AU Tiger_MatrixForum
Posts: 1606
Joined: 10/9/2006 From: Deepest Dixie Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl quote:
ORIGINAL: regularbird Not to get Mike and AU stirred up again but I still do not buy he was "horrible in command," or an "idiot" as many of you are saying. There are many more elements to command than just the "x's and o's. I would say he failed tactically on more than one ocassion, but I would also say that in every other facet of command he was competent. He organized well, stood up to his superiors to get the things he needed (ok, thought he needed), maintained a high level of espirit de corp, and was able to get his army to do what he wanted, even if what he wanted was flawed. I think Mac was a hands off commander and let his subordinates lead on the field, as Mr. Scholl will argue, at Antietam Mac needed to be there on the field, and he is right. But this style of leadership has worked for others in the past. I prefer a leader who will create a flexible plan and then allow me (the subordinate) to execute and I believe that is what Mac tried to do. When he needed to make a big decision he usually made the wrong one. All the info he had aside, at Antietam he was the only thing between Lee and DC and I think he was scared to be the man that let Lee get by him or through him and take the capitol. ]"Little Mac" loved all the "trappings" of command. and everyone telling him he was "the savior of the Nation" when he came to Washington. But he was a "moral coward"---scared sh-tless that he might get beat and and be exposed as a "fraud" and lose all the "pomp and circumstance" he loved. Look at his Campaign on the Penninsula---he wanted to substitute engineering and siege craft (at which he didn't feel the South could compete) for fighting (at which he might lose). And no matter how many men he had, he wanted "more"..., regardless of what might be left open to the Rebs by doing so. When Lee attacked, he responded by "changing his base" (which turned out to be a clever euphamism for running away to the James and the protection of the Navy while claiming to have performed a "masterfull stratagem"). And having arrived there, with numbers still exceeding those of the Rebels, he sat down in the mud and blaimed everyone but himself for his problems. I know Mac had a copy of Lee's orders but I think I know what he may have been thinking....hmm why would Lee split his army and place himself, outnumbered with his back to the Potomac?" Maybe he is baiting me, maybe these order are a trick, maybe he has more men, where did that division that smashed into Burnside come from? Why would Lee take such an unnessecary gamble? He would not put the whole ANV in such a bad spot. What do I not know?......Hesitate....hesitate..doh!!! were the hell did Bobby go? Oh well I won a big victory, break out the beer and call the Prez I'm the man. Another wonderful example of his "mora cowardess". Once he had Lee's "Special Order 191", he announced to all and sundry that he was going to "whip Bobbie Lee". Then he remembered that this would involve actually "fighting" Robert E. Lee, and proceeded to procrastinate his way into Western Maryland. Then when he finally found him anyway, he sat down for an entire day to screw up his courage to fight (and hope frantically that Lee would "run away" so "Mac" could tell everyone what a great "bloodless victory" he had "won". Then, on the 18th, after managing to pull a "bloody shambles" from "the Jaws of Victory", he again sat down in the mud and prayed for Lee to "go away". Having achieved the greatest one day slaughter in the history of North America..., and having nothing to show for it, all he could do was hope Lee would go home and "Mac" could declare a "win" and sit down in the mud to tell everyone how great he was and why they should elect him "God". The fact that the Rebs were still "out there" and the war no closer to being over meant nothing to McClellan as long as he could play the role of "Saviour of the Nation" in his own eyes. Some have said Mac did not pursue and If I remember correctly he did, rather hotly i think. But he got smashed at Shepardstown and once again got cold feet. Actually, his pursuit was all in his mind ONCE AGAIN I AM NOT SAYING THIS GUY WAS A BRILLIANT GENERAL, HE HAD ISSUES, BUT HE WAS NO IDIOT AND HE WAS NOT WORTHLESS. And I will continue to say that as the General in Command of the Army of the Potomac (HIS JOB DESCRIPTION), he was a total buffoon, a charlatan, a whining, complaining, exasperating, "do-nothing", a total disaster, and a worthless IDIOT. A small point. Mac's charge into Western Maryland was uncharacterically aggressive, catching Lee & Co. off-guard. Only after he battled across South Mountain did his "slows" return.
< Message edited by AU Tiger -- 11/21/2006 8:35:38 PM >
_____________________________
"Never take counsel of your fears." Tho. Jackson
|