Assessing Lee's Division Commanders

[Jamieva]

Compared with Early, one of Ewell's weaknesses was, perhaps, his fondness for society. I believe he spent the evening of July 1st drinking tea with some of the local ladies while he should have been directing Johnson's occupation of Culp's Hill.

I have never heard that one i would love to see a source for that

 

[Luke Freet]

Compared with Early, one of Ewell's weaknesses was, perhaps, his fondness for society. I believe he spent the evening of July 1st drinking tea with some of the local ladies while he should have been directing Johnson's occupation of Culp's Hill.

From what I've read of the Battle of Gettysburg, this never happened. At all. He was heavily involved in the deployment of his force in the fighting on day 1. By the time Johnson got on the field it was too dark to make any serious movement against Culp's Hill.

 

[SWS]

Never mind. According to Pfanz' book, it was hardly a gala at the ad hoc hospital known as the Crawford house, rather the opposite, especially compared to the reception that followed the liberation of Winchester in June, but Ewell, Early, and Rodes were permitted to breakfast there on July 2nd.

 

[ColonelBuckwalter]

As far as AoNV command "what ifs", the biggest one to my mind is what might have happened if Early, rather than Ewell, had replaced Jackson as commander of the Second Corps.

How so?

 

[Wizard of Cozz]

As far as AoNV command "what ifs", the biggest one to my mind is what might have happened if Early, rather than Ewell, had replaced Jackson as commander of the Second Corps.

If Ewell doesn't receive command it almost certainly goes to Anderson. He's next in the pecking order. Then it's Hood and Early. I'm on the road but I can find where Freeman speaks of the reorganization after Chancellorsvle when I get home. Freeman I believe mentions Lee saying Hoof and Anderson would also make good officers for corps command if need be uf Davis doesn't accept Hill and Ewell. Those two had been I. Divioson command longer so Eearly is just to far down the pecking order.

 

[Wizard of Cozz]

From what I've read of the Battle of Gettysburg, this never happened. At all. He was heavily involved in the deployment of his force in the fighting on day 1. By the time Johnson got on the field it was too dark to make any serious movement against Culp's Hill.

So when Johnson arrives Ewell directs hin towards Culps Hill but then Johnson does nothing for like 2 hours and Ewell doest check to make sure he's preparing. Ewell had the correct thought on Culps Hill but doesn't keep a firm hand on Johnson.

 

[rpkennedy]

Here are some of my opinions:

Richard H. Anderson: 3/5. A generally solid division commander but with some notable black marks (Gettysburg and, to a lesser extent, Antietam). A good description was that he was capable but lazy.

David R. Jones: 3/5. A good division commander whose death after Fredericksburg put an early end to his career.

Cadmus Wilcox: 3/5. A generally solid officer at the division level.

John B. Hood: 5/5. An excellent division commander on several battlefields. Second Manassas, South Mountain, Antietam, Chickamauga. All outstanding.

William Taliaferro: 1/5. Should not have been a division commander and was barely qualified to command a brigade. If not for the bad luck of losing repeated superiors, he wouldn't have been in that position.

A.P. Hill: 5/5. Arguably one of the finest division commanders that the war produced. The only knocks against him were his feuds with his superiors.

Richard Ewell: 4/5. He performed well in the Shenandoah Valley and the Seven Days. Was excellent in the early stages of the Manassas Campaign before being shot at Brawner's Farm. There's a reason that he was Jackson's choice to take over the Second Corps.

Lafayette McLaws: 4/5. An excellent officer who took some unjust shots. Also blessed with some of the finest brigade commanders in the AoNV.

John G. Walker: 2.5/5. An ok division commander who was shipped out in favor of better officers. His writings about the Maryland Campaign are the definition of "unreliable narrator".

Jubal Early: 4.5/5. One of the best commanders in the AoNV.

John R. Jones: 1/5. Only got the job because of the loss of officers above him.

D.H. Hill: 3.5/5. An able officer with an extremely abrasive personality. Pretty notable black mark at South Mountain.

George Pickett: 2.5/5. Moderately competent but with some serious dings later in the war. Got the job because he was a favorite of Longstreet.

Robert Ransom, Jr: 3/5. Quietly competent but not flashy. No real failures or real successes.

Robert Rodes: 4/5. An excellent commander but Gettysburg was a notable lapse (there is some evidence that he was ill during the campaign which may explain some of his actions).

William Dorsey Pender: 3/5. An outstanding brigadier who had the potential to be a great division commander but didn't live long enough to see. It does seem as if he partially lost control of his division on July 1 but it would have been difficult for anyone to hold the South Carolinians in check after the attack on Cemetery Ridge.

Raleigh Colston: 1.5/5. An ok brigade commander who should have stayed there. Division command was over his head.

Edward Johnson: 3/5. Solid and dependable all around.

Henry Heth: 3.5/5. Had a rough outing at Gettysburg but turned into a solid major general.

Joseph Kershaw: 4/5. An excellent officer at every level. Turned into a good division commander in the last year of the war.

Charles Field: 3.5/5. Better than average but only by a step.

William Mahone: 4.5/5. One of Lee's best in the last few months of the war along with John B. Gordon.

John B. Gordon: 5/5. One of the best non-professional generals to come out of the war.

Stephen D. Ramseur: 2/5. An excellent brigade commander who seems to have been a bit over his head when kicked upstairs.

 

[Wizard of Cozz]

Here are some of my opinions:

Richard H. Anderson: 3/5. A generally solid division commander but with some notable black marks (Gettysburg and, to a letter extent, Antietam).

David R. Jones: 3/5. A good division commander whose death after Fredericksburg put an early end to his career.

Cadmus Wilcox: 3/5. A generally solid officer at the division level.

John B. Hood: 5/5. An excellent division commander on several battlefields. Second Manassas, South Mountain, Antietam, Chickamauga. All outstanding.

William Taliaferro: 1/5. Should not have been a division commander and was barely qualified to command a brigade. If not for the bad luck of losing repeated superiors, he wouldn't have been in that position.

A.P. Hill: 5/5. Arguably one of the finest division commanders that the war produced. The only knocks against him were his feuds with his superiors.

Richard Ewell: 4/5. He performed well in the Shenandoah Valley and the Seven Days. Was excellent in the early stages of the Manassas Campaign before being shot at Brawner's Farm. There's a reason that he was Jackson's choice to take over the Second Corps.

Lafayette McLaws: 4/5. An excellent officer who took some unjust shots. Also blessed with some of the finest brigade commanders in the AoNV.

John G. Walker: 2.5/5. An ok division commander who was shipped out in favor of better officers. His writings about the Maryland Campaign are the definition of "unreliable narrator".

Jubal Early: 4.5/5. One of the best commanders in the AoNV.

John R. Jones: 1/5. Only got the job because of the loss of officers above him.

D.H. Hill: 3.5/5. An able officer with an extremely abrasive personality. Pretty notable black mark at South Mountain.

George Pickett: 2.5/5. Moderately competent but with some serious dings later in the war. Got the job because he was a favorite of Longstreet.

Robert Ransom, Jr: 3/5. Quietly competent but not flashy. No real failures or real successes.

Robert Rodes: 4/5. An excellent commander but Gettysburg was a notable lapse (there is some evidence that he was ill during the campaign which may explain some of his actions).

William Dorsey Pender: 3/5. An outstanding brigadier who had the potential to be a great division commander but didn't live long enough to see. It does see as if he partially lost control of his division on July 1 but it would have been difficult for anyone to hold the South Carolinians in check after the attack on Cemetery Ridge.

Raleigh Colston: 1.5/5. An ok brigade commander who should have stayed there. Division command was over his head.

Edward Johnson: 3/5. Solid and dependable all around.

Henry Heth: 3.5/5. Had a rough outing at Gettysburg but turned into a solid major general.

Joseph Kershaw: 4/5. An excellent officer at every level. Turned into a good division commander in the last year of the war.

Charles Field: 3.5/5. Better than average but only by a step.

William Mahone: 4.5/5. One of Lee's best in the last few months of the war along with John B. Gordon.

John B. Gordon: 5/5. One of the best non-professional generals to come out of the war.

Stephen D. Ramseur: 2/5. An excellent brigade commander who seems to have been a bit over his head when kicked upstairs.

Can't disagree with much here. I'm within .5 of almost of your grades!

 

[ETNConfederate]

Here are some of my opinions:

Richard H. Anderson: 3/5. A generally solid division commander but with some notable black marks (Gettysburg and, to a letter extent, Antietam). A good description was that he was capable but lazy.

David R. Jones: 3/5. A good division commander whose death after Fredericksburg put an early end to his career.

Cadmus Wilcox: 3/5. A generally solid officer at the division level.

John B. Hood: 5/5. An excellent division commander on several battlefields. Second Manassas, South Mountain, Antietam, Chickamauga. All outstanding.

William Taliaferro: 1/5. Should not have been a division commander and was barely qualified to command a brigade. If not for the bad luck of losing repeated superiors, he wouldn't have been in that position.

A.P. Hill: 5/5. Arguably one of the finest division commanders that the war produced. The only knocks against him were his feuds with his superiors.

Richard Ewell: 4/5. He performed well in the Shenandoah Valley and the Seven Days. Was excellent in the early stages of the Manassas Campaign before being shot at Brawner's Farm. There's a reason that he was Jackson's choice to take over the Second Corps.

Lafayette McLaws: 4/5. An excellent officer who took some unjust shots. Also blessed with some of the finest brigade commanders in the AoNV.

John G. Walker: 2.5/5. An ok division commander who was shipped out in favor of better officers. His writings about the Maryland Campaign are the definition of "unreliable narrator".

Jubal Early: 4.5/5. One of the best commanders in the AoNV.

John R. Jones: 1/5. Only got the job because of the loss of officers above him.

D.H. Hill: 3.5/5. An able officer with an extremely abrasive personality. Pretty notable black mark at South Mountain.

George Pickett: 2.5/5. Moderately competent but with some serious dings later in the war. Got the job because he was a favorite of Longstreet.

Robert Ransom, Jr: 3/5. Quietly competent but not flashy. No real failures or real successes.

Robert Rodes: 4/5. An excellent commander but Gettysburg was a notable lapse (there is some evidence that he was ill during the campaign which may explain some of his actions).

William Dorsey Pender: 3/5. An outstanding brigadier who had the potential to be a great division commander but didn't live long enough to see. It does see as if he partially lost control of his division on July 1 but it would have been difficult for anyone to hold the South Carolinians in check after the attack on Cemetery Ridge.

Raleigh Colston: 1.5/5. An ok brigade commander who should have stayed there. Division command was over his head.

Edward Johnson: 3/5. Solid and dependable all around.

Henry Heth: 3.5/5. Had a rough outing at Gettysburg but turned into a solid major general.

Joseph Kershaw: 4/5. An excellent officer at every level. Turned into a good division commander in the last year of the war.

Charles Field: 3.5/5. Better than average but only by a step.

William Mahone: 4.5/5. One of Lee's best in the last few months of the war along with John B. Gordon.

John B. Gordon: 5/5. One of the best non-professional generals to come out of the war.

Stephen D. Ramseur: 2/5. An excellent brigade commander who seems to have been a bit over his head when kicked upstairs.

Respectfully and strongly disagree on Dodson Ramseur. Jubal Early's "Stonewall Jackson" was very good at Spotsylvania. When you consider the Valley, Rutherford's Farm excepted, you have to give SDR 4- 4.25/5.

 

[rpkennedy]

Respectfully and strongly disagree on Dodson Ramseur. Jubal Early's "Stonewall Jackson" was very good at Spotsylvania. When you consider the Valley, Rutherford's Farm excepted, you have to give SDR 4- 4.25/5.

At Spotsylvania, Ramseur was still a brigade commander. Early in the Valley, he did well but has some black marks at Third Winchester and Cedar Creek. If he had been promoted earlier in the war when things weren't going downhill, he may have done better but later in 1864, he struggled.

Ryan

 

[Peter r]

Richard H. Anderson commanded a corps in the Army of Northern Virginia throughout the last year of the war. I would take that to mean he was among the best subordinates General Lee had, including division command. I think he'd get 5 stars out of five as a division commander by that standard.

He was given command of the first corps after Gen. Longstreet was wounded at the Wilderness. In October he was given command of the new fourth corps of the army.

View attachment 542441

View attachment 542442

Not much clear incentive at gettysburg , I believe his troops on days one and paticular day 2 where crucial but were poorly utilised .

 

[Jamieva]

Pender I feel should get an incomplete grade. He's being graded based on his performance for less than 2 days of actual battle command. Just my 2 cents.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I'll agree with you on anyone who didn't make my list:

Hood: 2.5

Tough, not brilliant. He had received an admonishment from Lee about how his camps were administered for lack of cleanliness and hygiene. Speaks volumes for his general ship in the West.

Pickett: 2.0/0

He was fair until Gettysburg. After that I doubt he was ever the same, deeming to have gone in a permanent vacation mentally, end with quite a fish fry.

Early: 5*

I'll say this about him, besides the fact that he swore constantly, was almost always madder than a wet hen, and had absolutely terrible attitude, he fought hard. I think he was under utilized, probably for the gruff 'tude. There was a reason Lee called him his bad old man. He would have been more effective given a larger role before the end of the war.

Ewell: (solid) 4

Even with the wound, weird as the man was (and he was) he had the likeability and ability to command that made up for his bird like body movements.

Now everyone can yell...

AP Hill: 4

NOT that he was a bad general. He wasn't l, he was excellent.. when he was there. Hill was always sick, fur reasons of politeness I will not go into. Had he been around more I would have given him the extra point. Maybe I'm being unfair. But its just IMO.

4 is a good, strong rating, and I would also rate AP Hill as a 4.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I hate to do it, but I agree with you about Early. Often someone who curses constantly does so because they don't have a good enough vocabulary to use regular words, or because they are mentally slow. Such was not the case with Early, and he was a very good general although I would have hated to serve with him.

 

[ColonelBuckwalter]

I hate to do it, but I agree with you about Early. Often someone who curses constantly does so because they don't have a good enough vocabulary to use regular words, or because they are mentally slow. Such was not the case with Early, and he was a very good general although I would have hated to serve with him.

Recent studies have shown that people with foul mouths actually tend to be smarter. Early wasn't just a soldier, he was also a lawyer. Gotta be smart for both of those professions.

 

[51st Georgia]

Just want to chime in this is a great thread! Thanks to all

 

[JeffBrooks]

Recent studies have shown that people with foul mouths actually tend to be smarter.

I own that I find that extremely unlikely. Any chance you could point us towards some of those studies?

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Recent studies have shown that people with foul mouths actually tend to be smarter. Early wasn't just a soldier, he was also a lawyer. Gotta be smart for both of those professions.

Totally agree with you about Early! The modern day people who I have known over 7 decades who curse constantly were Not Very Intelligent for the most part.

 

[Peter r]

I have never heard that one i would love to see a source for that

Me either..

 

[Peter r]

So when Johnson arrives Ewell directs hin towards Culps Hill but then Johnson does nothing for like 2 hours and Ewell doest check to make sure he's preparing. Ewell had the correct thought on Culps Hill but doesn't keep a firm hand on Johnson.

Ewell agrees to attack but requests support from hill , Anderson's division has been placed on Herr ridge 5 brigades , Hills opinion is his men are to taxed from the days fight and need rest lee is concerned about the need for a reserve, there are also reports coming in of a possible threat on the left flank of the confederate army . A strong attack using the 2 divisions could well have been decisive ( or parts of ) but lees mind was under duress due to the lack of immediate intelligence as to the whereabouts of the rest of the union army . ...Stuart..