These days, we’re mostly Confederates

[rangerrebew]

These days, we’re mostly Confederates

Antebellum strategy/policy ethos in 21st century America

by

Martin N. Stanton COL, USA (Ret)

Introduction:

Despite the recent Orwellian attempts to “unperson” him, Robert E. Lee remains an iconic figure in American military history.  He was a great field commander who probably got more out of his outnumbered and ill-supplied tatterdemalion army than any other general of his time could have by sheer professional acumen and force of personality.  However, with him (and every other senior Southern commander) that’s as far as it goes.  He failed utterly in his responsibility to convince his political superiors of their folly in the strategic prosecution of the war.  He also dissipated combat power he could not afford to lose in two futile invasions of the North.  Worst of all, he allowed Jefferson Davis to tie the Army of Northern Virginia to the defense of Richmond and Petersburg like a staked goat for the implacable Grant to ultimately devour.  By June 1864 he could see the writing on the wall.  If he stayed in Grant’s gory embrace the Army of Northern Virginia would perish and with it the Confederacy.  But he could not bring himself to forcefully challenge his civilian leadership who were willfully blind to the facts – or walk away from them.  Instead, he soldiered on as nemesis approached.

The fact of the matter is that the South had terrible national level leadership and a national military strategy that was ill suited to achieve its policy goals.  Worse, Southern military leadership was unquestioning in their acquiescence to the elite and insular civilian authority that was driving their cause to ruin. 

You can see many similarities between the national level leadership of the Confederates and the civilian and military leaders in Washington today.

https://smallwarsjournal.com/index.php/jrnl/art/these-days-were-mostly-confederates-antebellum-strategypolicy-ethos-21st-century-america

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Robert E. Lee is, and will always be, one of the greatest generals of all time, regardless of whether his statues are torn down.

And he loved his country, but loved his beloved state of Virginia even more.

[Smokin Joe]

Robert E. Lee is, and will always be, one of the greatest generals of all time, regardless of whether his statues are torn down.

And he loved his country, but loved his beloved state of Virginia even more.

Yep.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Actually, yes, we are.  That’s a good thing, in philosophy.

As to Lee, I don’t know enough details especially of political machinations with the CSA and the military.

This makes it sound as if Lee did nothing to debate with his civilian authority.

Could it be he tried to honor the republican principle that the civil must rule the mil?  Did he try to out-Washington Washington?

Washington had much the same approach, up until Valley Forge.  Tired of the waffling and incommunication and corruption including people scheming to get rid of him and Arnold, E.g., Washington essentially said “no more” with constant letters to Congress and requests.  He took more command than he had and things went better.  Washington acted always judiciously and wished to be as republican as possible and not show tendencies to have military dictate everything.  But he found the line was too close to civil so moved it a bit.  Same principle when he pushed for stronger mil as many were scared to death to have too much mil power “standing” and so forth.

Maybe Lee wanted to carry forward the idea that mil must be subordinate to the civilian, but did not move that line a tiny bit to do better?

[DefiantMassRINO]

Before Lee was a Confederate hero, he was an American hero.
Robert E. Lee distinguished himself in the Mexican-American War.
He was superintendent of West Point 1852-1855.
Arlington National Cemetery is located on former Lee family land.

People are not unary nor binary.  History is not unary nor binary.

Hero verus villain depends on who is on the winning side and who was on the losing side.

Robert E. Lee should not be expunged from history.  His history is American history.

[AL]

Lee excelled in leading the war with Mexico.  But when the US civil broke out he was an old man, his men called him "Pappy".  Lee was a great general, respected by Grant.  Lee had one lingering problem during the Civil War, he did not place enough importance on supply chain management.  The Confederates had the battle at Gettysburg with a complete win possible but the south was out of ammo and had to retreat.  There were over 15,000 military events in the Civil War, it was gruesome.  When Lincoln brought Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, and Custer to the Eastern Campaign they devastated the war weary Confederates and brought the war to a close.

[Bigun]

Actually, yes, we are.  That’s a good thing, in philosophy.

As to Lee, I don’t know enough details especially of political machinations with the CSA and the military.

This makes it sound as if Lee did nothing to debate with his civilian authority.

Could it be he tried to honor the republican principle that the civil must rule the mil?  Did he try to out-Washington Washington?

Washington had much the same approach, up until Valley Forge.  Tired of the waffling and incommunication and corruption including people scheming to get rid of him and Arnold, E.g., Washington essentially said “no more” with constant letters to Congress and requests.  He took more command than he had and things went better.  Washington acted always judiciously and wished to be as republican as possible and not show tendencies to have military dictate everything.  But he found the line was too close to civil so moved it a bit.  Same principle when he pushed for stronger mil as many were scared to death to have too much mil power “standing” and so forth.

Maybe Lee wanted to carry forward the idea that mil must be subordinate to the civilian, but did not move that line a tiny bit to do better?

General Lee was offered command of the Union Army but refused and resigned his commission at the thought of raising his hand against his countrymen (Virginia).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeGBpTFZhh4

[catfish1957]

I think most understand my level of advocacy on this matter the past 25 years.  I'll just leave it at that. 

[Bigun]

One of the most significant events that occurred at Arlington House was the decision by Robert E. Lee to resign from the United States Army on April 20, 1861. A well-respected officer in the army and an opponent of secession, he chose to resign from the U.S. Army after Virginia seceded from the Union. Lee’s decision changed the course of American history and resulted in the loss of his family's beloved Arlington House.

Lee’s Views on Union and Secession

The Lee and Custis families were well known supporters of the American Union. George Washington Parke Custis, the step grandson of George Washington, promoted the importance of the federal government and the union of states in numerous speeches and writings throughout the early 19th century.

In 1831, a young Robert E. Lee (the son of “Light Horse Harry” Lee) married George Washington Parke Custis’ daughter, Mary Anna Randolph Custis and they made their home at Arlington. Robert E. Lee, an officer in the United States Army, was also a strong proponent of the Constitution and the American Union, as his father had been. As the nation approached Civil War in the late 1850s and early 1860s, Robert E. Lee continued to hope for the continuation of the Union and peace between the states.

When South Carolina seceded on December 20, 1860, Lee was stationed with the U.S. Army in Texas. In January 1861, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana all seceded from the Union. Texas followed shortly after in February and a new government, the Confederate States of America, was created in Montgomery, Alabama.

Lee opposed secession. He wrote that “. . . I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than a dissolution of the Union. It would be an accumulation of all the evils we complain of, and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation. I hope therefore, that all constitutional means will be exhausted before there is a recourse to force. Secession is nothing but revolution.”[1] However much he opposed secession though, he believed that “a Union that can only be maintained by swords and bayonets, and in which strife and civil war are to take the place of brotherly love and kindness, has no charm for me. I shall mourn for my country and for the welfare and progress of mankind. If the Union is dissolved, and the Government disrupted, I shall return to my native State and share the miseries of my people, and save in defense will draw my sword on none." ...

https://www.nps.gov/arho/learn/historyculture/lee-s-resignation.htm

[Smokin Joe]

If the Union is dissolved, and the Government disrupted, I shall return to my native State and share the miseries of my people, and save in defense will draw my sword on none." ...

And then the Union invaded Virginia...

[Bigun]

And then the Union invaded Virginia...

Sadly true!