What if Lee sits out?

How much of an affect did Robert E. Lee have on the success of the South in maintaining their insurgency for 5 years? If a different general had been in charge, even say the dashing, fearless and incorruptible StoneWall Jackson would they have had nearly the same success as Lee or was it Union leadship incompetence and arrogance that dragged the war along?
 
would they have had nearly the same success as Lee or was it Union leadship incompetence and arrogance that dragged the war along?
Both Really... Jackson wouldn't be able to get Lee's position so early in the war. His survival at Chancellorsville might help with that though.If you have the Confederacy not invade the North, then have Lee die at some other battle in the future than Jackson might become head of the AoNV. Maybe.
 
Both Really... Jackson wouldn't be able to get Lee's position so early in the war. His survival at Chancellorsville might help with that though.If you have the Confederacy not invade the North, then have Lee die at some other battle in the future than Jackson might become head of the AoNV. Maybe.

It won't be Jackson; he's not senior enough. Probably Joe Johnston, if he's available; if not then Beauregard; if neither then Longstreet.

Joe Johnston would be adequate, if not brilliant. Beauregard would be adequate, given his record. Longstreet is really an unproven quantity; his only independent command was not exactly a shining success, but overall he was certainly a competent general. He might work out well in command, and he may not.
 
How much of an affect did Robert E. Lee have on the success of the South in maintaining their insurgency for 5 years? If a different general had been in charge, even say the dashing, fearless and incorruptible StoneWall Jackson would they have had nearly the same success as Lee or was it Union leadship incompetence and arrogance that dragged the war along?

If Lee sits out the war, and Johnston still gets wounded at Seven Pines, then Beauregard almost certainly becomes the main Confederate general and the position remains his to lose. Johnston would be back to the second chair as per OTL, since Davis didn't like him much anyways. Longstreet? I've never been convinced that he was a "big-picture" kind of guy. Jackson either.
 
If Lee sits out the war, and Johnston still gets wounded at Seven Pines, then Beauregard almost certainly becomes the main Confederate general and the position remains his to lose. Johnston would be back to the second chair as per OTL, since Davis didn't like him much anyways. Longstreet? I've never been convinced that he was a "big-picture" kind of guy. Jackson either.

Problem with that. Couple of problems actually.

1 - Lee retiring to Arlington to plant corn means Johnston becomes Major General of Virginia Militia and it is questionable as to whether he would even get the Shenandoah Command in such a scenario. This means two things, first Jackson would remain incommand in the valley and second there will be no Confederate victory at Manassas.

2 - Davis hated Beauregard more than he hated Johnston and Beauregard was more inclined to go to the press with his complaints than Johnston was. In OTL Beauregard fell from grace a lot quicker than Johnston did. He's not likely to get command in Virginia after Johnston should Joe fall wounded.

3 - Seven Pines may never happen but if some battle does occur and Joe fall wounded then its clear what would happen. G.W. Smith would get command then when he prove unsuitable he waould be replaced by Bragg. Longstreet and Jackson have no chance of getting command of a major Army in 1862, even if the could handle the job.
 
Seven Pines may never happen but if some battle does occur and Joe fall wounded then its clear what would happen. G.W. Smith would get command then when he prove unsuitable he waould be replaced by Bragg.

GW Smith became ill after Seven Pines and was out of service until late August that year. I've never read what the illness was, but I'll assume for the moment it still happens.
I have to admit that I had failed to consider Bragg. He was busy in 1862, but he certainly could have been transferred. He had a penchant for fighting subordinates as much as he fought the Union, and his track record in both cases was lackluster (except for Chickamauga the following year), so I think this would have gone badly for the CSA. But Davis did seem to like him.

EDIT: I was pondering Bragg so much I forgot to say this: I do think Beauregard gets the position, at least until he manages to aggravate Davis more than Davis will tolerate ("his to lose," I said :) ) With Lee sitting, Joe Johnston wounded and AS Johnston dead (by then), only Cooper outranked him. And Cooper apparently never held a field command the entire war.
 
Last edited:
Top