"Your Ideal ACW Confederate Command is..." Topic

You were asked – TMP link

Jefferson Davis, based on your last battle, is going to appoint you the commander of a new Confederate Army to win the war. He is also going to allow you to choose five commanders from anywhere in the Union forces – who do you select?

16% of the votes: "Jackson"
16%: "Longstreet"
14%: "Lee, Robert E."
8%: "Forrest"
7%: "Hood"

Interesting. I didn't see the poll, but I'd have said Lee. MAYBE Stonewall, a younger man. Longstreet commanded four of the most successful attacks of the war (2nd Manassas, 2nd day Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Wilderness) but performed poorly in Tennessee as a separate commander. Definitely not Hood. Forrest would be a gamble, maybe.

Have to agree – Hood was a great divisional leader but a disaster at the Corps/Army level – and Forrest was a tactical leader, not in my humble view a strategic kind of guy

I would have picked Joe Johnson – steady, solid, and the kind of guy you could count on in tough times; not aggressive but a great organizer as well and Uncle Jo was well regarded by the troops

Am I the only one to notice the transcription error from the original poll, apparently you have to choose a UNION commander to command your Confederate forces!

Picky, I know, but it did amuse me!

I chose all the jerks since I'm a Union man.

That is the first thing that hopped out at me Herkybird.

Another factor is that I will be in command of the army. The poll is asking me to choose my subordinates. I am not just looking for the five best commanders in the Confederate army. I would need to take into account the role they would have in my army and how well they would work with each other and me.

Lee was an army commander. If he isn't holding that position he would be a staff officer. That knocks him out. Both Jackson and Forrest despite their merits could be prickly subordinates. Hood through the end of 1863 would be a division commander. I don't recall many complaints of Hood in that role, but I won't put him in my top five.

So my five would be: Longstreet and Richard Taylor as my corps commanders. Hampton would be in charge of my cavalry and for division commander I would insist on Cleburne. My #5 pick would be Alexander for the artillery.

Bill N, I agree. In my list, Hood is out, and Cleburne is definitely in.

*Of course, I'm biased. My great great grandfather was in the 20th Tennessee and was severely wounded at the Carter House during the Battle of Franklin. Because of Hood's recklessness, I almost didn't get here!

Albert Sydney Johnston ( but keep him in rear)