The inclusion of Thomas as your second choice is right on the head. That Thomas was not put in charge of the western theater was Grant’s most foolish mistake. Sherman did not like to fight battles and said so in letters to his daughters. However, Sherman’s brother John was a force in the U. S. Senate at the time and Grant sought a higher political position and John Sherman could help him. I’m not sure why others think Sherman was any kind of tactician. Without going into a lot of detail he showed his lack of military competence at Resaca at the beginning of the campaign in May, when he sent McPherson with no cavalry and only 20,000 Infantry to cut Johnston off. He should have listened to Thomas (who developed the plan). With 58,000 Infantry and three divisions of Cavalry Thomas was more than a match for Johnston. Instead he sent Mac and instead of ending the war in the west within a couple of weeks, it took him until September to capture Atlanta.

Grant was no tactician either. He sacrificed his men to the tune of approximately 100 killed to Thomas’ 10!

Slowtrot

I’ll be Isaac!

Little known Nathan Bedford Forrest fact. Less than 5 miles from my current position is a giant statue of him on horseback. It may be the ugliest statue ever forged and sort of looks like an overgrown paper mache done by an overly ambitious third grader. It used to be surrounded by rebel flags but the flags and the statue both have been so frequently vandalized that the flags had to be taken down. The ugly statue remains.

And yes, I pick on Hancock, but not his bravery or his skill as a Corps commander. You have to have an ego to rise in rank, but his was a spectacular sort, right up there with Hooker and Lil’ Mac. That’s my main beef with him, along with his instance that he take command at Cemetary ridge until Meade arrived, even though Howard was senior.

Respects,

We’re going to disagree on Lee’s invasions. In my book, yeah, IF he was successful the South wins, but the risk was too great. Their best hope was to prolong the conflict till war weariness set in up north.

Regards Howard, I agree that he has been maligned unfairly, and yes – Hooker did ignore his warnings at Chancellorsville – but why in the hell didn’t Howard have more than two guns covering his flank if he perceived the risk? Did Hooker specifically forbid him to strengthen his flank? I’m curious, since I haven’t read the dispatches and you obviously have. But Howard certainly deserves a much better reputation than the one he has.

And I am going to pout for at least a month about having my view of Hancock shattered. Hancock, slowly marching up and down along the line at Cemetery Ridge with shells going off all around him, saying “there are times when a Corps commanders life doesn’t count”! Hancock, taking splinters in the nads! Hancock, busting through at Spotsylvania Courthouse! Hancock, the Superb!

Seriously dude, did Howard really pick the fish hook position at Gettysburg? I have always read that it was Hancock, but I have been wrong before (as my wife points out like 17 times per day).