News:

And we're back!

Main Menu

Worst Commander of the Army of the Potomac?

Started by Kleves, January 06, 2012, 06:17:26 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Who was worst?

Irvin Mcdowell
1 (3.1%)
George McClellan
18 (56.3%)
John Pope
4 (12.5%)
Ambrose Burnside
3 (9.4%)
Joe Hooker
4 (12.5%)
George Meade
0 (0%)
Ulysses Grant
2 (6.3%)

Total Members Voted: 32

Print
Go Down Pages1 2 3 4
User actions

Kleves

January 06, 2012, 06:17:26 PM
Yes, I know that Grant and Pope didn't technically command the Army of the Potomac (did McDowell?). I included them anyway. Deal with it.

As far as my vote goes, quite of a few of them were poor commanders. Only McClellan, however, was handed a golden opportunity to destroy the Confederate army piecemeal and pissed it away.
My aim, then, was to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom.

11B4V

#1
January 06, 2012, 06:27:20 PM
Lil Mac

That sounds like a rapper
"there's a long tradition of insulting people we disagree with here, and I'll be damned if I listen to your entreaties otherwise."-OVB

"Obviously not a Berkut-commanded armored column.  They're not all brewing."- CdM

"We've reached one of our phase lines after the firefight and it smells bad—meaning it's a little bit suspicious... Could be an amb—".

Razgovory

#2
January 06, 2012, 06:28:11 PM
Voted for McClellan, he had some good points but they didn't involve actually commanding the army.  He should have been able to destroy the Army of Northern Virginia (or badly wound it), at Antietam.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

11B4V

#3
January 06, 2012, 06:48:00 PM
An arguement can be made for Burnside regarding length of command.
"there's a long tradition of insulting people we disagree with here, and I'll be damned if I listen to your entreaties otherwise."-OVB

"Obviously not a Berkut-commanded armored column.  They're not all brewing."- CdM

"We've reached one of our phase lines after the firefight and it smells bad—meaning it's a little bit suspicious... Could be an amb—".

Admiral Yi

#4
January 06, 2012, 06:58:21 PM
If McClellan only had the Peninsula to his credit it might be harder to figure out who was worse, him or Burnside.  The inclusion of Antietam* makes it no contest.

What I can't get is why McClellan's troops were so nuts about the guy.

* Do you guys say An-TEE-tum or Aunty Etam?

Habbaku

#5
January 06, 2012, 07:41:05 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 06, 2012, 06:58:21 PM
* Do you guys say An-TEE-tum or Aunty Etam?

SHARPS-burg.
The medievals were only too right in taking nolo episcopari as the best reason a man could give to others for making him a bishop. Give me a king whose chief interest in life is stamps, railways, or race-horses; and who has the power to sack his Vizier (or whatever you care to call him) if he does not like the cut of his trousers.

Government is an abstract noun meaning the art and process of governing and it should be an offence to write it with a capital G or so as to refer to people.
-J. R. R. Tolkien

11B4V

#6
January 06, 2012, 07:45:12 PM
"there's a long tradition of insulting people we disagree with here, and I'll be damned if I listen to your entreaties otherwise."-OVB

"Obviously not a Berkut-commanded armored column.  They're not all brewing."- CdM

"We've reached one of our phase lines after the firefight and it smells bad—meaning it's a little bit suspicious... Could be an amb—".

Razgovory

#7
January 06, 2012, 08:15:20 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 06, 2012, 06:58:21 PM
If McClellan only had the Peninsula to his credit it might be harder to figure out who was worse, him or Burnside.  The inclusion of Antietam* makes it no contest.

What I can't get is why McClellan's troops were so nuts about the guy.

* Do you guys say An-TEE-tum or Aunty Etam?

First one.  McClellan did a lot to raise morale and fought to get his troops the best amenities.  His strategic incompetence wasn't clear at the time, and wouldn't be entirely clear until years after the war.  The average soldier didn't know how he badly overestimated the enemy numbers, or how indecisive he was, or that he was a megalomaniac.  After all they didn't have access to the statistics concerning the other side, or the opinions of his fellow officers (not to mention Lincoln), or his personal letters.  We do have access to all of this and can make a much better judgement of the man.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

Caliga

#8
January 06, 2012, 08:20:54 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 06, 2012, 06:58:21 PM
* Do you guys say An-TEE-tum or Aunty Etam?
If you go to the battlefield, the park ranger dudes say "An-TEE-tum".  I've never heard the other pronunciation.
0 Ed Anger Disapproval Points

CountDeMoney

#9
January 06, 2012, 08:51:29 PM
McClellan.

And I want to know who the fucker was that voted Grant.

Razgovory

#10
January 06, 2012, 09:45:35 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 06, 2012, 08:51:29 PM
McClellan.

And I want to know who the fucker was that voted Grant.

Guess.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

Kleves

#11
January 06, 2012, 10:14:07 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 06, 2012, 08:51:29 PM
And I want to know who the fucker was that voted Grant.
Three people voted Hooker.  :grr:
My aim, then, was to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom.

Capetan Mihali

#12
January 06, 2012, 11:53:14 PM
Quote from: Caliga on January 06, 2012, 08:20:54 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 06, 2012, 06:58:21 PM
* Do you guys say An-TEE-tum or Aunty Etam?
If you go to the battlefield, the park ranger dudes say "An-TEE-tum".  I've never heard the other pronunciation.

I definitely learned it as "An-TEE-tum" in school... never heard the other way either, though I don't get involved in many discussions of Civil War battles in my daily life.
"The internet's completely over. [...] The internet's like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated. Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you."
-- Prince, 2010. (R.I.P.)

11B4V

#13
January 07, 2012, 01:13:55 AM
Quote from: Kleves on January 06, 2012, 10:14:07 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 06, 2012, 08:51:29 PM
And I want to know who the fucker was that voted Grant.
Three people voted Hooker.  :grr:

Ah...yea.
"there's a long tradition of insulting people we disagree with here, and I'll be damned if I listen to your entreaties otherwise."-OVB

"Obviously not a Berkut-commanded armored column.  They're not all brewing."- CdM

"We've reached one of our phase lines after the firefight and it smells bad—meaning it's a little bit suspicious... Could be an amb—".

grumbler

#14
January 07, 2012, 07:41:14 AM
John Pope was, by far, the worst general and person on the list, so by definition the worst commander on the list.
The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.   -G'Kar

Bayraktar!
Print
Go Up Pages1 2 3 4
User actions