alternatehistory.com

Since the ACW's Western Theater is not talked about much around here......

Not to take anything away from George "Rock of Chickamauga" Thomas' stand at Chickamauga, but I think it could be argued that General Granger's (I have forgotten his first name) initiative in moving his division forward without orders just as the rest of the rest of the Army of the Cumberland is falling back played a big part in saving the said Yankee Army. It reinforced Thomas, and managed to hit Longstreet's men in the flank as they were wearing themselves out against Thomas' repeaters.

So my question is this- what if Granger had followed military protocol and NOT acted on his own? Thomas' men were outnumbered, and were running short on cartridges. So is it conceivable that the Army of the Cumberland's retreat may have been cut off? If so, what then? Even Braxton Bragg could not have missed the opportunity to retake Chattanooga, which would have had few defenders.

With the AoC gone and Chattanooga back in Confederate hands, Jeff Davis would no doubt have pushed for his friend Bragg to march on Nashville in short order. Do you think Bragg would have done this? Halleck and Stanton in Washington would have been panicking, urging the War Department to promote US Grant and send him and his Army of the Mississippi to Nashville immediately. Reinforce him by sending what ever troops are left in the west, and possibly some from the Army of the Potomac too. But doing this could embolden Lee in Virginia, perhaps giving us a very different war.


No doubt the North would probably still win the war eventually, but it would have been a different ending from what we know.

What do you think?
Top