Is Albert Sidney Johnston overated?

What concept? Running off to TN where Thomas was waiting for him (Which wasn't a secret) and allow Sherman to roam at will? Even without Franklin it was stupid.

In the Siege of Atlanta he kept aiming at defeating individual parts of Sherman's army group but due to the Army of Tennessee's command structures nothing ever went right for him. At Atlanta his tactical-strategic concept was better than most Confederate generals, when it comes to Tennessee he moves into Luigi Cadorna territory.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
What concept? Running off to TN where Thomas was waiting for him (Which wasn't a secret) and allow Sherman to roam at will? Even without Franklin it was stupid.

I find it odd that a Hood-hater likes me is coming to Hood's defense, but in late October/early November, the offensive into Tennessee was as good an idea as any. Hood's effort of the proceeding month, of taking the entire AoT into north Georgia to attack the Western and Atlantic Railroad, actually wasn't so bad. Hood tore up large portions of the track and captured hundreds of Union prisoners with relatively little loss. Sherman chased him but couldn't catch him.

Hood only determined to invade Tennessee after Sherman basically said "screw the railroad" and set off on the March to the Sea. At that point, Hood couldn't have opposed Sherman as the Union general had a two hundred mile head start and was moving as rapidly as any Confederate army could.
 
What I would love would be details about the definitive moment of the so-called Mormon War...which I am certain we shall never receive.


A.S. Johnston had led an army contingent to put down the Mormons and stated his intention to seize full authority in Salt Lake City in a meeting with Brigham Young before numerous witnesses including many army officers.

The next day he led his army to the city and left for home with people under the impression that Johnston was NOT acting of his own volition while, as an added curiousity, several officers who were inveterate diarists somehow never felt any need to write about what took place during the night...
 
I find it odd that a Hood-hater likes me is coming to Hood's defense, but in late October/early November, the offensive into Tennessee was as good an idea as any. Hood's effort of the proceeding month, of taking the entire AoT into north Georgia to attack the Western and Atlantic Railroad, actually wasn't so bad. Hood tore up large portions of the track and captured hundreds of Union prisoners with relatively little loss. Sherman chased him but couldn't catch him.

Hood only determined to invade Tennessee after Sherman basically said "screw the railroad" and set off on the March to the Sea. At that point, Hood couldn't have opposed Sherman as the Union general had a two hundred mile head start and was moving as rapidly as any Confederate army could.

This may be true, but the AoT is in no shape to succeed in Tennessee, and Hood's mishandling of the execution made things even worse.
 
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