Honorable Mention Poll: Best Union Division Commander

[History fan]

I am suprised no one has mentioned Joe Hooker. His peformance as a divisional commander would be what would get him to Corps and Army command.

[semperpietas]

Originally Posted by History fan

I am suprised no one has mentioned Joe Hooker. His peformance as a divisional commander would be what would get him to Corps and Army command.

The poll is for underrated commanders who are not so famous. Hooker is out on that category.

[grognard]

I'll go with Williams given his lenght of service at division level and his overall record.
That said, trying to rank order all who are mentioned who fit the criteria would be impossible for me.

[mgronski]

...good point Gro, the reason they're underappreciated- no press clippings and no "champions" to further their status.
...Also the reason some like Sheridan are over appreciated! For cripes sake, Sheridan had Buford's protege's- Merritt, Devin and Gamble and still took all the credit, like he invented the cavalry!

[grognard]

Originally Posted by mgronski

...good point Gro, the reason they're underappreciated- no press clippings and no "champions" to further their status.
...Also the reason some like Sheridan are over appreciated! For cripes sake, Sheridan had Buford's protege's- Merritt, Devin and Gamble and still took all the credit, like he invented the cavalry!

Sheridan was an egoist for sure,
he also took credit for Crook's plans during the Valley Campaign, but he did know how to inspire and lead.

Once someone earned Grant's approval, Sherman, Sheridan, etc. Grant stuck with them as long as possible and very often deferred to their judgement.

[RichardS]

I agreed that Meade was vastly underrated and under appreciated. While I can appreciate Sherman's tactics; Sheridan I dislike with an antipathy of epic proportions. But the one thing that mystifies me is how the Union Cavalry leaders were either very, very good or not. And i place Sheridan, Custer and Kilpatrick in the later category.

[mgronski]

Originally Posted by grognard

Sheridan was an egoist for sure,
he also took credit for Crook's plans during the Valley Campaign, but he did know how to inspire and lead.

Once someone earned Grant's approval, Sherman, Sheridan, etc. Grant stuck with them as long as possible and very often deferred to their judgement.

..and once you got on Grant's bad side (like Rosey), he would live to see they regretted it.
..For all his toadies (Sherman & Sheridan) blamed others for was nothing they themselves weren't guilty--especially Sheridan, who basically skedaddled at Chickamauga -left the field without orders. All of a sudden he got braver when he had Grant and another army at his back (funny it turned out to be the lowly 11th and 12th Corps of the AOP and Shermans army).

[grognard]

Originally Posted by mgronski

..and once you got on Grant's bad side (like Rosey), he would live to see they regretted it.
..For all his toadies (Sherman & Sheridan) blamed others for was nothing they themselves weren't guilty--especially Sheridan, who basically skedaddled at Chickamauga -left the field without orders. All of a sudden he got braver when he had Grant and another army at his back (funny it turned out to be the lowly 11th and 12th Corps of the AOP and Shermans army).

Sheridan pushed on at Chattanooga and tried to get his superiors to send more troops to finish off the Rebels--that aggressivness caught Grant's attention.

Considering how few battles the AoC had fought, I see it as a learning curve--which is not take back on any of the negative comments about Sheridan.

[mgronski]

..Again, easy to be aggressive when it's not your a** on the line.
Sheridan protected himself at the expense of the rest of the AoC.
It was the opposite case for Granger, who went to Thomas' aid, he risked to aid the army.
Sheridan was needed, and skedaddled, with Rosey not even knowing where he was.
Now fast forward to the dismissal of Warren.
Whose offense was greater?

[grognard]

Originally Posted by mgronski

..Again, easy to be aggressive when it's not your a** on the line.
Sheridan protected himself at the expense of the rest of the AoC.
It was the opposite case for Granger, who went to Thomas' aid, he risked to aid the army.
Sheridan was needed, and skedaddled, with Rosey not even knowing where he was.
Now fast forward to the dismissal of Warren.
Whose offense was greater?

They could have and maybe should have canned Woods, Sheridan and other division commanders for Chickamauga, but Warteen was persistently a pain, Sheridan had a bad day, but redeemed himself at Chattanooga.

[rebpreacher]

Joshua Chamberlain

[Jack Torrance]

Did Joshua Chamberlain ever command a division?

[Eric Wittenberg]

Originally Posted by Jack Torrance

Did Joshua Chamberlain ever command a division?

Yes, during the Appomattox Campaign.

[Jack Torrance]

Originally Posted by Eric Wittenberg

Yes, during the Appomattox Campaign.

During the Appomattox Campaign Chamberlain was in command of the 1st Bde, 1st Division, V Corps. When Warren was removed from V Corps command by Sheridan V Corps command went to 1st Div, V Corps commander Charles Griffin. Joseph J. Bartlett - V Corp, 1st Div, 3rd Bde - was promoted to take over Griffin's 1st division. It was not until April 20 that Chamberlain assumed command of 1st division, V Corp ten days after the end of the Appomatox Campaign.

Chamberlain was division commander for two quiet months after Lee surrendered the ANV.