To see this working, head to your live site.

Edited: Jan 03, 2021

Most Significant Death of a General...?

Which General had the most potential to affect the direction of the war at the moment of his death? Anyone mentioning Jackson at Gettysburg better make it good or its Andersonville for you old boy! A.S.Johnson? Birdseye McPherson?

My two are Philip Kearny Jr. and Charles Ferguson Smith...

Kearny is marked for corps command at least by Lincoln at the time of his death at Chantilly. Implacably hostile to McClellan and an acquaintance of Lincoln's going back to before the Mexican-American War, he had the advantage of actually fighting in battles of 100,000s before the Civil War, fighting with the French at Solferino. He originated the idea of the corps badges that his friend Hooker expanded on. He originated his own medal, the Kearny Cross, in frustration with the failure of Congress to authorise awards for the men which inspired the Medal of Honor. He had a positive view of recruiting freedmen having formed his ideas watching Africans in French service fight in North Africa and Italy. Imagine a Chancellorsville with Kearny as a corps commander or as Hooker's no.2 ready to step in...? Or Kearny at Antietam attacking in conjunction with other corps because he's not waiting for orders from McClellan (who Kearny thought a coward at best, a traitor at worst)...?

Charles Ferguson Smith had been Grant and Sherman's teacher at West Point. Appointed to serve under Grant he was steadfastly loyal to Grant. He showed his skill whipping his raw recruit division into a force fit to perform outstandingly at Fort Donelson. Smith's experience, dignity, and unselfish character made him Grant's mainstay. Sherman spoke of him fondly too. When Grant was relieved by his enemy Halleck it was Smith who was placed in command. If he had lived he would have led his division at Shiloh (W.H.L. Wallace replaced him). A living C.F. Smith likely stays at Grant's left hand just as Sherman is at his right. If Smith lives then who knows - he might be the one marching on Atlanta...or he might be one of Sherman's wing commanders instead of Howard or Slocum. Perhaps he keeps McPherson from rising to corps command...?

These are my favourite two "the General lives" what ifs. One for the East and one for the West. What are yours?

25 comments

25 Comments

Michael Harrison Grose

Jan 11, 2021

General Ashby's Death in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign strikes me as significant with a great source of it coming from the book "I Rode with Stonewall" Though his death might not have dealt the blow of Albert Sidney Johnston's, Jackson's, or Cleburne's, Ashby was up & coming. Daring & of great quality. It would have been interesting to see how the overall Calvary of Army of Northern Virginia would have panned out in the course of the remaining months of 1862 into the heart of 1863 if he survived. His rank is contested & he wasn't afraid to stand up to General Jackson who wanted to strip him of command. He was the first to form Rebel Horse Artillery & though he wasn't at 1st Manassas, he aided by his success in screening the Union Army from the Confederate's movements.

I recommend for you all to watch the video on YouTube that asks the question "Which loss was more costly to the Rebs--Jackson or Longstreet" It is absorbing & well thought out (Though Longstreet didn't die)

For the National/Federal/Union Army General Reynolds' death stands out to me for a few reasons. Given the day & battle when he was killed, the Union Army definitely felt a blow & naturally had a wake up call. Being Lincoln's pick to lead the AOP after Hooker, though Reynolds turned it down, speaks volumes both in expectation, quality & humility. Though be it historical fiction, the interaction recorded between Buford & Reynolds in "The Killer Angels" shows a man who was held in high regard & a man who pivoted well on instinct to hustle with courage & confidence. With leadership being a troubled theme in the AOP, a loss like this, without any doubt, had an impact on Commanders and commonplace soldiers alike. When Israel Richardson fell at Antietam & Hancock was placed in command of his division, an evolution of II Corps was created. That, to me, is of significance seeing how it started a chain of events that lead Hancock from promotion to promotion. A lot of crucial leaders were killed throughout the war, each having an unique significance of its own. Wadsworth & Sedgwick, though late in the war, stick out to me given their experience with the battles both in defeat & victory. Union Calvary leader Farnsworth is another one that for some reason, without much research, speaks to me. Studying maps of the third day at Gettysburg & the calculated placement of his Calvary on the Union Left Flank captivates me & helps refine my desire to continue to expand my notebooks respecting the Battle of Gettysburg.

Thanks. You guys are an interesting bunch. It's nice to see camaraderie & respect when it comes to the sacred subject of the American Civil War.

-Michael

long2821

Jan 11, 2021

Replying to

I suppose the big what if in regards to Ashby, had he lived, would have been his ability to organize and discipline his command. He certainly displayed combat leadership and daring in the valley but received criticism for his discipline and organization in that limited time as his command swelled to over 25 cavalry companies. Following the valley campaign and some reorganization the majority of his former command ends up in a brigade under Beverly Robertson in Stuart's division. Maybe Ashby gets that command instead and his career takes off. Or perhaps his best role is actually more like a John Mosby in an irregular command operating in an around the valley. Like all of these cases there are so many possibilities of how events would have turned.

Darin Weeks

Jan 04, 2021

gonna have to add that Smith book to my ever growing list myself 🤣

Jon Yuengling

Jan 04, 2021

I will be adding the CF Smith book to the reading list

Ali B.

Jan 04, 2021

I agree with ya @theknightirish regarding Charles F. Smith, the more I learn about him the more interesting he becomes in relation to his relationship with Grant and Sherman. It makes me wonder if Smith was still there if maybe he kinda takes up that spot that McPherson grew into in regards to him being one of Grant's corps commanders. The idea of a Smith and Sherman sort of double punch is kinda amazing and bums me out that he died in such an odd way, I believe it was jumping from a boat and hurting his leg correct?

The Emerging Civil War actual has a great blog post about Smith and Grant : https://emergingcivilwar.com/2018/02/19/placeholder-franks-c-f-smith-piece/ and with some book enabling, which I believe you already @theknightirish , there's a book about Smith called Teacher of Civil War Generals: Major General Charles Ferguson Smith, Soldier and West Point Commandant , I'm getting it in the mail soon and I'm really stoked to check it out.

long2821

Jan 04, 2021

Replying to

I think both Ali and theknightirish hit the key point in regards to Smith, it was his relationship with Grant. Smith performed quite well at Donelson, but his relationship was strong with Grant. Grant seeing him as a mentor, but yet Smith willingly served under Grant. We can see how Grant's relationships played into future rise in command, given his positive relations with men like Sherman and McPherson, while his generally negative relations with men like McClernand, Rosecrans and Lew Wallace led to them being elsewhere. Smith was already proven by the time of Donelson, whereas McPherson was still at staff officer at Shiloh. So as a "what if" it is quite easy to see Smith having been promoted well ahead of McPherson had Smith lived.

I haven't read the C.F. Smith book, I would be interested in how that one turns out.

Jon Yuengling

Jan 03, 2021

For me it is Kearny for the north with Lyon as the runner up for the reasons already given. For the south AS Johnston, with his death the destruction of the Union Army at Shiloh fleeting, I do not have a runner up as I will not pick Jackson ;-) and to be honest while Cleburne was one of the best division commanders during the war, the CSA were not going to promote him.

long2821

Jan 03, 2021

Replying to

Agree regarding Cleburne. Tremendous fighter and someone I have plenty of respect for. But I don't see Davis ever allowing him to be promoted. Had he lived, I would say Franklin (and Nashville) would have still been losses, so while important I don't see his loss as having had as significant an impact being so late in the war.

Mare

Jan 03, 2021

Replying to

@long2821 I have a lot of respect for him too. He is the Confederate General I've studied the most, because he is so different from the others and he's so talented yet doesn't get mentioned too much. My unpopular opinion is Jackson is the Cleburne of the East. ;) My take on Cleburne is that had he lived, he would have been like Mosby or Longstreet post Civil War & would have seem things in a different light and helped with reconstruction. Have you read his bio written by Symonds? It's one of my favorites.

long2821

Jan 03, 2021

Replying to

@Mare Had Cleburne fought in the east he may have been more well known, likely would have had a lot more publicity. Who knows, had he been a West Pointer he may have been promoted faster too. I did read the Symonds bio a few years ago and enjoyed it quite a bit. Though my favorite Cleburne book is Pat Cleburne: Confederate General by Howell and Elizabeth Purdue. It is older, but a great resource in my opinion. The authors traveled to Ireland and met with some of Cleburne's family, met some of his acquaintances in Arkansas and were also able to obtain copies of a number of Cleburne's papers so this gives a good level of detail to their work. The book by Cleburne's staff officer Irving Buck is also a good resource as he is able to provide first hand information. I have noticed a lot of other authors will often cite Buck and Purdue when writing about Cleburne or his troops.

long2821

Jan 03, 2021