Most average ACW general.

I agree, it is pathetic what debates can come up about entirely unrelated topics. How about going back to "most mediocre Generals"?

Now, my understanding is that mediocre is an average, and that each General can have a really good or really bad event. That being so, I toss into the pot:

Oliver O. Howard
Henry Slocum
Gouvener K. Warren
James Ricketts
Edward Ord
___ Wright
John C. Logan
Crittenden (both sides)
William Rosecrans
Phillip Sheridan (don't start yelling until you look at Murfreesboro and Chickamauga)
R. H. Anderson
William McLaws
Henry Heth
 
And since everybody keeps throwing around different OoBs for Antietam, each one with sources, and each one conflicting, here's what I have understood:

D. H. Hill always commanded a division of Jackson's wing. He was given autonomy for the purposes of guarding South Mountain, but once he reached the field at Antietam he was part of Jackson's left wing once again.

R. H. Anderson always commanded a division of Longstreet's wing. He was attached to Jackson for the purposes of capturing Harper's Ferry (as was McLaws), but again, once they reached the field at Antietam they were again under the command of Longstreet with the right wing.

In any case, both of them being division commanders and having a lower rank than both Jackson and Longstreet there is no way (at this early stage in the war anyway) that they would have the same level of command.
 

67th Tigers

Banned
And since everybody keeps throwing around different OoBs for Antietam, each one with sources, and each one conflicting, here's what I have understood:

D. H. Hill always commanded a division of Jackson's wing. He was given autonomy for the purposes of guarding South Mountain, but once he reached the field at Antietam he was part of Jackson's left wing once again.

R. H. Anderson always commanded a division of Longstreet's wing. He was attached to Jackson for the purposes of capturing Harper's Ferry (as was McLaws), but again, once they reached the field at Antietam they were again under the command of Longstreet with the right wing.

In any case, both of them being division commanders and having a lower rank than both Jackson and Longstreet there is no way (at this early stage in the war anyway) that they would have the same level of command.

No. This is not the case.

Lee fought 2nd Bull Run with 3 Commands, Longstreet, Jackson and RH Anderson's separate division. When reinforced by DH Hill etc. he added this to the army as a 3rd wing.

During the crossing of the Potomac, Jackson was temporarily (for 2 days ISTR) commander of all forces north of the Potomac, which included DH Hill's Division. This arrangement ceased as soon as the rest of the army crossed.

Lee then detached McLaws from DH Hill's command, and added RH Anderson's division to create a 4th wing to test McLaws suitability to assume permanent command of what Lee intended to be his 3rd Corps. McLaws failed at South Mountain in Lee's opinion, and this wing was broken up, McLaws returning to DH Hill and RH Anderson resuming independent status.

At Antietam, the dispositions are roughly linear:

N to S

(Jackson's Command, facing N)
Jackson's Division
Ewell's Division
Hood's Division (detached from Longstreet early in the battle)
(DH Hill's Command, facing E)
McLaw's Division
Walker's Division
DH Hill's Division
(RH Anderson's Division in reserve in the centre)
(Longstreet's Command, facing E)
DR Jones' Division
AP Hill's Division (arriving late in the day, detached from Jackson)


The correct ordering is apparent, right down to Lee holding RH Anderson as an uncommitted reserve in the centre. The only fly in the ointment is Hood being sent north to spearhead a counterattack, and AP Hill, when he arrived, being sent south to reinforce Longstreet (who only had a single division.
 
Top