Removal from command - most deserving?

[StephenColbert27]

In my humble opinion, the dubious honor goes to Brig. James Ledlie of the Union 9th Corps for his dereliction of duty at the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg.
" The Union plan was to exploit the explosion by sending well-rehearsed African-American troops of Edward Ferrero's division into the gap and driving for critical objectives deep in the Confederate rear area. The plan was modified at the last minute, however, due to political concerns about the effect the black troops would have on the Confederate soldiers and the public in general. Burnside, despondent at the change in plans, resorted to a lottery to select a replacement division. Ledlie drew the short straw and disaster resulted. He did not brief his troops beforehand and they entered the crater out of curiosity instead of moving safely around its rim, as Ferrero's division had been trained to do. Unable to exit the steep sides of the crater, they were slaughtered by Confederates firing down on them. Over 5,300 Union troops were casualties in the ill-fated battle that achieved none of its objectives. But most ****ing for Ledlie's reputation was the fact that he did not lead, or even accompany, his men into battle. He and Ferrero were observed behind the lines in a bunker, drinking liquor." ( Wikipedia )
Ledlie faced a court martial and was subsequently dismissed by Gen. Meade, on orders from Gen. Grant.

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The leadership, from Burnside on down, was deplorable. The initial plan, as formed by Meade and Grant to exploit the breakthrough, was excellent. The men themselves were game. But their officers failed them. The officer corps of the IX totally botched it.

 

[Aussie Billy Sherman]

The leadership, from Burnside on down, was deplorable. The initial plan, as formed by Meade and Grant to exploit the breakthrough, was excellent. The men themselves were game. But their officers failed them. The officer corps of the IX totally botched it.

How hard would it to have been to tell the men to go around the crater instead of into it? Also, the union advance was so late the rebels had time to recover

 

[TFSmith121]

Pope (and Foote) beat McCown and Mackall pretty handily at Island Number 10; removing 5,000-7,000 reasonably well-equipped troops from the rebel,order of battle and pushing the front line on the River south to Fort Pillow/Memphis in the spring of 1862 was a more effective offensive then any the rebels staged in the same year.

He probably would have done fairly well as a corps-level commander under Grant, with a focus on the riverine campaigns. His force at Island Number 10 was specifically organized as a light corps of small infantry divisions and brigades, a separate "flotilla" brigade, a cavalry brigade, and corps/army level engineers, artillery, etc., and he had some capable subordinates.

Best,

 

[matthew mckeon]

Almost by definition, most of these examples did well enough or achieved some success at a lower level. If they hadn't they wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to mess up big time at a higher level. Think about Hooker, a brave and capable corps commander who allowed himself to be psyched out, then outmaneuvered when he was in army command.

 

[GS]

Civil War Trust phrases it as "Hood was relieved of his rank (at his own request) in January of 1865 and returned to his post as lieutenant general," so seems like some of both ... but presumably if he hadn't requested relief, Bragg or Kirby Smith as the theater commander would have done so in favor of Taylor; it's not like Hood had much of a command left anyway, after Nashville.

http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/john-bell-hood.html

Best,

If you have ever worked in corporate America, you understand how executive resignations work. Behind closed doors, an ultimatum is given. You will resign and leave with your head held high, or we will remove you. Hood, after Nashville, was an embarrassment to Davis. And yes, Hood's men were decimated by his his foolhardy leadership. If he wasn't removed, he should have been.

 

[BrianB]

May I nominate another candidate? Col. Robert C. Murphy, 8th Wisconsin. In command at Holly Springs, MS in December 1862. Received a telegraphed warning from US Grant of the approach of Confederate cavalry (i.e. Van Dorn and 3,500 men). Without explanation, Murphy utterly ignored the warning. Was caught in his bed (as were most of his 1,500 men).

Dismissed by Grant afterwards.

 

[Bruce Vail]

I agree that Holmes deserves to be removed from command, especially for the disaster that was the Battle of Helena. However, Holmes wasn't removed from command. After the defeat at Helena, the stress triggered an illness that forced Holmes to relinquish command of the District of Arkansas. He missed the Little Rock Campaign, and after although he resumed command again for the winter of 1863-64, he resigned before the Red River and Camden Expeditions began. He was in the words of his superior, E. Kirby Smith, "a true patriot, faithful, and devoted; time, his troubles, and responsibilities have preyed upon him, his memory is failing, he has no confidence in hiself, and is without fixity of purpose. I love him for his virtues, but a younger man should command the District of Arkansas, where boldness, energy, and activity, with prudence, are essential to success."1


1. O.R. Series 1, Vol. 34 (2), 870.

Gen. Holmes had also been removed from command from his earlier assignment in Virginia. From wiki:

"After the Seven Days Battles, Robert E. Lee expressed displeasure at Holmes's mediocre performance. The two also had fundamental disagreements on strategy and Lee appears to have not been alone in his belief that the nearly 60-year-old Holmes was too old, sluggish, and passive (better as an administrator than a field commander) to wage the aggressive war of movement that Lee planned. In truth, the entire Confederate counterattack in the Seven Days Battles had been handled defectively and many generals were to blame, including Lee himself. Jefferson Davis in particular did not think Holmes was any more at fault than the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia's command structure. Nonetheless, his age and unremarkable record in the war up to this point were factors against him and Lee quickly made it clear that Holmes would not make the cut during the post-Seven Days restructuring of the army."

 

[Bruce Vail]

If you have ever worked in corporate America, you understand how executive resignations work. Behind closed doors, an ultimatum is given. You will resign and leave with your head held high, or we will remove you. Hood, after Nashville, was an embarrassment to Davis. And yes, Hood's men were decimated by his his foolhardy leadership. If he wasn't removed, he should have been.

Not for nothing. Modern corporate leadership structures have been explicitly designed to conform to the military model. That is, there is a clear and direct chain of command, and any one specific individual is able to replaced at a moments' notice without impairing the the ability of the organization to continue in its assigned role.

The phoney-baloney stories that you see in business pages of the newspaper about execs resigning "to spend more time with the family" or "to pursue other opportunities" are just modern variations of the military model, where a failing officer is re-assigned to a less visible role. In the modern corporation, usually no specific blame is attached to failure, and some money changes hands to assuage hurt feelings.

 

[ErnieMac]

From the Official Report of Lieutenant Colonel Robert A. Fulton of the 53rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry concerning the opening of the Battle of Shiloh. Colonel Jesse Apple, commander of the 53rd, was relieved of his duties shortly afterward.

"General Sherman, riding back, ordered Colonel Appler to hold his position; he would support him. A battery opened upon us. The section of artillery on our right, after firing two shots limbered up and went to the rear. A line of rebel infantry advanced to within fifty yards and were fired in to by the left wing and recoiled. Advancing again, they were met by a fire from the regiment, under which they again fell back. At this time Colonel Appler gave the command: 'Fall back and save yourselves.' Hearing this order, the regiment fell back in disorder, passing around the flanks of the Illinois 49th."​

1

 

[Carronade]

Ledlie was drunk at the North Anna too but Burnside didn't know about it.

I think that was even worse than the Crater. At the Crater, Ledlie was acting under orders which had been changed at the last minute by higher command for political reasons. North Anna was Ledlie going off on his own. Grant was trying to get an assault going, but no one ordered Ledlie to attack as he did - or more accurately, as he made his men do.

 

[Rebforever]

CSA Major General Benjamin Huger who was relieved of command by R.E. Lee after ineffective performance during the Seven Days campaign.

Hugar lost his job as a scape goat of Longstreet.

According to Johnston's battle plan, Huger's three brigades were placed under the command of Maj. Gen. James Longstreet as a support, but Huger was never notified of this. On June 1 as he moved his men toward the fight, their march was blocked by Longstreet's columns—who had taken an incorrect road—and halted. Huger found Longstreet, asked about the delay, and for the first time learned his role and the command relationship. Huger then asked whether he or Longstreet was the senior officer and was told that Longstreet was, which he accepted as true although it was not.[18] This delay and Longstreet's instructions to stand by and wait for orders prevented Huger's division from supporting the advance on time and hampered the overall Confederate attack. In his official report of the Battle of Seven Pines, Longstreet unjustly blamed Huger for the less than completely successful action, complaining of his tardiness on May 31 but not relating the reason for the delay.[19] In a private letter to an injured Johnston written on June 7, Longstreet stated:

The failure of complete success on Saturday [May 31] I attribute to the slow movements of Gen. Huger's command... I can't help but think that a display of his forces on the left flank of the enemy, by Gen. Huger, would have completed the affair... Slow men are a little out of place upon the field.[20]

Once he learned he had been criticized and blamed, Huger asked Johnston to investigate; however this was refused. He then asked President Davis to order a court-martial, but, although approved, it never took place. Writing after the war, Edward Porter Alexander stated: "Indeed, it is almost tragic the way in which he became the scapegoat of this occasion." referring to Huger.

 

[Mike Griffith]

Braxton Bragg awe heck he wasn't removed was he. I'll give it another try

Bragg was removed--eventually. And then, incredibly enough, given a position as a presidential adviser on military affairs!

Jefferson Davis was a decent, honorable man, and in fact was ahead of his times on certain aspects of race relations, but he was an abysmal chief executive, just abysmal. If one didn't know better, one would almost think he was secretly working for the Radical Republicans.

 

[E_just_E]

John C Fremont. Every single time he was removed from command.

 

[novushomus]

Bragg wasn't removed. He resigned and Davis was loathe to replace him.

 

[NedBaldwin]

Gen. Holmes had also been removed from command from his earlier assignment in Virginia.

To be assigned commander of the Trans-Mississippi department, a larger command than he had in Virginia.

 

[Ole Miss]

May I humble submit Samuel Sturgis for nomination for the Most Inept Performer? His record simply, yet elegantly, provides all that is needed for an impartial judgment.
Regards
David

 

[Jimklag]

General James H. Ledlie whose dereliction of duty at the Crater at Petersburg was breathtaking.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

1. Burnside
2. Pope
3. Gustuvus Smith

I think Pope showed some ability that has been overshadowed by his abysmal performance at 2nd Bull Run. However he and Burnside top my list because they lost the confidence of the officers and men serving under them.

 

[Saint Jude]

John C. Caldwell.

If I recall correctly, a military court of inquiry exonerated Caldwell after Antietam.

 

[Saint Jude]

Most undeserving: Alfred Sully. Gibbon removed him because he didn't threaten to shoot (or actually shoot) a regiment that was resisting orders. An investigation cleared Sully, but it ruined his reputation within the AoP. He went West to fight Indians and ended up being much better at it than Gibbon was when he eventually arrived.