"ACW Personalities Hypothetical Question" Topic

If it had come to pass, could have R.E. Lee and N.B. Forrest have worked together effectively in the Army of Northern Virginia?

Personally, I think not. The genteel cavalier and the irascible frontier adventurer would have grated. What are your thoughts?

Not

Some of Lee's lieutenants were quite irascible. Yes.

Doc, I think Forrest was everything Lee disliked. In my opinion they were the opposite ends of the spectrum. Forrest also had issues with a lot of those above him. Although an excellent independent officer, he was just too difficult from what I have read. But again, only an opinion. Take care.

Yes. They might not have been close friends, but each would have appreciated that the other won battles.

IIRC, Lee called Jubal Early "my bad old man," and even Stonewall Jackson was a bit rough around the edges. But Lee made good use of both of them, and they both respected Lee.

Forrest didn't like his superiors (mainly Braxton Bragg) because they were incompetent, which Lee was not.

Forrest was not the kind of cavalry commander Lee wanted/liked, however, one who would serve as the eyes and ears of his army.

I don't think there was any other like Forrest and his personality. 😉

I think it would depend on when and how it happened. Lee had his biases and prejudices. In 1862 I could see Lee pushing him out as he did a number of others. Later in the war I think it would be more possible. However I think the Confederacy was better off with Forrest in the west.

Yes, I agree with Don and Bill. But besides recon, Confederate cavalry exerted a great deal of population and resource control, or at least disputed Union control. The south is very large, and Union garrisons in conquered territory often controlled only the area immediately around them. Forrest (and, e.g., Mosby, and others) did a lot of service in keeping a lot of territory and population more or less "no man's land" as opposed to Union controlled. The east is much more compact, which mattered, but Mosby was pretty successful.

If you were not a Virginian, you had a tough going with Lee.

Longstreet was the exception. Even good commanders like D.H. Hill got pushed out.

Lee promoted 2 Virginians to Corp command in Ewell and A.P. Hill who were lackluster in replacing Jackson. After that he gave another Virginian, Early a corp command and he also failed.

Only Georgian John Gordon showed promise, but too little to late. And surprisingly South Carolinian Wade Hampton in replacing Virginian JEB Stuart.

Lee was not particularly good at getting the best person into the right position and when Jackson was killed he failed to put the best commanders in place to replace him.

Forrest would have been wasted under Lee.

Kim

Lee was an Old Army man and promoted those who were next in line. Considering how prickly 19th century men were about their honor, to do otherwise would have been difficult. He was able to transfer those who didn't meet his standards.

As for Lee and Forrest. I am of the opinion, for what that's worth, that they would have worked well together. Lee command style was to give his subordinates a mission, and let them accomplish it how they wanted to. It worked great with Jackson and okay with Longstreet. I think Forrest would thrive in that sort of command relationship.

I am with Dn Jackson on this one. I think that Lee's command style would have allowed a soldier like Forrest "thrive." The problem would arise with the other cavalry commanders. I don't see Forrest playing nice with Stuart.

Lee promoted 2 Virginians to Corp command in Ewell and A.P. Hill who were lackluster in replacing Jackson.

Actually, it was Davis who promoted them, but I guess Lee recommended them. But who else was there? Stuart would probably have been a good choice, but Lee had not eye-witnessed how well he had handled the 2nd Corps after the wounding of Jackson, and Lee considered him essential where he was, commanding the cavalry. D. H. Hill, by then in N.C., maybe, but Lee found him hard to work with.

I may be the only one who thinks Lee could not have gotten along with Forrest. 🙂

But if he found DH Hill hard to get along with, I can't imagine he and NB Forrest. 🙂

I agree 35th. Lee's commanders needed to understand and anticipate Lee's intentions to have a good relationship with him. I am not sure Forrest worked this way.

@Tort thanks, I was getting lonely. 🙂

If you were not a Virginian, you had a tough going with Lee.

While Longstreet apparently thought this in the reorganization after Jackson's death, I don't think this is a fair statement overall. Virginians Jackson, Ewell, Stuart and A.P. Hill owed their positions in the 1862-3 ANV to Joe Johnston, not Lee. The first man promoted to Major General after Lee took command of the ANV was Richard Anderson from South Carolina. IIRC others promoted to Major General under Lee before Jackson's death were Stuart, Hood, Pickett, David Jones, Trimble and Early. So only 3 of the first 7 men promoted to Major General under Lee were Virginians. Of these Stuart was exercising the same command at a higher grade. Pickett was Longstreet's protege.

I agree with Bill N. I don't think you had to be a Virginian to get ahead in Lee's army. Wade Hampton comes to mind, for instance.