Gents.
$0.02's worth.
I wouldn't be read up on the Western Theatre well enough to pronounce condemnation on Braxton Bragg . . . . but . . . . .
From the little I have read . . . NO General would have come out of a situation with his stats gleaming, if that situation was in any way similar to Bragg's. Don't get Me wrong here . . he was an ill man, with a dire personality and a Staff in open Rebellion. With Polk as Leader and Hardee, Cleburne, Buckner, et al ~ performing the "et tu Brutus" routine on Him . . . . it was only his Friendship with Jeff Davis that kept him in Command.
He had his weaknesses as an Army Commander . . . particularly Indecision at crucial periods of a Campaign . . . .
The circumstances of his Resignation merely indicate to Me, that his bad Health, weariness at fighting 2 Wars - 1 agin the Yank and 1 agin the CSA WT Command - coupled with his recent Military reversals, eventually disheartened Bragg to the degree that He finally threw his hat at the whole ball of Wax.
As to his Military capabilities - Polk and to a lesser degree Hardee strove to disobey or wilfully "misunderstand" Bragg's directives to an extent that - some of his intentions in the field of Military endeavour, were doomed to failure . . . not because they were "Bad Tactics", rather that they were Good on Paper, but were refused the possibility of sucess, by Polk & Co., throwing a spanner in the works at a critical juncture in the execution of his Plans.
Hood - in his determination to "Glorify" the War in the eyes of CSA Public and his conviction to spill as much blood as possible in order to wash away his personal weaknesses as a Corps and particularly an Army Commander . . . . was a much worse General than Bragg.
As to Joe Johnston's performance . . . Jeff Davis placed him in a position where Johnston was arguing that Atlanta was indefensible, Davis insisted that Johnston MUST defend it . . . Joe withdrew a number of times thru' clever and effective manoeuvring by the Yanks and Hood proved Johnston was correct all along . . . . with his disastrous efforts once Johnston had been removed.
Pat.
Patrick G.M.Carroll,
Major General.
Carroll's Corps,(II)
"Spartan Southrons"
Army of Georgia.
C.S.A.Cabinet Secretary
" When My Country takes it's rightful place, amongst the Nations of the World, then and only then, let My Epitaph be written. "
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