Beauregard goes West

[Wizard of Cozz]

So if you read my two volumes of my alternate history of Gettysburg/Pipe Creek you'll know that the Union has pulled back X corps from SC. I'm considering how to get Beauregard out west, wanted other people's thoughts. OTL Bragg's army was removed from Dept. #2, and Johhnston only got Eastern LA, MS, and AL to defend. Is there a way for maybe Beauregard to go under Johnston say as the Arm of Relief commander, and maybe Johnston retains Division of the West command. Maybe something along lines of Beauregard with the army of relief becoming a corps possibly under Hardee, and when Bragg asks for reinforcements Beauregard goes with 2 divisions (walker and french) gets rushed up through Atlanta, as they basically did OTL, Breckinridge already having been sent. Then Longstreet is placed under Beauregard and not Bragg. So that you have Bragg fighting Rosecrans w/ Polk (Cheatham, Hindman, Buckner) and Hill (Cleburne, Stewart, and Breckinridge) + his two cavalry corps. Then Beauregard arrives with Hardee and Longstreet. Johnston would probably have to move closer to Atlanta or Dalton to make sure the two armies cooperated effectively. I'm just trying to figure out a way to get Beauregard west.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Beauregard in charge of the Army of Relief would have been a much better choice than Johnston.

 

[Wizard of Cozz]

Beauregard in charge of the Army of Relief would have been a much better choice than Johnston.

Agree, but the question is how to plausibly get him in that position. Davis hates him, even more then he hates Johnston.

 

[fyrd]

In OTL Hardee wants out of Bragg's command after Tullahoma. Any scope for this to be an earlier revolt against Bragg?

 

[Wizard of Cozz]

So the other way to get Beauregard out west is Lee. Davis consistently asked Lee to take command, maybe instead of trying to force an army command on him, Davis Makes Lee commander of both Dept. #2 and Northern Virginia. Lee is now responsible for both theaters. Davis visits Lee in mid-August makes him commander, Lee then goes and visits Bragg at Chattanooga. He visits with the army commanders, and recognizes the issue, he relieves Bragg and replaces him with Johnston, knowing that Johnston is the officer they all want, but also recognizing Johnston's lack of aggression, he orders Beauregard to Dalton, and calls up most of the Army of Relief to join him there. He then sends Longstreet with two divisions to join with Beauregard and march on Chattanooga.