Command Failings at Spring Hill

[damYankee]

Gentlemen,
Does Schofield, or at least the Union soldiers who fought the Rebels deserve a scintilla of credit for defeating the enemy?

 

[gunny]

Gentlemen,
Does Schofield, or at least the Union soldiers who fought the Rebels deserve a scintilla of credit for defeating the enemy?

Absolutely. It's just that the Opening post is called "Command Failings at Spring Hill," thus the focus on the Confederates.

The reality is however, that the Rebels were in excellent position to accomplish at least a partial rout of Federal forces and due to command failures that didn't happen.

General Stanley should in fact - IMHO - have won the Medal of Honor for his actions at Spring Hill rather than Franklin.

Schofield conducted a risky move when he marched his army past the Rebels at Spring Hill, but really - what other option did he have?

It was definitely too dangerous to stay there over-night and attempt to throw up works to defend his forces. He didn't even know where all the Confederate troops were located. He made the right call - according to Stanley at least who allegedly prodded him into action.

 

[damYankee]

Absolutely. It's just that the Opening post is called "Command Failings at Spring Hill," thus the focus on the Confederates.

The reality is however, that the Rebels were in excellent position to accomplish at least a partial rout of Federal forces and due to command failures that didn't happen.

General Stanley should in fact - IMHO - have won the Medal of Honor for his actions at Spring Hill rather than Franklin.

Schofield conducted a risky move when he marched his army past the Rebels at Spring Hill, but really - what other option did he have?

It was definitely too dangerous to stay there over-night and attempt to throw up works to defend his forces. He didn't even know where all the Confederate troops were located. He made the right call - according to Stanley at least who allegedly prodded him into action.

Agreed, an excellent opportunity lost due to miscommunication and a breakdown in management, can only rest on the commander.
It always comes down to communication, execution, discipline and a lot of luck good or bad. This can be said of most battles.
In this case, Scofield made fewer mistakes,

 

[gjpratt]

Thank you for clarifying.
I will say, I do believe his woundings play a part in his more detached command style during the Georgia and Tennessee Campaigns; he probably wanted to make sure he didn't lose another limb.
That said, the stuff about him being "exhausted" makes me wonder: how taxing was the march upon the other commanders? Maybe exhaustion played a role in Cheatham's and Brown's actions that late afternoon. That said, if it were a factor, I'm surprised that, reading Jacobson's work on the two battles, that he never brings that up as a possible factor in the whole debacle (that or he did and I missed it).

OK. I see the point. I do believe Jacobson mentioned the furloughs at Columbia at one point. I am uncertain if he brings up the strength disparity and Brown's numbers here. also explains why the division still had the strength it did at Nashville compared to Cleburne's.
I would presume that the least affected of Brown's Brigades would be Gist's Brigade of South Carolinians and Georgians. Given their size on December 10th and the casualties they'd have to have sustained at Franklin, Gist would have had no fewer than 1000 men in his brigade. That would leave Brown with 1750 men, and estimating Strahl's strength at 750, he would have had no more than 1500 men available.

This is a great exchange. I am learning and gaining insight. Thank you @gunny and @Luke Freet

 

[rbasin]

There's an article in Battles and Leaders that one of Hood's aides did not send Cheatham the order. Good said something to the effect that Cheatham apologized for having s inactions, and Cheatham vehemently denies the whole conversation

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Gentlemen,
Does Schofield, or at least the Union soldiers who fought the Rebels deserve a scintilla of credit for defeating the enemy?

Yes. One should not underestimate the skill of Schofield and his soldiers in orchestrating an orderly withdrawal undetected during the night at Spring Hill.

Also, as informed writers on this subject have noted elsewhere, even if Hood had effectively blocked the Columbia-Franklin Pike, Schofield would still have had several alternate routes to Franklin and Nashville available that he could have taken.

Another point noted, was that even if Hood had managed to engage Schofield's force the following day, the numbers present on the opposing sides would have been similar, and any battle outcome could have gone either way.

In summary, there is no doubt that failures occurred in Hood's command and that Schofield conducted a skilful nightime withdrawal, at Spring Hill. But furthermore if there had been any battle the next day, would Hood have destroyed or captured Schofield's Army, or indeed have emerged victorious?

 

[gunny]

Yes. One should not underestimate the skill of Schofield and his soldiers in orchestrating an orderly withdrawal undetected during the night at Spring Hill.

Also, as informed writers on this subject have noted elsewhere, even if Hood had effectively blocked the Columbia-Franklin Pike, Schofield would still have had several alternate routes to Franklin and Nashville available that he could have taken.

Another point noted, was that even if Hood had managed to engage Schofield's force the following day, the numbers present on the opposing sides would have been similar, and any battle outcome could have gone either way.

In summary, there is no doubt that failures occurred in Hood's command and that Schofield conducted a skilful nightime withdrawal, at Spring Hill. But furthermore if there had been any battle the next day, would Hood have destroyed or captured Schofield's Army, or indeed have emerged victorious?

If Schofield had been timid enough to stay the night, the Confederates were in great position to deal a decisive blow to the Federal forces there the next morning.