Question of the Week: What was the best order of the Civil War?
Last week, we asked what the worst order of decision of the Civil War was. This week we’re turning it around: What do you think was the smartest order or decision of the War?
Last week, we asked what the worst order of decision of the Civil War was. This week we’re turning it around: What do you think was the smartest order or decision of the War?
The commander and chief,
Lincoln to Grant,
Where ever Lee goes you go .
Grant , moving south and west to cut Lee off . Win lose or draw, Grant is on the march .
Lee says to Longstreet it’s only a matter of time now …….
So gos Lee so gos the South ….
Lee’s request for a meeting to discuss the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, 1865. Grant received this request and sent his reply with an aide, leaving the choice of meeting location to Lee. Lee then proceeded to the village of Appomattox Court House, where he met Grant at the McLean House to finalize the terms of the surrender.
The order to take Vicksburg because Vicksburg was the key…
Alfred Pleasonton and Jacob Dolson Cox agreeing to the objective to occupy the Zittlestown Road and Old National Pike intersection and the Moser Road and Old National Pike intersection behind the Confederates at Turner’s Gap to capture the entire Confederate Army on September 14, 1862. Two more hours of daylight and the Confederate Army was toast! Confederates surrounded on three sides!
Lincoln’s decision to release Mason & Slidell, the Confederate commissioners sent to England & France seeking diplomatic recognition and financial support, but dragged off the British royal mail ship Trent by a U.S. warship.
The decision to release M&S helped resolve a dangerous dispute with the UK that threatened war. If war with the UK (and possibly France also) or even diplomatic recognition and subsequent financial support of the Confederacy had occurred, probably the CSA wins the war. A hard decision by the U.S. to make, but arguably the smartest decision of the war.
Honorable Mention: The immediate declaration of a blockade of Southern ports.
Grant’s order/decision to move South after the brutal fighting at The Wilderness.
General Order 143, which created the Bureau of Colored Troops in May 22, 1863 and resulted in over 180,000 Black men joining the United States Army. Despite initial unequal pay and promotion limitations, they proved as good of soldiers as any and earned often begrudging respect and the right to claim citizenship.
Grant’s order to Sheridan, “Hold the Cold Harbor Crossroads at all hazards.” Without holding the crossroads, the Union army could not have shifted south of the Chickahominy and James Rivers.
The Emancipation Proclamation
Moving Grant to Eastern Theater and giving him complete command of all Union forces
Lee’s order to the Army of Northern Virginia to surrender, intact, go home, and obey the laws.
I have two. “Where Lee goes, there you will go also!”. That was Grant’s direct order to Meade after Grant took command in the East. It made Lee’s army the main target instead of Richmond. All efforts would hence be expended to eliminate Lee’s army as an effective fighting force.
The other one is Gen. Joseph Hooker’s General Orders Number 6, which reorganized the Union cavalry forces, and in the process made them much more effective and thus productive as the war progressed.
Lee’s attack at the 7-Days. His aggressive victories established the Southern elan and belief in his leadership that kept men fighting to Appomattox.
Second: His Chancellorsville orders dividing and subdividing his army are admired to this day.
Honorable mention: Dawes charge at the railroad cut on day 1 of Gettysburg was an admirable order.
The best order of the war was after the Battle of Seven Pines when President Davis realizes that Gustavus Smith was not the leader needed and he gave command to Robert E Lee.
First, Lincoln giving overall command to Grant, and second, Grants order to Meade that wherever Lee goes he (Meade) is to follow.
Robert Lee’s order to Stonewall Jackson on June 16, 1862, to bring his corps from the Shenandoah Valley to Richmond, to take part in the offensive against McClellan that raised the siege of Richmond, saving the Confederate capital. Despite Jackson’s tardiness and lack of energy during the Seven Days Battles, his troops’ presence made all the difference. Without them, Lee could never have driven Porter out of Mechanicsville and Gaines’ Mill, which won the offensive and changed the war.