Braxton Bragg

[Zuzah]

I won't brag about this one, his history is not something a lot of you gusy appreciate, either way, he was part of the conflict, and I felt it was necessary to remember and honor him.

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[Roland]

Nice Job!

 

[Zuzah]

Nice Job!

Thanks friend-o.

 

[Georgia Sixth]

He never looked better! ....or so I've read....

 

[Zuzah]

He never looked better! ....or so I've read....

If that's him looking dapper, I don't want to see what that unibrow grows in to when he's not taking care of himself.

 

[Georgia Sixth]

If that's him looking dapper, I don't want to see what that unibrow grows in to when he's not taking care of himself.

It may explain the large number of desertions he had. Guys just couldn't take the sight of it anymore.

 

[Zuzah]

It may explain the large number of desertions he had. Guys just couldn't take the sight of it anymore.

Imagine having to take orders from that unibrow, good God.

 

[diane]

Poor Bragg maybe should have picked another profession. In Mexico, his men tried to kill him twice by rolling shells under his bed while he slept. Lost a couple beds that way!

 

[Zuzah]

Poor Bragg maybe should have picked another profession. In Mexico, his men tried to kill him twice by rolling shells under his bed while he slept. Lost a couple beds that way!

You are going to have to elaborate on that story, that sounds too interesting to pass up.

 

[AndyHall]

From Grant's memoir:

Bragg was a remarkably intelligent and well-informed man, professionally and otherwise. He was also thoroughly upright. But he was possessed of an irascible temper, and was naturally disputatious. A man of the highest moral character and the most correct habits, yet in the old army he was in frequent trouble. As a subordinate he was always on the lookout to catch his commanding officer infringing his prerogatives; as a post commander he was equally vigilant to detect the slightest neglect, even of the most trivial order.​

​

I have heard in the old army an anecdote very characteristic of Bragg. On one occasion, when stationed at a post of several companies commanded by a field officer, he was himself commanding one of the companies and at the same time acting as post quartermaster and commissary. He was first lieutenant at the time, but his captain was detached on other duty. As commander of the company he made a requisition upon the quartermaster—himself—for something he wanted. As quartermaster he declined to fill the requisition, and endorsed on the back of it his reasons for so doing. As company commander he responded to this, urging that his requisition called for nothing but what he was entitled to, and that it was the duty of the quartermaster to fill it. As quartermaster he still persisted that he was right. In this condition of affairs Bragg referred the whole matter to the commanding officer of the post. The latter, when he saw the nature of the matter referred, exclaimed: "My God, Mr. Bragg, you have quarrelled with every officer in the army, and now you are quarrelling with yourself!"​

​

This anecdote about Bragg is widely considered to be apocryphal, or at least exaggerated. But even if entirely false, it nonetheless reflects how Bragg was known and understood by his peers in the "Old Army" -- the story would not have been told and repeated if it didn't fit what they personally knew of the man's temperament.

 

[diane]

You are going to have to elaborate on that story, that sounds too interesting to pass up.

Bragg had a positive gift for making enemies and rubbing fur the wrong way! He was noted for being a strict disciplinarian. Not too many American troops during the Mexican War were very well disciplined - not very military - and some took a strong dislike to Bragg's methods. And to Bragg personally! Sometime in the late summer of 1847 somebody or bodies discharged a big shell about 2 feet from his bed - he was unhurt but shook some. A couple months later somebody or bodies did the exact same thing only this time put it right under his bed. Ka-blooey! General fine, requisitions new bed...

 

[Zuzah]

Bragg had a positive gift for making enemies and rubbing fur the wrong way! He was noted for being a strict disciplinarian. Not too many American troops during the Mexican War were very well disciplined - not very military - and some took a strong dislike to Bragg's methods. And to Bragg personally! Sometime in the late summer of 1847 somebody or bodies discharged a big shell about 2 feet from his bed - he was unhurt but shook some. A couple months later somebody or bodies did the exact same thing only this time put it right under his bed. Ka-blooey! General fine, requisitions new bed...

What a bunch of douchewad soldiers.

 

[AndyHall]

What a bunch of douchewad soldiers.

Fragging [shrapnel-ing?] has a long history.

 

[RobertP]

IIRC after Shiloh and the retreat back to Corinth Beauregard claimed illness and took leave, allowing Davis to appoint Bragg commander of the AoT. Davis and Beauregard didn't get along but do you think he (Davis) would have made the switch had PGTB remained with the army?

 

[diane]

IIRC after Shiloh and the retreat back to Corinth Beauregard claimed illness and took leave, allowing Davis to appoint Bragg commander of the AoT. Davis and Beauregard didn't get along but do you think he (Davis) would have made the switch had PGTB remained with the army?

I think he would have found an important slot for Bragg - he had a lot of respect for him. Beauregard didn't help his cause in a number of ways! However, one important thing is A S Johnston had been killed. To Davis, Johnston was the end all and be all for a soldier. Even Lee never held the place in Davis' esteem that Johnston had. (Myself, I think Davis put way too much on Johnston and, just maybe, it was a good thing for his reputation that he was taken out of the war right off the bat.) Everybody was judged by Davis' perception of A S Johnston.

 

[AndyHall]

Bragg had a positive gift for making enemies. . . .

Grant nails it when he calls Bragg "naturally disputatious." That's a great description.

 

[leftyhunter]

It is interesting that Captain Bragg was Lt. George Thomas's commander during the Mexican American War. Thaomas is not known to have complained of Bragg has best I know. They seemed to work well together. I guess Bragg played well with some but not all.
Leftyhunter

 

[FrazierC]

Imagine having to take orders from that unibrow, good God.

Wow, never noticed that until you pointed it out.... Never look at him the same way again.

 

[Zuzah]

Wow, never noticed that until you pointed it out.... Never look at him the same way again.

It's like he shaved it, and tried to contain it, then just said '**** IT. **** IT, I'LL LEAVE IT.

 

[Union_Buff]

Wow, those eyebrows are the first thing you notice. They are massive!