Assessing Lee's Division Commanders

[neyankee61]

On the retreat from Gettysburg, Lee inquired whose division was leading Hill's Corps. Upon being told that Anderson was, Lee replied, "I am sorry, Colonel; my friend Dick is quick enough in pursuing but in retreat I fear he may not be as sharp as I should like." Freeman Lee's Lieutenants Vol 3 p 379.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Well, I worked with quite a few copiously profane engineers and scientists, many with advanced degrees from top schools. Some with short tempers and no patience for others' shortcomings. They're out there. Heck, I might be decribed that way during part of my career.

It would be interesting to be able to hear Early speak or read a direct transcript of some of his more "flowery" verbal communication. Was he this way before the war? Enough rambling...

You are undoubtedly accurate on all counts above.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

He, therefore, was still a Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army awaiting instruction on March 3, 1894.

The Confederate Army ceased to exist in 1865..

This is why uniformed heads of service generally retire from their job.

There's also nowhere to go but down.

If Ewell doesn't receive command it almost certainly goes to Anderson. He's next in the pecking order.

Military seniority has its uses, but too often the Union and Confederate armies were too committed to it.

Not only did he deliver a consistently strong performance, but Early was also repeatedly placed in command of detached operations. This included holding Fredericksburg during the Chancellorsville campaign and spearheading Ewell's advance into Pennsylvania. Trust seemed repeatedly placed in him disproportionate to his seniority.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

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.

Well, I worked with quite a few copiously profane engineers and scientists, many with advanced degrees from top schools. Some with short tempers and no patience for others' shortcomings. They're out there. Heck, I might be decribed that way during part of my career.

I think there are three categories of frequent cursers.

1. People who pepper every sentence with f-bombs because they're idiots who have a limited vocabulary and think it makes them sound tough.

2. "Hard men leading hard lives." (Expression I first heard used to describe Boatswains Mates.) They usually only have a basic formal education, but they're often quite industrious and generally smarter than the first category. However, a sense of perpetual stress leads to frequent profanity as a kind of pressure release. They're quick to dammit and can swear vigorously if angered, but don't use f-bombs as adjectives.

3. Volcanic tempers. These are the smarter, often educated, people who don't curse much. Unless you make them angry, which can include not meeting high standards. Then they will unleash a torrent of profanity all at once.

In general, I think use of profanity correlates more strongly with anger than intelligence.

 

[Wizard of Cozz]

The Confederate Army ceased to exist in 1865..



There's also nowhere to go but down.



Military seniority has its uses, but too often the Union and Confederate armies were too committed to it.

Not only did he deliver a consistently strong performance, but Early was also repeatedly placed in command of detached operations. This included holding Fredericksburg during the Chancellorsville campaign and spearheading Ewell's advance into Pennsylvania. Trust seemed repeatedly placed in him disproportionate to his seniority.

I agree they were to committed to often to seniority. There's a chance Early gets it over Anderson, but that would be because it's 2nd Corps and Early is in 2nd Corps, whereas Anderson has never served with men from that command, that was the other consideration that Lee does. For instance at Mine Run, Early fills in for Ewell, not Anderson, but when Longstreet goes down, Anderson, who had served with Longstreet up until the reorganizatin after Chancellorsville. So had a strong connection to that unit. Just some things to consider.

 

[rpkennedy]

I agree they were to committed to often to seniority. There's a chance Early gets it over Anderson, but that would be because it's 2nd Corps and Early is in 2nd Corps, whereas Anderson has never served with men from that command, that was the other consideration that Lee does. For instance at Mine Run, Early fills in for Ewell, not Anderson, but when Longstreet goes down, Anderson, who had served with Longstreet up until the reorganizatin after Chancellorsville. So had a strong connection to that unit. Just some things to coconsider.

At that point, Anderson was the only choice. Kershaw was a jumped-up brigade commander and the Wilderness was the first time that Field had led a division in combat (and hadn't commanded anybody in a year and a half). Lee couldn't realistically put either of them in command of Longstreet's Corps and so turned to Anderson.

Ryan

 

[neyankee61]

As mentioned elsewhere, Anderson seemed to do better under Longstreet's command than under Hill. Therefore it seemed to be Lee's only sane choice after Longstreet's wounding. Maybe if there was time to think and take one's time to make the decision, Lee may have decided on someone else. He didn't have that luxury.

 

[Wizard of Cozz]

At that point, Anderson was the only choice. Kershaw was a jumped-up brigade commander and the Wilderness was the first time that Field had led a division in combat (and hadn't commanded anybody in a year and a half). Lee couldn't realistically put either of them in command of Longstreet's Corps and so turned to Anderson.

Ryan

I was just saying that he chose someone outside of the Corps, Early had been a corps commander for Ewell during Mine Run, so it's not out of realm he chose Early, but I think it's more Early had no experience with anyone in First Corps, whereas Anderson does, AND Anderson was closer at hand, AND I don't think Lee really thought one a clear better than the other, so he went with the one with experience in the corps, and at hand. IMO.

 

[fyrd]

His most senior division commander was Pickett and it had to be someone with enough seniority to outrank him as well.

 

[Wizard of Cozz]

His most senior division commander was Pickett and it had to be someone with enough seniority to outrank him as well.

That's true as well. Lee never made someone serve directly under someone who outranked them at previous rank, or at least I don't think that ever happened.

 

[Jamieva]

Anderson being known to the first corps soldiers was definitely a factor.

 

[Jamieva]

His most senior division commander was Pickett and it had to be someone with enough seniority to outrank him as well.

Pickett wasn't with the army then.

 

[Peter r]

Anderson was a solid middle of the road division commander, who was better when he was under Longstreet, than with Hill.

As shown at gettysburg

 

[Wizard of Cozz]

As shown at gettysburg

Anderson could be aloof when left to his own devices.

 

[atlantis]

Despite a difficult relationship with Stonewall Jackson, Stonewall regularly entrusted division command to William Taliferro. Jackson would not give command to someone not up to the job. Lee who did not tolerate commanders he did not think were up to the job also kept Taliferro in division command.
I use Taliferro as an example, the officers who stayed in division command were the officers seen as competent even where there was personal friction.