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I'm curious as to anyone's thoughts as to why Meade chose to relieve Doubleday from command of the First Corps and replace him with Newton.
Doubleday seems to have performed fairly well after Reynolds was killed on July 1. The two reasons typically given for Doubleday's removal were 1) he was an ardent abolitionist in an army officer corps that leaned in the conservative direction. Doubleday himself seemed to believe himself that this was the motivation for his removal. 2) Howard's false report that the 1st Corps gave way, relayed through Hancock's message to Meade that evening. Based on some of his later comments, Doubleday seems to have accepted this reasoning, which may explain his evident dislike of Howard.
However, it is also clear that Meade had a long-standing dislike of Doubleday. They had served together in the 1st Corps during the Maryland Campaign and at Fredricksburg, so it would seem that the two men had the opportunity to know each other fairly well. After Meade took command of the 5th Corps, he wrote home (January 23, 1863) that "Doubleday has been assigned to the [Pennsylvania] Reserves, which is a good thing for me, for now they will think a great deal more of me than before."
Meade had decided to replace Doubleday with Newton before leaving Taneytown on the night of July 1 and had sent orders to Newton to that effect. At the time, the 4 ranking major generals in the army who did not already hold corps command (Sykes having just been promoted to replace Meade at the head of the 5th Corps) were Doubleday, Schurz, Newton, & Birney. Meade's dislike of Birney was also evident after Fredricksburg, and on top of that Birney was also an abolitionist & part of the 3rf Corps clique. Schurz was not a West Pointer.
I assume Meade turned to Newton because he was (in his mind anyway) the least bad choice. Newton was a Virginian who had remained loyal and part of the conservative officer corps. What would have recommended him to Meade was his background as an engineer. He was noted for his ability to read the topography. But Newton had a checkered past in the war -- not many battlefield triumphs to recommend him and he had been a conspicuous part of the plot to get rid of Burnside. He had traveled to Washington and met with Lincoln to urge that Burnside's planned offensive at the end of December be stopped and he advocated a return to the Peninsula.
With that kind of baggage, I would think a new army commander still getting his feet under him would be wary of promoting Newton to a corps command.
Doubleday seems to have performed fairly well after Reynolds was killed on July 1. The two reasons typically given for Doubleday's removal were 1) he was an ardent abolitionist in an army officer corps that leaned in the conservative direction. Doubleday himself seemed to believe himself that this was the motivation for his removal. 2) Howard's false report that the 1st Corps gave way, relayed through Hancock's message to Meade that evening. Based on some of his later comments, Doubleday seems to have accepted this reasoning, which may explain his evident dislike of Howard.
However, it is also clear that Meade had a long-standing dislike of Doubleday. They had served together in the 1st Corps during the Maryland Campaign and at Fredricksburg, so it would seem that the two men had the opportunity to know each other fairly well. After Meade took command of the 5th Corps, he wrote home (January 23, 1863) that "Doubleday has been assigned to the [Pennsylvania] Reserves, which is a good thing for me, for now they will think a great deal more of me than before."
Meade had decided to replace Doubleday with Newton before leaving Taneytown on the night of July 1 and had sent orders to Newton to that effect. At the time, the 4 ranking major generals in the army who did not already hold corps command (Sykes having just been promoted to replace Meade at the head of the 5th Corps) were Doubleday, Schurz, Newton, & Birney. Meade's dislike of Birney was also evident after Fredricksburg, and on top of that Birney was also an abolitionist & part of the 3rf Corps clique. Schurz was not a West Pointer.
I assume Meade turned to Newton because he was (in his mind anyway) the least bad choice. Newton was a Virginian who had remained loyal and part of the conservative officer corps. What would have recommended him to Meade was his background as an engineer. He was noted for his ability to read the topography. But Newton had a checkered past in the war -- not many battlefield triumphs to recommend him and he had been a conspicuous part of the plot to get rid of Burnside. He had traveled to Washington and met with Lincoln to urge that Burnside's planned offensive at the end of December be stopped and he advocated a return to the Peninsula.
With that kind of baggage, I would think a new army commander still getting his feet under him would be wary of promoting Newton to a corps command.
Bringing the