WI William Hardee Takes Command of Army of Tennessee After Chattanooga?

Anaxagoras

Banned
Following the disaster of Missionary Ridge in November of 1863, the Confederate Army of Tennessee went into winter quarters at Dalton in north Georgia. Braxton Bragg resigned in disgrace, with William Hardee, the senior corps commander, taking temporary command. IOTL, Davis appointed Joseph Johnston to command the army, but before he did so, he offered to appoint Hardee to the command.

Hardee turned Davis down. He claimed that the post should go to Johnston, who outranked him. He also seemed to believe that corps command was the level of responsibility that he felt most comfortable with. Furthermore, he was about to get married, and had he taken command he would not have been able to take the time off for the wedding and honeymoon.

So, what if Davis had simply overruled Hardee and outright ordered him to take command, or what if Hardee had decided to accept the President's offer?

Hardee was a good corps commander, though not brilliant. His few weeks in command of the Army of Tennessee before Johnston arrived seemed to demonstrate solid administrative competence. And his time in independent command in Savannah and South Carolina in the face of Sherman's advance in late 64/early 65 seemed to demonstrate some skill on his part; the evacuation of Savannah was certainly very well handled. On the other hand, I see no real evidence that Hardee was much of a strategic thinker.

So, what do we think would have happened if Hardee had been appointed?
 
Not much better if any than what Johnston did, although with a better relationship with Davis.

And Hardee's administrative skills...

I'm not sure. Johnston's ability to find any situation unsatisfying makes it difficult to tell how much good Hardee had actually done, but I would note that Hardee painted an unrealistically positive picture of of the strength of what he was turning over to Joe.

Hardee is likely to ride harder on Hood - if memory serves Nytram said trusting subordinates was one of Johnston's weaknesses/characteristics, but I don't know if Hood would respond by being a good lieutenant or fill the role (of backstabbing, insubordinate son of a -----) Polk tried to leave void by stepping in front of an artillery shell even better than he did OTL.

But I doubt he's going to be a particularly hard and determined fighter. Its possible - but I don't have any faith in him.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
I agree that Hardee would not have done as good a job at rebuilding the AoT in early 1864 as Johnston did (really an outstanding performance, whatever you think of Johnston's military qualities). But perhaps the better relations that would have existed with Richmond in this scenario would have compensated for that?
 
I agree that Hardee would not have done as good a job at rebuilding the AoT in early 1864 as Johnston did (really an outstanding performance, whatever you think of Johnston's military qualities). But perhaps the better relations that would have existed with Richmond in this scenario would have compensated for that?

Agreed, if Johnston could use as an army as well as he built it, Sherman would have had a run for his money at the least.

But to answer your question: I doubt it. Davis really tried to maintain a working relationship with Johnston when he was in charge of the AoT (at least "for Davis", but the point is that Davis was trying to work with him, and his objections to Johnston's wish to have Forrest raid Sherman's railroads were well founded).

I think the problem is that unless the AoT does better than OTL in the field up to Atlanta, Davis is going to seriously consider a replacement.

Honestly, the AoT is so far gone I'm deeply skeptical anyone could have truly made it work - so many feuds, so many problems. Which brings up an issue. Hardee is of the anti-Bragg faction. The pro-Bragg guys (Wheeler, for instance) will not be happy.
 
Hardee will, it is generally agreed, be starting from a much less efficient AoT than Joe Johnston did, and like Joe Johnston will be handicapped by Jeff Davis's refusal to see the Union as launching two (technically four but the Trans-Misssippi theater tends to be overlooked) big drives at the same time. Better relations with Richmond will not lead Jeff Davis to realize the Union is about to strike with two drives and two army groups over 100,000 strong in terms of combat forces. And without that being taken for granted the AoT's position is going to be bad no matter who's in charge.
 
I agree that Hardee would not have done as good a job at rebuilding the AoT in early 1864 as Johnston did (really an outstanding performance, whatever you think of Johnston's military qualities). But perhaps the better relations that would have existed with Richmond in this scenario would have compensated for that?

Not where it would have really mattered, which is for Jeff Davis to realize Sherman and Grant will be advancing at the same time as part of a joint offensive. When Davis believed something nothing could convince him of the opposite until it happened.
 
Hardee will, it is generally agreed, be starting from a much less efficient AoT than Joe Johnston did, and like Joe Johnston will be handicapped by Jeff Davis's refusal to see the Union as launching two (technically four but the Trans-Misssippi theater tends to be overlooked) big drives at the same time. Better relations with Richmond will not lead Jeff Davis to realize the Union is about to strike with two drives and two army groups over 100,000 strong in terms of combat forces. And without that being taken for granted the AoT's position is going to be bad no matter who's in charge.

In fairness to Davis, the AoT got all the reinforcements that could be sent (if slightly late) anyway.

Polk being an insubordinate cuss turning into an asset for once more than anything Davis intended, but it still works out with it as strong as could be asked for.
 
In fairness to Davis, the AoT got all the reinforcements that could be sent (if slightly late) anyway.

Polk being an insubordinate cuss turning into an asset for once more than anything Davis intended, but it still works out with it as strong as could be asked for.

True, but a Confederacy that planned from the first for two offensives couldn't do any worse than the OTL version.
 
True, but a Confederacy that planned from the first for two offensives couldn't do any worse than the OTL version.

Agreed.

Admittedly, "So, it might last until April 10th!" is...damning and gleefully so.

The worst part is that the Confederacy isn't facing odds beyond anything it can defeat in the sense of raw numbers and not necessarily in generalship (yes, yes on the sad one*'s feats OTL - just that he could lose) - but it is facing something finally up to "We'll win. Tomorrow, next week...doesn't matter. We'll win." fighting.

And that it can't beat. Not as long as that attitude is backed by the voters.

* Seriously, he looks like he had to shoot his dog. What else is someone who refers to Forrest as That Guy supposed to call Grant?
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Honestly, the AoT is so far gone I'm deeply skeptical anyone could have truly made it work - so many feuds, so many problems. Which brings up an issue. Hardee is of the anti-Bragg faction. The pro-Bragg guys (Wheeler, for instance) will not be happy.

Actually, Wheeler and Hardee were quite close and worked together very effectively.
 
Actually, Wheeler and Hardee were quite close and worked together very effectively.

But Wheeler might resent Hardee becoming army commander in Bragg's place. And if not Wheeler, others of the pro-Bragg faction might - Wheeler is just the highest ranking that I can think of.

Its an element the AoT doesn't need to deal with.
 
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