Where should Bragg have been put in command of?

[Wadersmith]

I've thought about this before but figured I should post it here since I'm on night shift and have nothing better to do.

Bragg is one of those who famously could "Snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" but is there a theater of the war he could have excelled in? I've often toyed with the thought of what if Bragg has been put in charge of the New Orleans defenses like he wanted in 1861, could he have done better than General Twiggs or Lovell, or would it just be a repeat of sorts of what he did in Wilmington in 1865, at the very least it might have kept him out of command postings in the future?
I've also had the thought that Bragg might have done well in the New Mexico campaign instead of Sibley.

These are just some of my quick thoughts on the matter, but I was curious as to what other people thought or had to add.

 

[MaeSophia]

Disclaimer, I have not studied Bragg in any serious depth — but from what I understand to be his strengths, his background, and his personal connections, whenever I have thought about wargaming from Jeff Davis' perspective, assigning Bragg either to New Orleans/Louisiana to design, organize, & command its defenses in particular, or possibly the Mississippi River defenses more broadly always seemed a natural assignment. Though I couldn't say for certain whether he would actually thrive or make a significant difference in such a role.

Aside from that it seems he did well in his role as an advisor/staffer to Davis. Such a position, properly constituted, may have been the ceiling for his talents at the higher levels of command & influence. Would love though those better read on Bragg to share their thoughts.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I've thought about this before but figured I should post it here since I'm on night shift and have nothing better to do.

Bragg is one of those who famously could "Snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" but is there a theater of the war he could have excelled in? I've often toyed with the thought of what if Bragg has been put in charge of the New Orleans defenses like he wanted in 1861, could he have done better than General Twiggs or Lovell, or would it just be a repeat of sorts of what he did in Wilmington in 1865, at the very least it might have kept him out of command postings in the future?
I've also had the thought that Bragg might have done well in the New Mexico campaign instead of Sibley.

These are just some of my quick thoughts on the matter, but I was curious as to what other people thought or had to add.

Good thoughts, @Wadersmith. Bragg is one of my least favorite generals of the war, and I think that since he was a good buddy of Jefferson Davis he was going to get some position of importance. Perhaps the best assignment for Bragg would have been as a military adviser to Davis.
If in a field command, Bragg's best assignment would be any in which he would have been defeated so badly and captured (even though he would have been exchanged) that Davis would not give Bragg another field command.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Bragg seems consistently praised for his training of the green troops at Pensacola. Like McClellan, he may have best served his army as the one who molds soldiers rather than one who leads them.

Chief Military Advisor to President Davis - a role held earlier in the war by Lee - suited Bragg well.

Bragg might have been a good Chief of Staff, assuming it was for a general he got along with. Bragg was a good organizer and planner, but weak at execution and not temperamentally suited for army command. He's one of those Civil War generals - there are several - who would have thrived in a later era when generals had larger staffs.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Bragg seems consistently praised for his training of the green troops at Pensacola. Like McClellan, he may have best served his army as the one who molds soldiers rather than one who leads them.

Chief Military Advisor to President Davis - a role held earlier in the war by Lee - suited Bragg well.

Bragg might have been a good Chief of Staff, assuming it was for a general he got along with. Bragg was a good organizer and planner, but weak at execution and not temperamentally suited for army command. He's one of those Civil War generals - there are several - who would have thrived in a later era when generals had larger staffs.

You are right on target, Josh, although I disagree that Bragg would have thrived if he had a larger staff. You are not necessarily wrong about that, but my opinion just differs.

 

[Stryker65]

He's one of those Civil War generals - there are several - who would have thrived in a later era when generals had larger staffs.

I'm not sure he would have wanted one. After his longest-serving COS, William W. Mackall, left to join Johnston's staff, Bragg decided he didn't need a COS. He then promptly tried to micromanage all troop movements at Chattanooga, and lost.

 

[gary]

Some administrative post where he would have a field command.

 

[LtGenHenryWagerHalleck]

Some administrative post where he would have a field command.

I think he was an advisor to Davi's for a while he didn't do too bad in that position not that he really could have done anything

 

[Stryker65]

Was Bragg suited for the Dept. of North Carolina, where he eventually ended up? His initial success at Wyse Fork was certainly impressive -- an entire Union brigade was captured there.

 

[J. Stanley]

As a general, Bragg definitely started off strong, with his Kentucky Campaign being rather inspired - while the goal of Kentucky fell far short, he still took over a defeated army in Tupelo, Mississippi, prevented the Federal advance to Chattanooga and recaptured Middle Tennessee. He became worse and worse as time went on, from a combination of deteriorating health and his personality problems leading to the toxic environment in Army of Tennessee high command (though he was not solely responsible).

He did do good work at administrative work in Richmond as Davis' military advisor and even gave rather sound advice on strategy. He did well in helping to repulse Butler's Army of the James and even suggested to Lee about an invasion of Maryland to draw the enemy's attention, eventually culminating in Jubal Early's incursion into the North. He was definitely less fruitful in the Western Theater, where he poo-pooed the idea of raiding Sherman's railroad (the thing Sherman was worried about), played a big role in putting Hood in command and even outright lied (or was misled) that the July 22 battle was a great success for the Confederacy.

Maybe if Bragg had quit the Army of Tennessee as he promised post Murfreesboro and became Davis' military advisor, he would have done far better service for the Confederacy.

He would have left with the relative success of the Kentucky Campaign and the hard blow he inflicted at Murfreesboro and before his abysmal performance at Tullahoma. His health was already breaking down at this stage so being in Richmond to convalesce would have been good for him. It did seem that his health and energy improved after his relief.

 

[JeffBrooks]

This is easy. Have Bragg replace Lucius Northrop as Commissary-General of the Confederate Army. Do that, and America might be two nations today instead of one.

 

[Wadersmith]

I think either way his promotion to a field command was inevitable due to his connections with Davis. Though I agree that he should've stayed in Florida

 

[uaskme]

He actually wasn't friends with Davis early on. Friends really don't define him. Loyalty does, he committed to adhering to Davis's tactical plans even though he didn't agree with him. Something JJ nor Beauregard would do.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Thought Bragg was a good planner and suited a backroom advisory role, provided he did not have to deal/interact with subordinates because of his abrasive/irascible style (and also because he kept grudges). His field command record throughout the CW indicated he had organizational and planning abilities but poor field command skills in both offensive and defensive operations. In hindsight, he needed to be kept away from participating in any active command structure.

 

[Stryker65]

He actually wasn't friends with Davis early on. Friends really don't define him. Loyalty does, he committed to adhering to Davis's tactical plans even though he didn't agree with him. Something JJ nor Beauregard would do.

With all we know about Bragg, how did he even become friends with Davis?? How did Davis still want to be friends with him??

 

[OpnCoronet]

Bragg had the same problem with the AoT that the commanders of the AoP had. Not very good Corps Commanders. One bad apple can spoil the whole barrel and the AoT had more than one. Lincoln would not allow Burnside to choose his own Corps Commanders and Davis would not let Bragg clean his house either.

From Davis' perspective, the question would have been , who was available that could reasonably have been expected to do any better?

I am not saying Bragg was any paragon of military leadership, but, from his record of accomplishments in the West matches any others and exceeds most. It might be better to ask who would have been better?

Davis had the same problem as Davis in choosing a commander of his Armies, he was not satisfied to have anybody in command, he had to have somebody.

P.S. Although I am intrigued by the suggestion of replacing Northrop.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

You are right on target, Josh, although I disagree that Bragg would have thrived if he had a larger staff. You are not necessarily wrong about that, but my opinion just differs.

I meant larger staffs would have allowed guys like Bragg to have spent 1861-1865 serving on someone else's staff, rather than holding field commands they were unsuited for.

Rosecrans, McDowell, and Warren were three other generals who were - for various reasons - better off planning and advising than they were at leading and executing.

 

[uaskme]

With all we know about Bragg, how did he even become friends with Davis?? How did Davis still want to be friends with him??

Don't think being Friends was ever an issue. I don't think they were. Bragg got married. Requested a change of duty posts. He was to be sent to Missouri. Not a place you wanted to take your wife, in the frontier. Sec of War Davis rejected the request. So Bragg resigned and went to LA and became a Sugar Planter.

So War comes. Bragg goes to Pensacola and trains Troops. He constantly moves troops to be commanded by other Officers. Which is a sign of Loyalty. Then during the War, Bragg tells Davis he will support his policies which Bragg doesn't agree with. Bragg along with JJ and Beauregard all believe in a force consolidation in the West. Davis sends JJ to the AOT at Tullahoma. Request JJ to relieve Bragg. Question on Honor and he refuses. So Davis loses At Gettysburg, Vicksburg and middle Tennessee. Davis get major Political pushback for this. The Anti Davis faction champions JJ because Davis has refused to elevate Beauregard again. Louis T Wigfall is one of the leaders of the Anti Davis political faction. JJ recovered from his wounds at Wigfall's home. Isn't political for JJ. Sure as Hell is for Davis. So, politically if you want to get at Davis, simple you attack Bragg. Which there is good reason. So, does Davis give in to his Anti Faction?

Then after Missionary Ridge, Bragg tenders his resignation again to Davis. This time he accepts. He dose save him. Sends him to Richmond as his Advisor. Politically and with little else options he gives the AOT to JJ. So Bragg becomes Davis's eyes and ears to look after JJ. Whom Bragg despises because Davis sent him to Tullahoma. Bragg is the one Davis sends to ATL. Same Bragg that despises JJ, Cheatham, Hardee and many others. Participated in Hood relieving JJ.

So, long story short. I don't think this was a issue of Friendship.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I meant larger staffs would have allowed guys like Bragg to have spent 1861-1865 serving on someone else's staff, rather than holding field commands they were unsuited for.

Rosecrans, McDowell, and Warren were three other generals who were - for various reasons - better off planning and advising than they were at leading and executing.

You are precisely correct, @Josh The Lighthouse Guy!

 

[Stryker65]

Don't think being Friends was ever an issue. I don't think they were. Bragg got married. Requested a change of duty posts. He was to be sent to Missouri. Not a place you wanted to take your wife, in the frontier. Sec of War Davis rejected the request. So Bragg resigned and went to LA and became a Sugar Planter.

So War comes. Bragg goes to Pensacola and trains Troops. He constantly moves troops to be commanded by other Officers. Which is a sign of Loyalty. Then during the War, Bragg tells Davis he will support his policies which Bragg doesn't agree with. Bragg along with JJ and Beauregard all believe in a force consolidation in the West. Davis sends JJ to the AOT at Tullahoma. Request JJ to relieve Bragg. Question on Honor and he refuses. So Davis loses At Gettysburg, Vicksburg and middle Tennessee. Davis get major Political pushback for this. The Anti Davis faction champions JJ because Davis has refused to elevate Beauregard again. Louis T Wigfall is one of the leaders of the Anti Davis political faction. JJ recovered from his wounds at Wigfall's home. Isn't political for JJ. Sure as Hell is for Davis. So, politically if you want to get at Davis, simple you attack Bragg. Which there is good reason. So, does Davis give in to his Anti Faction?

Then after Missionary Ridge, Bragg tenders his resignation again to Davis. This time he accepts. He dose save him. Sends him to Richmond as his Advisor. Politically and with little else options he gives the AOT to JJ. So Bragg becomes Davis's eyes and ears to look after JJ. Whom Bragg despises because Davis sent him to Tullahoma. Bragg is the one Davis sends to ATL. Same Bragg that despises JJ, Cheatham, Hardee and many others. Participated in Hood relieving JJ.

So, long story short. I don't think this was a issue of Friendship.

Makes more sense. So, something of the One General Who Supports Davis's Policies, instead?