Why Georgia?

[atlantis]

When Bragg evacuated Chattanooga, he withdrew into Georgia why not fall back on Knoxville and try and protect Tenn copper supply as well as Va saltworks.
You have a railroad to Va for supply.
Do we know why Bragg chose Ga.

 

[J. Stanley]

It isn't that hard to think.

1) Longstreet's men struggled with supplies in East Tennessee, how much worse would it be with the Army of Tennessee?

2) with the Army of Tennessee not in Georgia, Georgia is practically open for an opposing force to walk in. I doubt the heavily outnumbered Georgia militia is going to put up much of a fight.

 

[SWS]

Georgia was probably the most important State in the Confederacy.

Here's a nice map from Ted Savas' upcoming book on Col. G.W. Rains:

 

[Nathan Stuart]

That's a very informative map showing the distribution of arsenals and powder mills across the Confederacy.

In terms of the strength of only arsenals, agree on the importance of GA.

 

[atlantis]

Would you march into Ga. with the AoT deployed basically in your rear between Chattanooga and Knoxville thereby threatening your line of communications/supply.

 

[J. Stanley]

Would you march into Ga. with the AoT deployed basically in your rear between Chattanooga and Knoxville thereby threatening your line of communications/supply.

Yes, because the Army of Tennessee will run out of supplies by being at Knoxville. Seriously, this is not a video game where supplies are abstract in nature. We know the supply shortages Longstreet's Corps badly suffered during the Knoxville Campaign.

Supplies can come through the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad, but Lee's army is getting first pick for both food and materials. Since Virginia's depots were already empty on Lee's needs, supplies towards Knoxville had to be sent from Georgia in a roundabout way - which is going to happen if your enemy still occupies Chattanooga! It was so bad that it was even recommended to Longstreet to either rely on forage or evacuate East Tennessee.

 

[atlantis]

Yes, because the Army of Tennessee will run out of supplies by being at Knoxville. Seriously, this is not a video game where supplies are abstract in nature. We know the supply shortages Longstreet's Corps badly suffered during the Knoxville Campaign.

Supplies can come through the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad, but Lee's army is getting first pick for both food and materials. Since Virginia's depots were already empty on Lee's needs, supplies towards Knoxville had to be sent from Georgia in a roundabout way - which is going to happen if your enemy still occupies Chattanooga! It was so bad that it was even recommended to Longstreet to either rely on forage or evacuate East Tennessee.

Not disagreeing, Lee was also drawing on the Atlanta depot for supplies, which imho if you're going to shortchange the AoT you are setting up Atlanta to fall sooner or later. Not busting Lee here but moving the capital to Richmond distorted the view of the gov't on defense strategy.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

When Bragg evacuated Chattanooga, he withdrew into Georgia why not fall back on Knoxville and try and protect Tenn copper supply as well as Va saltworks.
You have a railroad to Va for supply.
Do we know why Bragg chose Ga.

Georgia was important for the supply of FOOD to the CSA armies, and was a key manufacturer of Confederate arms and other military items.

 

[atlantis]

Georgia was important for the supply of FOOD to the CSA armies, and was a key manufacturer of Confederate arms and other military items.

If you are Sherman what is your primary target the AoT or a distant Atlanta?

 

[JeffBrooks]

If you are Sherman what is your primary target the AoT or a distant Atlanta?

If you are Sherman, your primary target is the abstract concept of "the enemy's will to fight".

 

[atlantis]

If you are Sherman, your primary target is the abstract concept of "the enemy's will to fight".

I thought Sherman was focused on the importance of fire insurance.

 

[OpnCoronet]

It isn't that hard to think.

1) Longstreet's men struggled with supplies in East Tennessee, how much worse would it be with the Army of Tennessee?

2) with the Army of Tennessee not in Georgia, Georgia is practically open for an opposing force to walk in. I doubt the heavily outnumbered Georgia militia is going to put up much of a fight.

Good points, the supply troubles experienced by Burnside when he occupied Knoxville and he had only two small corps.

 

[ColonelBuckwalter]

Georgia was important for the supply of FOOD to the CSA armies, and was a key manufacturer of Confederate arms and other military items.

You're right. Untiln'64 it was a major supply for food. Not much of a crop in 1864, abd I'd argue that it had some effect on the AVMNV M, as well as the AoT.