The Bragg Men

[Will Carry]

Bragg was a fighter. When confronted by a force of superior number, he would attack first. He came so close to winning battles like Stones River.

 

[highplainsdrifter59]

Bragg was a fighter. When confronted by a force of superior number, he would attack first. He came so close to winning battles like Stones River.

Then why did he allow Rosecrans to fall back into Chattanooga uncontested? Then Bragg sit atop Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, while they grew stronger and stronger, have Rosecrans replaced and Grant come in? He was facing superior numbers, and a routed superior numbered army at that. Then a half starved superior army while they sat in Chattanooga awaiting supplies.
But yet....Bragg sat.

 

[Will Carry]

Then why did he allow Rosecrans to fall back into Chattanooga uncontested? Then Bragg sit atop Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, while they grew stronger and stronger, have Rosecrans replaced and Grant come in? He was facing superior numbers, and a routed superior numbered army at that. Then a half starved superior army while they sat in Chattanooga awaiting supplies.
But yet....Bragg sat.

I'm not sure why Bragg did that Highplainsdrifter. Where Lee could do no wrong. Bragg could do no right. He had some qualities that would have made him a great general and he had some weaknesses and enemies. I certainly am not saying he was a great general just that he almost was a good one.

 

[highplainsdrifter59]

By that time, meaning Chattanooga, Bragg had lost so much respect from his higher ranked generals and the fighting men just wanted him gone. They had seen or heard enough about Bragg to develop a resentment toward his command.
But Bragg had a long history dating back to the Mexican War of the men under him not liking him and stories of them even attempting to kill him. Now, to me that sure isn't a very well-liked man.
Again here we see another problem with Jefferson Davis trying to control everything that was happening in the war. Bragg was a Davis man and to rid Bragg of command was Davis admitting his choices were not the best choice. Davis was not inclined to go about admitting he did anything wrong.