OpnCoronet
Lt. Colonel
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2010
We have to be logical in viewing the situation at the time and reasonable in our conclusions.
I find it ludicrous to assume any officer or men of even reasonable intelligence, who saw it at the time, could think the center of Missionary Ridge could be taken by a frontal assault. Certainly Grant, Thomas and Sherman did not think so.
Logically, if one cannot got through the Main Line, then the only alternative is to around Which Grant obviously did. First a diversionary attack on one Confederate flank, with the main attack on the other flank.
Tunnel Hill was easily defensible and Sherman, as was his wont, was tactically clumsy making Cleburne's defense all the more easy.
Grant orders Thomas to take the rifle pits at the base of the ridge. Thomas demurs, not wanting to move until the status of Hookers diversion at Lookout Mtn is progressing(relations between Grant and Tomas were already chilly, and Thomas' refusal probably did little to warm things up)
This far I believe the history is pretty clear, but now, questions appear
Grant now insists for Thomas to attack and Thomas orders Grainger to do so. The question is did Grant, Thomas or Grainger order the attack to be a full scale assault on the center of the Confederate Army on Missionary Ridge by the entire AOC? Logic and Reason argues .... No. If so, then, to me, it must have been a mistake , either in the order(s) or their interpretation and since I doubt any of the commanders would have done so, then it would seem that the mistake was/were in interpretation, which I believe is the consensus of most historians and those on this thread.
I find it ludicrous to assume any officer or men of even reasonable intelligence, who saw it at the time, could think the center of Missionary Ridge could be taken by a frontal assault. Certainly Grant, Thomas and Sherman did not think so.
Logically, if one cannot got through the Main Line, then the only alternative is to around Which Grant obviously did. First a diversionary attack on one Confederate flank, with the main attack on the other flank.
Tunnel Hill was easily defensible and Sherman, as was his wont, was tactically clumsy making Cleburne's defense all the more easy.
Grant orders Thomas to take the rifle pits at the base of the ridge. Thomas demurs, not wanting to move until the status of Hookers diversion at Lookout Mtn is progressing(relations between Grant and Tomas were already chilly, and Thomas' refusal probably did little to warm things up)
This far I believe the history is pretty clear, but now, questions appear
Grant now insists for Thomas to attack and Thomas orders Grainger to do so. The question is did Grant, Thomas or Grainger order the attack to be a full scale assault on the center of the Confederate Army on Missionary Ridge by the entire AOC? Logic and Reason argues .... No. If so, then, to me, it must have been a mistake , either in the order(s) or their interpretation and since I doubt any of the commanders would have done so, then it would seem that the mistake was/were in interpretation, which I believe is the consensus of most historians and those on this thread.