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wzh55 -> Gen. Braxton Bragg (7/28/2007 2:36:10 AM)
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Gil, here is my first draft of Mr. Bragg's Bio: not exactly sure how long it can be or actually is, in one posting it said mas characters was 3900 and another it said 500??? Sorry to be guessing, but I think the lenth of this bio is around 3500-400 characters. Give me your critique and character count if you can and we can go from there. Thanks.
ALSO, I just noticed in the game that Bragg's homstate is listed as Louisana, according to all the research I did, he actuall was born in North Carolina, but retired after Mexican Wars, etc. to the state of Louisana. Don't know which would actually be correct. Your choice.
Gen. Braxton Bragg
(b: Warren County, North Carolina, March 22, 1817 ; d: Galveston, Texas, Sept. 27, 1876)
Bragg graduated from West Point in 1837 at the age of 20, 5th in a class of 50. He entered the army as a
second lieutenant of artillery on July 1, 1837 and fought in the Seminole Wars, 1837-1841. He served under Zachary
Taylor until 1843 during the Mexican-American War distinguishing himself during bitter street fighting at Monterey,
but it was during the battle of Buena Vista that his "prompt and fearless conduct" saved the Americans from defeat.
He is credited with repulsing a frontal attack through effective use of his artillery, then holding off an attack on
General Zachary Taylor's flank while Colonel Jefferson Davis organized a defense. From 1843 to 1845 he was
stationed at Fort Moultrie, in Charleston harbor. He was assigned garrison duty until 1855, when he declined
promotion and resigned on January 3, 1856 from the Army to become a sugar planter in Thibodeaux, Louisiana and
also serve as Commissioner of Public Works from 1859-61.
When the Civil War began, he was appointed a brigadier general in the Confederate army and was placed in
command of the Pensacola-Mobile area. It was there on April 15, 1861 that he had Lt. John Worden, who later
became the commander of the USS Monitor, placed under arrest in Pensacola, making him the first prisoner-of-war.
Within a year, he was promoted to major general and served under General Albert Sidney Johnston, commanding a
corps at the Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Corinth. By the summer of 1862, President Davis, promoted Bragg to a
full general due to the vacancy created by the death of General Johnston at the Siege of Corinth, and he succeeded
General Beauregard as commander of the Army of the Mississippi (later renamed Army of Tennessee) in 1862,
turning what one soldier called a mob into an organized group of fighting men. Of the eight men who reached the
rank of full general in the Confederate army, he became the fifth ranking Confederate general and one of the most
controversial figures in the war. It was from this point to the war's end, that Bragg's military leadership and success
became quite dismal, although he started out well. Near summer's end in 1862, Bragg, through his wit and skill, was
successful in outflanking the Union forces in Tennessee, enabling him to invade Kentucky. However, the Union forces
defeated him at the Battle of Perryville, forcing him back into Tennessee. Next, Bragg, in late December 1862 and
early January 1863, attacked Union General William Rosecrans and his army at Stone's River, and was heavily
defeated. During 1863, Rosecrans constantly outmaneuvered the Confederates, and forced them back to the border of
Georgia. Bragg, however, inflicted a crushing defeat on his opponent at Chickamauga in September but Bragg then
made a major mistake by not following this victory up, and wasted the chance to defeat Rosecrans. Still in command
in November, Bragg suffered an embarrassing and overwhelming defeat at Missionary Ridge. On November 25, 1863,
the Rebel siege of Chattanooga ended as Union forces under Grant defeat the siege army of Bragg when Union troops
stormed up the face of Missionary Ridge without orders and sweep the Rebels from what had been thought to be an
impregnable position. Because of his mistakes, and especially as a result of Chattanooga and Chickamauga, Bragg's
popularity suffered, most of the generals under Davis urged him to relieve Bragg of command. Shortly after, Bragg
resigned his command. Even so, after 18 months and 5 major campaigns under Bragg's command, the Army of
Tennessee was still one of the most magnificent fighting units ever organized in America. During this same period,
Bragg's army suffered 26,000 fewer casualties than its Federal opponents, a remarkable record; matched only by Lee's
Army of Northern Virginia.
He was assigned to office duty in Richmond in February, 1864 under the direction of President Davis. In
November, he was given command of the Department of South Carolina and commanded his army at Wilmington in
January 1865. He also commanded his troops in the final battles against General Sherman. He accompanied President
Davis into South Carolina and into Georgia after the surrender at Appomattox.
After the war Bragg served as the superintendent of the New Orleans waterworks and later became the chief
engineer for Alabama, supervising harbor improvements at Mobile. He moved to Texas becoming a railroad inspector.
On September 27, 1876 Bragg was walking down a street with a friend in Galveston, Texas, when he suddenly
fell over dead. He is buried in Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama.
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