Officers Switching Sides

[rbortega]

What kind of impact would there have been on the Civil War if one of the major generals or officers had decided to switch sides during the conflict? Are there any particular figures who you could possibly picture doing this depending on which side was winning at the time? Some examples might include Southerners who stayed loyal to the Union or Northerners with Southern family connections. Also, are there any officers on either side who you could see going the same route as Benedict Arnold in the Revolutionary War and switch sides due to ego or financial gain?

 

[TFSmith121]

What kind of impact would there have been on the Civil War if one of the major generals or officers had decided to switch sides during the conflict? Are there any particular figures who you could possibly picture doing this depending on which side was winning at the time? Some examples might include Southerners who stayed loyal to the Union or Northerners with Southern family connections. Also, are there any officers on either side who you could see going the same route as Benedict Arnold in the Revolutionary War and switch sides due to ego or financial gain?

If you are talking about after 1861 (when the situation was rather fluid), actually, there (almost) were - highest ranking officer to do so that I am aware of was Col. (Acting Brigadier General) E.W. Gantt, although he was not commissioned into the US forces after his surrender and pardon. Pretty good piece in the NYT:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.co...-rebel-addresses-new-york-abolitionists/?_r=0

Best,

 

[Legion Para]

I started this thread a few months back.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/divided-loyalty.126014/

On 3 July 1863, William Thomas Magruder said the following to his men:

"Men, remember your mothers, wives, and sisters at home, and do not halt here."

Many have heard/read the above words, but few know about William Thomas Magruder. Before joining the Confederate Army in 1862, he served with the 1st US Cavalry at 1st Manassas in 1861 and on the Peninsula in 1862. Resigning his US Army commission in October 1862 must not have been an easy decision to make. Magruder was a Marylander.

He went from a Captain in the US Army to a Captain in the Army of Northern Virginia. His cousin was General John B. Magruder CSA.