Pendleton

[MikeyB]

Don't really know much on this topic - is William Nelson Pendleton considered a mediocre or a poor commander? And if the latter, why did Lee never replace him? Was he a true Chief of Artillery, or was artillery command in the Confederate army decentralized and really at the disposal of the corps commanders anyway?

Mike

 

[redbob]

I believe that the biggest strike against Pendleton was that he was unsuited for command and well past his prime. Plus, his close ties to both Lee and Jefferson Davis certainly didn't hurt his chances of being kept when he should have gone. As one staff officer referred to him, He was a stupid, useless old fool.

 

[Belfoured]

Don't really know much on this topic - is William Nelson Pendleton considered a mediocre or a poor commander? And if the latter, why did Lee never replace him? Was he a true Chief of Artillery, or was artillery command in the Confederate army decentralized and really at the disposal of the corps commanders anyway?

Mike

I think "as bad as it gets" might suffice. Whenever he actually got involved disaster seemed to ensue. Ultimately under Lee he effectively commanded only the Reserve, leaving a lot of control with the three ANV corps artillery officers after Gettysburg (Long, Alexander, and Walker). I believe that Lee thought about moving him to a backwater job but he had connections with Davis.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

I've had the impression that he was decent administrator but a poor field commander.

 

[Belfoured]

I've had the impression that he was decent administrator but a poor field commander.

I think that would be the consensus. That role would be something different from the one he held - maybe in Richmond.