Forgotten potential Generals of the 18th and early 19th centuries

Desaix might have become a Marshal if he wasn't killed at Marengo, and if he and Soult had been switched, he might have become known as a worthy successor to Berthier.
Should clarify that I forgot to write down if Suchet and Soult had traded places in 1815, with Soult commanding the army in Italy against the Austrians while Suchet was Napoleon's chief of staff; Soult was a fine Feldherr, but chief-of-staff-ing was not his strength, while Suchet likely would have performed creditably in the role. If either Coalition force in the double battle of June 16 had been destroyed by the commitment of D'Erlon's corps, Napoleon would have thrown them so far back on their divergent lines of communications that the other could be destroyed without interference. He would have been able to meet the Austrian and Russian thrust over the Rhine with 240,000 men by mid-August, with 116,000 immediately around Paris, 25,000 at Lyons, and 60,000 to oppose the Austrians in Italy. The Coalition would still have a significant numerical advantage (170,000 Russians and 210,000 Austro-Germnas), but if anyone could win big and let some political crisis split the Coalition, it was Napoleon.
Well, there's that, too. I guess he's the Union's Albert Sidney Johnston, lionized on scant evidence.
To be fair to AJ, he came as close as anyone to decisively beating US Grant, which has to count for something. The same cannot be said for Reynolds.
 

ben0628

Banned
John Reynolds. Major General, Union. Killed at Gettysburg July 1 1863. Of all the various AH treatments of Gettysburg, I have never seen one in which he isn't killed-- why not?

John was already a well respected and popular general from the time and if I'm not mistaken, he was offered the command of the Army of the Potomac but refused, so his potential is really limited since he was content with his position
 
General Charles Ferguson Smith always seems to be left out in Civil War discussions. He distinguished himself at Mexico where he commanded his light infantry battalion to success at Federation Hill at Monterry and other battles.

In the Civil War, he commanded Grant's 2nd Division during the Henry-Donelson campaign where he (correctly) predicted that Fort Henry would fall to naval bombardment and gallantly led his division at Fort Donelson in a bayonet charge to seize a Confederate line.

Though his breakthrough was halted by Buckner's division, he successfully held his position in the face of repeated Confederate counter attacks.

After Fort Donelson, he commanded Grant's army (Grant was in trouble with Halleck) and led it to Pittsburg Landing. Unfortunately, he suffered an accident which got his leg infected which ultimately led to his death. Regarding Pittsburg Landing, he was noted to have wished for the Confederates to attack him as he believed that it excellent defensive terrain.
 
Count Pulaski was a Hell of a Cavalry Officer and doesn't get nearly enough credit for his role in the ARW. The Man basically trained the Continental Cavalry from Scratch, but all anyone ever wants to talk about is Von Steuben. The Man Even Saved Washington's Life Once. IOTL he died shortly after the Battle of Savannah, but if he had lived he could very well have had a family in the US, some of which might go on to fight in future wars. . .
 
Top