Shiloh POD - Johnston and Beauregard switch roles

There are some main differences between the plans for the battle of Shiloh in Confederate high command, that is to say the minds of A.S. Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard.

Beauregard believed the plan was to be a widespread offensive using all four Confederate Corps (Bragg's, Polk's, Hardee's and Breckenridge's) against the poorly placed federal troops that would drive them back to the river and to ruin.

A.S. Johnston's plan was to attack in strength on the Federal left with three Confederate Corps (Bragg's, Polk's and Hardee's) and turn the left Federal flank driving them away from the river and the support of the Federal gunboats and into nearby creeks where they could be destroyed.

The ranking General - Albert Sidney Johnston - made one major mistake, he left the distribution of troops to Beauregard. While A.S. Johnston was in the front, enthusiastically and energetically driving his forces on Beauregard was at the rear sending the troops to battle as per his idea of the plan, not Johnstons.

In this regards the Battle of Shiloh was similar to the Battle of 1st Manassas when Beauregard was at the front, enthusiastically and energetically driving the troops on while Joe Johnston distributed the troops in the way he felt was most likely to succor victory.

The difference between the two battles is that at Manassas it was the Johnston who dealt with the overall picture of the battle while Beauregard acted as the driving force behind the attack while at Shiloh it was Beauregard who dealt with the overall picture of the battle while the Johnston there acted as the driving force behind the attack.

So the POD is this:

Albert Sidney Johnston stays at the rear at Shiloh and deals with troop distribution and the overall picture of the battle while Beauregard goes to the front and drives the troops on.

How does this change the outcome of the Battle of Shiloh?
 
There are some main differences between the plans for the battle of Shiloh in Confederate high command, that is to say the minds of A.S. Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard.

Beauregard believed the plan was to be a widespread offensive using all four Confederate Corps (Bragg's, Polk's, Hardee's and Breckenridge's) against the poorly placed federal troops that would drive them back to the river and to ruin.

A.S. Johnston's plan was to attack in strength on the Federal left with three Confederate Corps (Bragg's, Polk's and Hardee's) and turn the left Federal flank driving them away from the river and the support of the Federal gunboats and into nearby creeks where they could be destroyed.

The ranking General - Albert Sidney Johnston - made one major mistake, he left the distribution of troops to Beauregard. While A.S. Johnston was in the front, enthusiastically and energetically driving his forces on Beauregard was at the rear sending the troops to battle as per his idea of the plan, not Johnstons.

In this regards the Battle of Shiloh was similar to the Battle of 1st Manassas when Beauregard was at the front, enthusiastically and energetically driving the troops on while Joe Johnston distributed the troops in the way he felt was most likely to succor victory.

The difference between the two battles is that at Manassas it was the Johnston who dealt with the overall picture of the battle while Beauregard acted as the driving force behind the attack while at Shiloh it was Beauregard who dealt with the overall picture of the battle while the Johnston there acted as the driving force behind the attack.

So the POD is this:

Albert Sidney Johnston stays at the rear at Shiloh and deals with troop distribution and the overall picture of the battle while Beauregard goes to the front and drives the troops on.

How does this change the outcome of the Battle of Shiloh?

Possibly something like the scenario I once posted in this thread, only not as favorable for the Confederates because Beauregard and his Adjutant are still around to delay the march of the Confederate forces so the battle doesn't begin on April 4, as planned, but on April 5, one day late.

One possible bonus for the Confederates...perhaps Beauregard, rather than Johnston, is killed. That could have all sorts of butterflies.
 
So victory is more assured but Grant and Sherman may escape with their lives. Beauregard might be killed or severly wounded so this leaves A.S. Johnston as the only top commander out West. Then, thereafter, the future is determined but what we would like A.S. Johnston to do simply because we dont know enough about him to do any more but speculate.
 
So victory is more assured but Grant and Sherman may escape with their lives. Beauregard might be killed or severly wounded so this leaves A.S. Johnston as the only top commander out West. Then, thereafter, the future is determined but what we would like A.S. Johnston to do simply because we dont know enough about him to do any more but speculate.

Yep. Pretty much.

The worst thing, from the Confederate point of view, is that, because Beauregard is there, the army will be delayed in marching from Corinth to Shiloh as per OTL, and the battle won't begin until April 5. If they can crush the Army of the Tennessee in one day, all to the good.

But more likely, this won't happen, and Buell's army will get there on schedule on April 6. If the Confederates hold Pittsburg Landing, the Yankees may not be able to cross the river, in which case a Confederate victory is stil possible. However, if for some reason they don't, Buell will cross, and if that happens, the Confederates probably lose as per OTL. But maybe Beauregard gets shot instead of Johnston, which might still be advantageous for the South.
 
I like the turnabout - A.S. Johnston in the rear conducting the battle, with Beauregard leading from the front - not a bad guy for the job. I agree that Johnston would dislodge Grant from Pittsburg Landing, perhaps with the Federals rallying on Lew Wallace's division (which sooner or later makes the field).

The Army of West Tennessee may survive long enough for Buell to show up. Johnston is a very good general, but even he may have a hard time projecting organization onto a green army. My own guess is that Johnston fails to destroy the surviving Federals, but does inflict a huge defeat. Problem is, he ends up roughly even with Buell, and New Orleans is still naked, with Farragut still pressing the forts south of that city; can he stave off Buell and Farragut at the same time? Might be interesting if he decides to try to thrash the Federal forces before they can regroup, then send a unit back to New Orleans.
 
I like the turnabout - A.S. Johnston in the rear conducting the battle, with Beauregard leading from the front - not a bad guy for the job. I agree that Johnston would dislodge Grant from Pittsburg Landing, perhaps with the Federals rallying on Lew Wallace's division (which sooner or later makes the field).

The Army of West Tennessee may survive long enough for Buell to show up. Johnston is a very good general, but even he may have a hard time projecting organization onto a green army. My own guess is that Johnston fails to destroy the surviving Federals, but does inflict a huge defeat. Problem is, he ends up roughly even with Buell, and New Orleans is still naked, with Farragut still pressing the forts south of that city; can he stave off Buell and Farragut at the same time? Might be interesting if he decides to try to thrash the Federal forces before they can regroup, then send a unit back to New Orleans.

Nope. New Orleans is gone no matter what. Johnston has pretty much denuded the city of defenses, and there is not really time to deal with the federals in Tennessee and still get back to New Orleans to stop the Yankees. What he has got to try to do is make the victory in Tennessee worth the loss of New Orleans.
 
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