The 17th certainly was. I believe they were in the thick of it in every major battle in the east from 1st Bull Run to the end, the only exception being 2nd Bull Run when Barksdale’s Brigade was stationed outside Harper’s Ferry IIRC. One more Bgde. like that one in Longstreet’s corps at Bull Run2 might have been the difference between cutting off Pope’s retreat and allowing the escape that happened.Bragg and Longstreet were both part of the Knoxville Campaign idea. If he could have beaten Burnside and then returned to Chattanooga to help defeat Grant it would have been a bold victory. If by going to attack Burnside, Grant split off part of his command to chase Longstreet that would have also been favorable.
17th MS was a tough unit - fighters!!
If Barksdale had been at Chickamagua instead of Humphreys, then Snodgrass Hill might have been VERY different.
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