"Uneducated" Corps Commanders

[MikeyB]

Were there any corps commanders generally accepted by consensus as being good commanders with no West Point education? NB Forrest comes to mind but would be curious who some of the others are.
mike

 

[thomas aagaard]

I don't believe that there where that many "none professionals" who managed to get to command at that level.
But not all professionals had been at west point. Some of the oldest generals had gotten into the regular army with out it.

Edwin Vose Sumner who commanded the federal 2nd corp in 1862 had not been at west point, but was a regular army officer who had been in service since 1819.

Another would be the traitor David E. Twiggs. He volunteered as a captain in 1812 and stayed in the army until his treason as commander of the department of texas in 1861. He then became a CSA general and got command of the Confederate Department of Louisiana.
But resigned because of age and poor health.
So not a corp commander, but commanding a CSA department was still a job for a Major general.

But csa's John B. Gordon is at least one example of a civilian who was voted captain early in the war and then by his abilities worked his way up to corp command.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

John Logan held temporary corps command after McPherson's death and many felt he deserved it permanently, but Sherman insisted on a West Pointer.

 

[GELongstreet]

Wade Hampton, commanding the cavalry corps of the ANV. Also Richard Taylor in the Trans-Mississippi.

There were more untrained/non-West Point men commanding corps in the Union Army but I´m not sure about their records (Dodge etc). Also alternative military education like prior wars (Fremont, Hurlbut) or militia service (Sickles, Butler, Cox). And some with foreign experience like Osterhaus (solid but somewhat unspectacular) and Sigel (rather opposite).

 

[Irishtom29]

In the Army of the Tennessee McClernand, Logan and Blair were non West Point corps commanders as was Palmer in the Army of the Cumberland. All were capable, even McClernand.

 

[Robin Lesjovitch]

Wade Hampton, commanding the cavalry corps of the ANV. Also Richard Taylor in the Trans-Mississippi.

I'll put a word in for Dick Taylor.
He had no formal military education, but grew up in the army, and at the highest levels.
On entering service, there was no mystery to him how armies worked.

 

[James N.]

John Logan held temporary corps command after McPherson's death and many felt he deserved it permanently, but Sherman insisted on a West Pointer.

Actually, Logan DID command the Union Fifteenth Corps throughout the Atlanta Campaign and later during the March to the Sea. It was as commander of the Army of The Tennessee (replacing McPherson who was killed during the Battle of Atlanta) that Logan served only temporarily.

 

[James N.]

I'll put a word in for Dick Taylor.
He had no formal military education, but grew up in the army, and at the highest levels.
On entering service, there was no mystery to him how armies worked.

He was also a Harvard graduate.

 

[diane]

Ben McCulloch was also uneducated. He was from a noted family but still had not much schooling. Very effective officer, too!

 

[Andy Cardinal]

Then there's Sickles.

On a serious note, Alpheus Williams, although he only held temporary corps command, was very good in my opinion.

 

[uaskme]

Frank Cheatham takes JBH's Corps at ATL. Probably saved his life At Franklin.