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Military.com Forums Military History Civil War Who was the best general of the Civil War|
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Basic Training |
What makes a general great? Did the best general fight on the losing side? Was the best general of the Civil War one of the least known?
It would be interesting to hear who people consider to be the best General of the Civil War and why. Who gets your vote? While you are deciding, I invite you to visit my web site. History of War Online |
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Member |
Believe there is already an ongoing thread with this very subject. Perhaps some of your questions could be answered by checking it?
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Member |
I would say Stonewall Jackson. He only lost one battle IIRC.
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Basic Training |
Thank you both for your replies.
I will look for the ongoing thread on this issue. |
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30 day warning 20 july NEMESIS  |
Without a doubt the best General of the Civil War was Robert E. Lee. Look at 2nd Manassas, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, and the Siege of Petersburg. Not to mention the stopping of McClellan during the Peninsula Campaign. His troops REVERED him, and as has been written before, his middle name might as well be Audacity. (I forget who wrote that.) Although, Patrick Cleburne (the Stonewall Jackson of the West) and Nathan Bedford Forrest run a close 2nd and 3rd, "Marse Robert" was without question the best.
Duane A. Brinson Waikoloa, Hi. U.S.M.C. 1985-1989 |
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Disruptive posts 10 days suspension 13 Oct 06 dmuhler |
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Basic Training |
definitely Lee!!! That man was awesome. The north had so many problems with their generals that I am surprised they even won that war. I became interested in the civil war, by doing genealogy. My husband always bragged about how his family was waiting for the pilgrims, and had a notebook filled with names. One day, I decided to research my grandmother's family from Maine. Now he's jealous! My son used to be a re enactor, for the south. In school, he always did reports on Lee. He was his hero! I think we need more generals like Lee.
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Disruptive posts 10 days suspension 13 Oct 06 dmuhler |
robert lee was brilliant. he could see extreme talent. his fault lays at not being able to see ones decline of ambition before it brought disaster. then also, he became very slow after may 1863 in making prompt decisions.
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Basic Training |
Grant by far.
No other general sucessfully commanded the at the level and scope which he did. From the Unit-to Corps-to Army-to Theater-to National Level, no one did this except he. |
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Disruptive posts 10 days suspension 13 Oct 06 dmuhler |
now study grants battle plans at cold harbor.
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Basic Training |
Now study Grant's Operational Plans for the entire Confederacy.
You need to get outside of the box of just looking at one small aspect of what was happening on a single battlefied; look into the entire scope of theater and national operations. Grant was performing a turning movement on the entire confederacy. At the campaign level, didn't he maneuver Lee out of his defensive postions to a point where Grant had two divsions that could have walked into Petersburg. Grant's subordinates didn't act or have the initiative to pick that ripe plum. Also, if you drill into the plan for Cold Harbor, I think you'll find that subordinate commanders did not comply/act IAW the time synch of the plan. Now tell me, what was Grant's objective in facing Lee? |
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Disruptive posts 10 days suspension 13 Oct 06 dmuhler |
grants objective was to tie down lees army so it could not invade tth north again. period. the next objective was to nuetralize it by throwing bodies at it. the first objective failed. early in md. the second one succeeded.
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Basic Training |
Grant's objective was actually to grab Lee by the nose and kick his azz by maneuvering Sherman and Sheriden against the rest of the confedercy.
A good critical analysis of Grant is by JFC Fuller. |
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Disruptive posts 10 days suspension 13 Oct 06 dmuhler |
had gilmor been given the 1,500 horsemen as promised this country wouldnt be in the mess it is now. had my relatives been 15 minutes earlier in western maryland , wow, wouldnt this be a nice place to live.
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Basic Training |
I would have to say Gen, Hirem S. Grant as his plans was 1: keep the south from invading the north. 2: split the south in half 3: tie Lee into defensive operations and take away Lee's abilities of offensive operations. 4: Strip the south of their ability to aquire rations and material with large force thrusts (pulling valuble man power away from the trenchs to stop the thrusts).5:Forget the politians objective of Richmand and concentrate on the field armies. 6: Discontinue prisoner exchanges
7: Use of colored troops to bolster manpower 8: Bring this bloodletting to a quick end. |
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Disruptive posts 10 days suspension 13 Oct 06 dmuhler |
its a shame j. wilkes booth didnt wack that ahole 4 years sooner
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Basic Training |
Shame that it took 3 years to get a general with Grant's ability in the East...
Lee probably would have never had the opportunity to butcher his people in places like Gettysburg |
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Disruptive posts 10 days suspension 13 Oct 06 dmuhler |
grant wasnt that great. cold harbor. i dont have to say anymore.
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Basic Training |
The pot calling the kettle black. -Malvern Hill -Stones River -Gettysburg -Franklin The first and third are Staint Lee's stupendous blunders. |
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Disruptive posts 10 days suspension 13 Oct 06 dmuhler |
i never said lee was great. pelham, gilmore, mosby, white, and james stuart were. forrest, daniel hill, and richard taylor were better at leading divisions. thomas jackson was great at leading a corps. george thomas was probably the best at leading an army. although taylor kept banks locked up in 1865. any southern general with the odds in his favour, like the union enjoyed at almost every engagement, would have been succesful. lee at gettysburg with 95 k to meades 55 k would have slaughtered him.
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Military.com Forums Military History Civil War Who was the best general of the Civil War
