First Bull Run What if Mansfield had been in command?

[Andy Cardinal]

What if is always dangerous and not particularly historical. But it can sometimes be an enjoyable exercise.

Mansfield was a candidate to command the field army that went to McDowell. He had been in charge of the Washington defenses and organized the seizing of Alexandria in May. He felt he had earned the command and was somewhat resentful that a younger man had been promoted instead of him.

What impact would Mansfield in command have had?

Of course the real answer is, we'll never know.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Mansfield had a rather different background than McDowell. McDowell had mostly been a staff officer and instructor. Mansfield had seen combat in the Mexican War and been an engineer.

We have too little data to go on, but I suspect Mansfield's thinking might have been closer to Meade than McDowell.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

I have always thought Mansfield didn't get a fair shake ("too old") during the war, and when he finally got a significant field command he was mortally wounded with days.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

As an older almost forty-year regular army man and untried senior combat commander, wonder whether his deep distrust of volunteer troops might have adversely affected his command decisions at say, First Bull Run.