Robert E. Lee killed in 1862

In August of 1862 Robert E. Lee was grazed on the cheek by a Federal sharpshooter. What if the shot had been right in Robert E. Lee's noggin?
 
Depends on who Davis puts in his place. He despised Beauregard AND Joe Johnston, so would he have simply promoted Jackson? Jackson's record in independent command is almost above reproach, but if he tried to press the entire AoNV the way he pressed his "foot cavalry", he might just find himself going the same way as IOTL. Friendly fire.
 
Depends on who Davis puts in his place. He despised Beauregard AND Joe Johnston, so would he have simply promoted Jackson? Jackson's record in independent command is almost above reproach, but if he tried to press the entire AoNV the way he pressed his "foot cavalry", he might just find himself going the same way as IOTL. Friendly fire.

Actually, in 1862, Davis didn't despise Joe Johnston, he just didn't like him. Johnston was lible to socialize with all of Davis's political opposition and never said anything in support of Davis after his wounding so Davis was inclined to treat Johnston as untrustworthy and a low level animosity. It wasn't until the whole Vicksburg affair that Davis grew to despise Johnston.

Johnston would still be recovering from his wound in August 1862 so he'd be out of the question anyway. He would have been the main choice to take over as he had seniority, he had the reputation and he was known within the ANV and liked and admired by most of the officers there in but, as I said, his wound will prevent him getting command.

Davis would sooner see the Confederacy collapse than see Beauregard return to commanding one of the main armies. Beauregard had been openly critical of Davis, had quarrelled with Davis publically and had gone AWOL after the Seige of Corinth. All this made him incredibly unappealing in Davis's eyes.

Other than them the people with the highest seniority to get command are Jackson, Longstreet or Edmund Kirby Smith. The most likely of those to get command is Jackson because he was one of Davis's favorites and had achieved some success in an independent role before in the Valley Campaign.

Jackson and Longstreet are going to have arguements if they either of them get command. Jackson favoured a far more aggressive stance while Longstreet favoured a more defensive stance so the ANV is likely to suffer.
 
Longstreet would be an interesting choice - I've seen it argued a lot that a more defensive strategy would have been greatly to the Confederacy's benefit - no Gettysburg campaign for one thing. Is it too late to call off the 1862 Maryland campaign too?
 

67th Tigers

Banned
The Union victory comes a lot quicker.

Not really. Joe Johnston is probably a better field commander than Lee. Regression analysis using the Lanchester equations shows he was the best commander they fielded.

Jackson or Longstreet OTOH would be disasters. Their independent commands make Bragg look competent in comparison.
 

67th Tigers

Banned
Longstreet would be an interesting choice - I've seen it argued a lot that a more defensive strategy would have been greatly to the Confederacy's benefit - no Gettysburg campaign for one thing. Is it too late to call off the 1862 Maryland campaign too?

Maryland was the conception of Lee. No Lee = no Maryland.
 

pnyckqx

Banned
Not really. Joe Johnston is probably a better field commander than Lee. Regression analysis using the Lanchester equations shows he was the best commander they fielded.

Jackson or Longstreet OTOH would be disasters. Their independent commands make Bragg look competent in comparison.
Unfortunately, Johnston is not available at this particular time. He'd be recovering from the wounds suffered at Fair Oaks/Seven Pines.

In spite of what any analysis would reveal --and such analysis would not have been available to Davis anyway-- it is Davis' perception of Johnston that is going to be the deciding factor.

You can also count upon Davis meddling with Johnston's strategic, logistical, and tactical decisions to a far greater extent than he did with Lee OTL. The idea of an offensive by the ANV was due to Davis' meddling, and not exclusively Lee's decision.
 
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