what I'm wondering is, do people think this is a possible early example of what would be later known as fragging? Considering the reputation Bragg had of being such a strict disciplinarian and the trouble he had with subordinates during the war, I think that's certainly possible. Or was it really just a joke? I'd really love to find out who did it too. Reminds me a lot of the Armistead hitting Early over the head with a plate which could've been fatal. A shame really.

I have read about that but I don't remember where. Been years. It may have been posted somewhere on the forum.
Don't think it was a blog. Didn't have such a thing back then.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Most sources say that there were even two attempts to assassinate Bragg, but not in March as stated in the OP, but in August and September 1847. While the September attempt is described as having been the more dramatic, this is what Bragg himself wrote about the earlier attempt:

Camp near Monterrey,
Aug. 26, 1847

An attempt was made about 2 a.m., night before last, to assassinate me in my bed. I have no clue to the perpetrator, and can suggest no reason for the act. My escape without injury, is regarded as almost miraculous. As exaggerated accounts will probably reach the press, the truth may interest you. A twelve pound shell, heavily charged, was placed within two feet of my bed, just outside my tent, and exploded by a slow match; the fragments literally riddling my tent and bedding, pieces passing above and below me, some through a blanket spread over me, and yet I was not touched. I was not aware that I had an enemy in the world, and at times, fell disposed to believe now, that I may have been intended as a practical joke, by some fool ignorant of the effect of shells thus exploded. Be that as it may, my escape was almost miraculous, and I prefer not repeating the joke."
[JKM]
http://www.history.vt.edu/MxAmWar/Newspapers/RW/RW1847fJulyDec.htm#aRWv24i82p2c3Bragg

 

[Rebel_Giratina]

He wasn't aware he had enemies at the time?



Boy, dumber than advertised.

 

[FarawayFriend]

He wasn't aware he had enemies at the time?



Boy, dumber than advertised.

I don't think he was really dumb. He probably was lacking imagination that not all people consider discipline the utmost important thing in life, something worth to get whipped for!

 

[diane]

He wasn't aware he had enemies at the time?



Boy, dumber than advertised.

He got over that big time later - got downright paranoid. But that didn't mean people weren't out to get him! The strangest thing about him was he could have solved a good many of these problems by simply talking to certain people and being open with them. I guess, if you are suspicious of all comers, you might consider they would be collecting ammunition rather than understanding. Bragg was actually not a bad general but he was certainly promoted beyond his capabilities, both professionally and personally.

 

[War Horse]

Not being a huge Bragg fan myself, I can't help say he was in fact a good military minded man who possessed strong discipline in himself and demanded it of others. These things are to his credit. The only thing he seemed to be missing was that certain something that draws people to you. That thing that well all say he/she has it and none of know what it really is.

It had to be extremely frustrating for the man. One little tweak may have been all it would have taken to make the difference.

 

[ole]

One thing I've read about Bragg is that he made brilliant plans but was unable to deal with situations wherein those plans, as all plans do, go south with the first shot.

And, I don't doubt that some of his people wouldn't mind very much if he were gone.

For example, Grant and Lee and Sherman adapted to a situation. Bragg could not.

 

[bama46]

IIRC, at Murfreesboro, Bragg led his men into a disastrous ambush and a young Lt requested of his commanding officer: "sir, permission to shoot Gen Bragg? the reply was NO

 

[diane]

That inflexibility was a major set-back for Bragg, and made him more suited to be a subordinate or a desk jockey. However, when he finally did get behind a desk he managed to be almost more destructive! Sheridan's raid on Richmond - Bragg dithered at Stuart's request for a brigade or so, whether to weaken Richmond's defenses in the face of a large Union force, or give some to Stuart which might enable him to drive off Sheridan...He took too long trying to decide and, meanwhile, Stuart bit the dust. That was a bigger loss to Lee than Richmond would have been. Forrest, after Chickamauga, told Bragg the Union forces were gittin' as fast as they could git and they could be nailed before they made a warren out of Chattanooga, and Bragg pulled back. Forrest wondered out loud, "What does he fight battles for?" Eventually he joined the long list of people waiting to take a shot at Bragg!

 

[Specster]

It's one of those stories that are repeated so often nobody really questions it! The only place I've been able to find a source is an author who credited The Southern Literary Messenger. This was a very popular fiction/non-fiction publication in Richmond, specializing in Southern culture. Thomas White was the original editor, although he passed away before the Mexican War. His assistant editor was Edgar Allan Poe.

A large number of these types of 'accepted' stories turn out not to hold up under scrutiny. There's at least two extremely well known episodes of one general's life that are in every bio of him written in the last 100 plus years...finally somebody checked it out. Both stories were totally bogus! But it served to promote a certain negative image. That might well be the case with Braxton Bragg. He was only a captain during the Mexican War, and not the strange critter he became a couple decades down the road.

I don't know what category Poe thought assassination of Bragg might belong! At any rate, I wouldn't be surprised. Much more relaxed commanders had problems just because the men were largely frontiersman. Rugged, independent, sometimes maybe even criminal. Certainly not used to following anybody's orders or military discipline. That was one of the biggest problems with the American troops in Mexico then. Bragg was never, at any time in his life, the type of guy you'd go have a beer with and his men didn't warm to him as Jefferson Davis' did to him. That was because the Davis brothers were already very well known in Mississippi and their men were from there. Bragg didn't have that advantage.

There was a rumor of a plot to kill Stonewall Jackson for being...well, Jackson. He was not the most lovable general Lee had and his troops were not the most disciplined. This was when the men were still deciding for themselves who would be their boss. Jeb Stuart had the same problem. The Virginians had elected a popular fellow who was lax on them, wanting their favor, and Stuart simply took over without a vote. He was tough, no mistake. That got 'em madder than hornets and he thought he might find a lit cannonball under his bed, too! However, in both cases, the men soon realized why Old Jack and Stuart were being hard-azz and that disciplined troops won battles. Both won the genuine love of their men.

While Jackson was a professor at West Point someone dropped a brick, out of a high window (I think third floor), which missed his head by inches. Jackson "being Jackson" either did not notice or did not care. When he was made fully aware of what had occurred he had no desire to find the culprit. I think that brick could have killed him.

 

[Reb]

While Jackson was a professor at West Point someone dropped a brick, out of a high window (I think third floor), which missed his head by inches. Jackson "being Jackson" either did not notice or did not care. When he was made fully aware of what had occurred he had no desire to find the culprit. I think that brick could have killed him.

Jackson stated that he felt just as safe in battle as snuggled in his bed. His demise was in God's hands. Neither a brick, nor a battle was a concern.