Happy Presidents Day

Here is a funny story I heard about William T. Sherman and Braxton Bragg. It also fits as a joke for Presidents Day. Before the war Sherman and Bragg were friends. Braxton helped get Sherman a job at the Lousina Military Institute prior to the firing on Fort Sumpter. Upon resigning his post at the Institute on Feb. 17 Sherman bide farewell to the men that his future army would battle against. The tearful farewell was followed by a tea party with Mrs. Braxton Bragg, Sherman and Bragg himself.

During the get together Bragg complianed that Confederate President Jefferson Davis did not put him in command of the new Confederate army. Davis went with Beauregard instead.

Mrs. Bragg remarked to Sherman "You know, my husband is not in favor with the new President."

To this Sherman replied "I didn't know that Bragg knew Mr. Lincoln."

Mrs. Bragg responded "I didn't mean your President, but our President."

General Bragg loved his soldiers

It is said that General Braxton Bragg was hated by his men. Confederate
Private Sam Watkins is one of those men who despised General Bragg. If that hatred was true one thing is certain, Bragg didn't publicly write about any hatred that he might have had towards his men. In fact, Bragg honored them. I recently found this in Braxton Bragg's Offical Report on the Battle of Stones River. Written nearly two months after the battle General Bragg states:

"To the private soldier a fair meed of praise is due; and though it is
so seldom given and so rarely expected that it may be considered out of
place, I cannot, in justice to myself, withhold the opinion ever
entertained and so often expressed during our struggle for independence.
In the absence of the instruction and discipline of old armies, and of
the confidence which long association produces between veterans, we have
had in a great measure to trust to the individuality and self-reliance
of the private soldier. Without the incentive or the motive which controls the officer, who hopes to live in history; without the hope of reward, and actuated only by a sense of duty and of patriotism, he has, in this great contest, justly judged that the cause was his own, and gone into it with a determination to conquer or die; to be free or not to be at all. No encomium is too high, no honor too great for such a soldiery, However much of credit and glory may be given, and probably justly given, the leaders in our struggle, history will yet award the main honor where it is due--to the private soldier, who, without hope of reward, and with no other incentive than a consciousness of rectitude, has en countered all the hardships and suffered all the privations. Well has it been said, "The first monument our Confederacy rears, when our independence shall have been won, should be a lofty shaft, pure and spotless, bearing this inscription, 'To the unknown and unrecorded
dead."

What more can be said? It is obvious that Bragg and a deep compassion
and respect for the common soldier. I am not saying that Sam Watkins
was wrong becase a lot of his soldiers wrote about there contempt for
General Bragg. The above quotation exposes a part of Bragg that I
didn't know exist and shows us how we need to reflect on all historical
accounts not just the ones written by the best Civil War authors.
Perhaps Bragg's comments are a bunch of crap but I doubt it. I saluate

Bragg on his honorable comments towards his soldiers and Civil War
soldiers in general. They were the greatest generation.

Bragg's full report at Stone's River can be located at:

http://www.civilwarhome.com/stonebrg.htm

General Bragg. Was he better than we think?

The casual Civil War buff might think poorly of Confederate General Braxton Bragg. His men hated him, the generals who served with him thought of him as a failure. After the war many of these men wrote accounts that historians have mined for decades. From here the legend of Bragg as one of the worst generals in history developed. A perfect article written by a fellow Civil War buff paints a different picture of Bragg. Click on the following link and let me know what you think.

http://users.aol.com/cinticwrt/bragg.html

Now that you've read that article I think that the author has made a decent case. I've talked about R.E. Lee and how his reputation was enhanced by postwar writings. Meanwhile, Jame Longstreet's reputation was run through the mud and utterly discredited. Perhaps Bragg's reputation was ruined by those writers who had the loudest voices. Those voices painted him as the Count Dracula of Confederate Generals. He was too strict, he didn't develop good feelings from the common solider and his fellow generals hated him. This article does a great job by asking a question that I never thought of before. Maybe Bragg wasn't as bad as we think he was.

Forgotten Battles of the Civil War: The Battle of Perryville, October 8, 1862

During his Confederate military career Private Sam Watkins would fight at; Franklin, Nashville, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Chickamauga, Stones River and the battles for Atlanta. Somehow, Mr. Watkins would survive these horrible battles and he would immortalize them in his postwar memoirs. With that experience in mind Watkins would write the following about the lesser known Battle of Perryville.

"Such obstinate fighting I never had seen before or since," wrote Confederate Private Sam Watkins on the Battle of Perryville. "The guns were discharged so rapidly that it seemed the earth itself was in a volcanic uproar. The iron storm passed through our ranks, mangling and tearing men to pieces… Our men were dead and dying right in the very midst of this grand havoc of battle."

On October 8, 1862, Watkins along with 18,000 Confederate troops clashed with just over 20,000 Union solders on the hills outside Perryville, Kentucky. Nearly 7,500 men were killed or wounded in the largest battle to ever take place on Kentucky soil. Why are many historians calling Perryville the “high water mark of the Confederacy in the Western Theatre? Today, my Forgotten Battles of the Civil War Series will explore the neglected Battle of Perryville, the facts surrounding it and its overall implications for both sides.

In mid-July 1862 Confederate Generals Braxton Bragg and Edmund Kirby Smith met in Chattanooga Tennessee to discuss strategy. Union General Ulysses S. Grant’s victories at Fort Donelson and Shiloh had lowered southern morale and effectively placed the momentum on the northern side. Both Smith and Bragg wisely concluded that to regain momentum and lost territory something drastic and aggressive had to be done.

They decided on a “two-pronged” invasion of Kentucky and their strategy sought to achieve two important goals. First, Kentucky was a border state that sent an equal number of troops to both sides during the war. Bragg and Smith hoped that invading the Bluegrass State would muster more troops to the dwindling western Confederate armies. Secondly, an invasion would draw Union forces out of Kentucky and a rebel victory would give control of the Western Theatre back to the men in butternut. They agreed to move north to Knoxville, Tennessee and begin their invasion on August 14.

Both Bragg and Smith couldn’t have asked for a better beginning to their plans. After splitting up into their “two-pronged” invasion both generals achieved some successes. Bragg captured a Union garrison at Munfordville and Smith defeated Union forces in a small contest known as the Battle of Richmond. Within a few weeks the Confederates had captured the cities of Lexington and Frankfurt. Moreover, troops under Bragg controlled the vital railroads that linked the important Kentuckian cities to one another. Things were looking really good for the rebels because they were controlling most of Kentucky and were threatening to conquer the entire state. Also, Confederate forced under Henry Heth had pushed some 35 miles south of Cincinnati causing fear to spread throughout that Ohioan city.

These successes didn’t go unnoticed by the Northern side. Union General Don Carlos Buell, commander of the Army of the Ohio, moved his 20,000 troops from Nashville to Bowling Green, Kentucky. Buell wisely asserted that he needed to defeat Bragg first in order to regain control of the railroad and he ordered an advance to Munfordville.

The men on both sides were equally put off by the draught that occurred within the area. The first casualties on both sides resulted from the want of water. A Union colonel wrote “we passed two men lying on the roadside having died from sunstroke.” Even the mighty Chaplin River was running dry and the heat was unbearable for the men as they lumbered towards the Perryville area. In fact the battle itself began as a contest over water. Everyone remembers Gettysburg as a clash over shoes and this battle would begin under similar circumstances.

On October 7, Arkansas troops moved west of town to secure the water in the area. At the same time a Union reconnaissance expedition reported that water was available west of town. Buell ordered troops under Brig. Gen. Phillip Sheridan to the area to control this valuable resource for the Federals. Also, the heights overlooking the area (known as Peter’s Hill) were also sought by the men in blue. Around 3:00 a.m. on October 8 Sheridan’s forces clashed with the Arkansas troops. The Battle of Perryville had begun.

Braxton Bragg unwisely believed that the Union forces that opposed him were smaller than his own. He felt that most of Federal forces had concentrated near Frankfort and he felt that a quick victory was achievable at Perryville. Sensing the momentum on his side Bragg ordered his 16,000 men to attack the 22,000 Union soldiers on his front. At 2:00 p.m. on October 9, Confederate forces under Major General Ben Cheatham crossed the dry Chaplin River and attacked Maj. Gen. Alexander McCook’s forces who had taken up a strong defensive position on a bluff. The rebels took heavy casualties but managed to force McCook’s men back by rolling the Union flank.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Confederate army struck the Union center and right flanks respectively. The troops attacking the Union center were under the command of Thomas Jones and John C. Brown. Rebel general Simon Buckner was in command of the Confederates who attacked the Union right flank. The men under McCook were also forced back from these areas and it looked like a major Confederate victory was at hand. Forcing the Northerners back took its toll on the attackers. One Union soldier later commented that the numerous dead bodies showed that the rebels had been “severely punished” for their assault.

Fierce fighting continued when Federal forces reformed their battle lines to stop the Confederate advance. With their forces finally out in the open the Northern army began to take horrendous casualties. The 22nd Indiana infantry lost nearly 70% of its force as the men in blue began to fight for their survival. Some of the most forgotten and yet some of the fiercest hand to hand combat of the war occurred as the Union forces attempted to make their stand along several roads outside Perryville. The Federals managed to force the Confederates back in some places and General Sheridan even led a charge that saved the Army of the Ohio from destruction. At nightfall the bloodshed ceased ending nearly five hours of intense fighting. General McCook admitted that his force “was badly whipped.” During the night Bragg realized that the force opposite him was larger than he had originally thought. Moreover, his side had suffered terribly and he quickly ordered a retreat.

As Braggs men retreated that evening the men in gray could only claim a hollow victory. Tactically they had won the Battle of Perryville by easily whipping McCooks force. However, the strategic victory belonged to the Northern side because Bragg was forced out of Kentucky as a result of this battle. With the invasion ended, Southeners could find little refuge in tactical victories. Sam Watkins would later write that both sides claimed victory at Perryville but in reality both sides were thoroughly whipped.

The Battle of Perryville had further ramifications than strategic or tactical victories. The casualties on both sides amounted to nearly 7,500 men (US 4,211; CS 3,196). Like most Civil War battlefields the victors were confronted with a scene of death and destruction. One Federal commented on the battlefield “It was a horrible sight, for four mile the fields are strewn with the dead of both parties.” As surgeons and burial details tended to the wounded and dead respectively the stench of death continued in the city of Perryville. In fact, the last recorded death as a result of the battle occurred on March 23, 1863. That date was nearly nine months after the battle.

Many historians called the Battle of Perryville the “high water mark of the Confederacy in the West.” The invasion would be the first and last time that a Confederate army would enter Kentucky. With the area secured, the North was able to use it as a jump off point to eventually secure Tennessee which in itself would serve as a jump off point to capture Atlanta. Ironically Bragg and Smith had planned their invasion in Chattanooga and that city would be the same place that Sherman would begin his Atlanta Campaign.

Today the battlefield is home to one of the most famous and best Civil War reenactments. More information can be found at the following webpages.

http://www.battleofperryville.com/index.html

http://www.perryville.net/

http://civilwar.org/historyclassroom/hc_perryvillehist.htm

http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/ky/ky009.html

http://www.perryvillereenactment.org/

http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp/battles/ky009.htm

Eight Full Confederate Generals

During the short history of the Confederate States Army there were only seven full generals. Here is a list of them.

Samuel Cooper
Albert Sidney Johnston
P.G.T. Beauregard
Joseph E. Johnston
Robert E. Lee
John Bell Hood
Braxton Bragg
Kirby Smith

Thomas J. Jackson and James Longstreet were not full generals even though the average Civil War buff will tell you that. The Confederate Congress and Jefferson Davis only appoved eight full general commissions during the course of the war. Cooper never took the field, Johnston was killed in 1862, Beauregard/Johnston had checkered histories as field officers, Hood was a failure, Smith bitched a lot but did nothing. Only Lee was successful. Braxton Bragg, like Johnston and Beauregard struggled as a field commander.

The Forgotten Battles of the Civil War: The Battle of Wauhatchie, October 28-29 1863

I wanted to make my blog unique from other blogs by talking about unusual and unique things that make it so interesting to me. One element that I am adding to my blog is "The Forgotten Battles of the Civil War". With this feature I will explore an unknown or forgotten battle and provide the importance of the battle within the larger scale of the war. The Battle of Wauhatchie is unique for several distinct reasons. First, it was one of the rare night battles of the war. Battles during that time period were usually fought during the day because it was easier to see the enemy and achieve victory. Secondly, the battle was one of the events that caused dissention and enforced the discord amongst James Longstreet's First Corps. Also, the battle involved Confederate General Evander M. Law and that makes it partiually appealing to me. Finally, the battle has recieved scant attention and when i've read histories of it I always walk away confused about it. So here goes.

Confederate General Braxton Bragg and the Army of Tennessee began a siege of Chattanooga after their smasing victory at Chickamuaga in September 1863. After recieving reinforcements and a new commander named U.S. Grant the Federal forces looked to establish a supply line for their troops. Grant felt that the Union army could easily whip Bragg's forces after establishing an opening for military and food supplies. The new Union commander ordered what would be later known as "The Cracker Line Operation" in an effort to break the siege on October 26, 1863.

The Federal objective was the opening of the Kelley's Ferry road which led to Chattanooga from Brown’s Ferry on the Tennessee River. Also a simultaneous advance up Lookout Valley would secure the opportunity for Grant's army to begin attacking the Confederate siege lines. Federal forces under Brigader General William Smith and Brigader General William Hazen were ordered to establish a beachhead at Brown's Ferry. Meanwhile, three divisions under General Joseph Hooker would through Lookout Valley towards Brown's Ferry. At 3:00 am, on October 27, portions of Hazen’s brigade embarked upon pontoons and floated around Moccasin Bend to Brown’s Ferry. Confederate forces assigned to protect this vital area were easily pushed back and the Federals were victorious in establishing their beachhead.

In order to protect his communcations, Hooker detached Brig. Gen. John W. Geary’s division at Wauhatchie Station on October 28th. After observing these Federal movements, Confederate commanders James Longstreet and Braxton Bragg decided to make a night assault against Union forces. Their assualt was scheduled for 10 p.m on October 28 but confusion delayed their assualt until after midnight. Longstreet put two of his best brigaders in charge of his attack. Brigader General Micah Jenkins was placed in overall command of the movement and his suborniate was Brigader General Evander M. Law. Both men had been rivals for command of one of Longstreets best fighting positions and this conflict would play a role in the battle to come.

Jenkins placed Law's brigade on high ground just east of Kelly's Ferry road. Meanwhile, Confederate troops under John Bratton were ordered to attack Geary. The Federal forces were taken completly by surprise which was made worse by the heavy and confused fighting that followed. Bratton's attacks were beaten off and hearing the sounds of battle, Hooker, at Brown's Ferry, sent General Oliver O. Howard with two XI Army Corps to Wauhatchie to help. These troops ran head long into Evander Law's forces guarding the rear or Bratton's attack force. Law's men inflicted heavy casualites on the boys in blue and even beat back several attacks by a much stronger force. But Law was easily flanked by the Federals and he withdrew from his defensive positions before recieving the order to withdraw. This order would come to haunt General Law for years to come. The causalities for both sides stood at 828. (US 420; CS 408)

After the battle, the commanders on both sides wrote accounts about their troops movements but many of them contridict each other. The Battle of Wauhatchie was a night fight and many of the commanders were confused with what happened to them in the dim of battle. Some Union accounts even state that they were attacked by Longstreet's entire corps which was untrue. Perhaps the biggest myth of the battle was perpetuated by the overall Federal commander. After the war, U.S. Grant wrote an account of how he broke the Confederate siege. He stated that some Federal mules were frightened by the sounds of battle and charged into Law's lines. The Confederates retreated because they thought that caverly was attacking them. In reality, Law's command had already begun to withdraw before the "charge of the mules" took place.
The story didn't end there. A court of inquiry was called to investigate if Hooker and his fellow commanders were "inefficent" during this short campaign. All men were easily cleared of the charges and since the battle was a Union victory they had nothing to worry about. With an open supply line the Union army moved to defeat Bragg and end the siege. By the end of November, after fierce fighting on nearby Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, Braggs forces were forced to retreat. The Battle of Chattanaga was another Union victory and it paved the way for Grant's promotion and move east to face off against Robert E. Lee.

For the Confederates, the transition after the Battles at Wauhatchie and Chattannoga didn't go so well. Longstreet attributed the Confederate failure to "a strong feeling of jealousy among the brigader generals". He pushed for charges against Law but these charges were later dropped. I'll save the Jenkins versus Law issue for another blog. However the ramifications for this battle were far reaching because Braxton Bragg would be removed from command after his failed Chattonnoga campaign. This would clear the path for Union General William T. Sherman to begin his march to take Atlanta.

Sources:

Freeman, Douglas S., Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command (3 volumes), Scribners, 1946.

U.S. War Department, The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 128 Volumes, Index and Atlas., Washington D.C. 1880-1901.