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Braxton Bragg and Confederate Defeat: Vol 1: Field Command
General Braxton Bragg of the Confederate Army is one of the more controversial figures of the Civil War period. Nearly every modern writer on that period of American history has been highly critical of Bragg, both for his incompetence at war and for his failure to win the loyalty of his officers and men. The judgment of Bragg’s contemporaries was no less severe; many of Bragg’s subordinates were certain something was wrong with their commander. One general swore he would never fight again under Bragg’s command; another threatened to resign from the army and to challenge Bragg to a duel. No one doubted Bragg’s ability when the Civil War began. Mexican War hero, retired army lieutenant colonel, he was one of the most distinguished soldiers to join the Confederacy, and for a time one of the most impressive. He rose quickly from brigadier to full general, yet by 1863 Bragg was the South’s most discredited commander. This is the first of a two-volume biography of Braxton Bragg which traces his career from 1817 to 1863 and emphasizes how and why Bragg, as commander of the Army of Tennessee, contributed to Confederate defeat.
438 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1969
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October 15, 2026
Dr. Grady McWhiney was, rightfully, considered the Dean of Southern historians. His seminal works on Southern culture are still well worth studying. As such, even now, he is a highly regarded name in both the popular, and academic historical world. And as much as I highly esteem Dr. McWhiney, I did not feel that this book was his best work, nor his most fair.
Braxton Bragg is, still, the most reviled man from the Southern side of the War Between the States. He may even edge out McClellan as the most reviled man of the war, period. While I, personally, would not rate Bragg as a top tier commanders, not alongside Lee, or Meade, or Taylor, or George H. Thomas, I would place him firmly in the middle rankings. Partly why Bragg is so universally reviled is the mythology that has grown up around him. A mythology that Dr. McWhiney seemed willing to try to confront, only to surrender to it.
The first half of the book is a detailed, and honestly quite compelling, overview of Bragg's early life, his schooling, military academy days, his Army career, his service under fire in the Mexican War, and his life as a married man in Louisiana leading up to Secession. A few surprising tidbits stood out.
Bragg loathed his Mother, never spoke of her, but was quite fond of his Father, and Brother. His Mother was convicted of murder, before Bragg was born, and spent time in prison. I can only guess as to what kind of woman she was like.
Bragg had several friends, close ones, too, who because Union Generals during the War Between the States. His closest friend was William T. Sherman. They even exchanged correspondence after the War, and were still cordial despite the War.
Likely his closest advisor, and this may, or may not, have been a good thing, was his younger wife Elise. She was, well, an incredibly opinionated, very strong willed woman, not afraid to speak her mind, and was willing to engage her husband intellectually on matters both agricultural (they owned a plantation, together, with some slaves, and Bragg was not a harsh master as his myth may suggest. He actually enjoyed working alongside his slaves), and military. At times she gave startlingly sound advice (she was very well read, and well educated, and combined with her strong temperament, they were likely a match made in Heaven). Other times, her advice was horrendous, and may have contributed to Bragg's failure to get along with some his subordinates.
Bragg was, the myth is not wrong, a very prickly, sensitive man. People forget how much Southern culture is very much an Honor culture. And yes, he did quarrel with plenty of superiors, and juniors, throughout both his US and CS military careers. However, even as McWhiney points out, often he was in the right. And Bragg's ideas for Army administrative reform were so ahead of their time, that when they were adopted by the US Army in the early 1900's, they stuck around. In some cases, they're still utilized.
So far so good, McWhiney in the first half of the book tried hard, and succeeded, to be objective, fair, and to spend time analyzing the other side of the tale to ensure Bragg got a fair shake. Then came The War, and the objectivity rapidly got thrown out the window.
Part of it is that McWhiney's own understanding on Civil War era military tactics, doctrine, and how combat operated was just as flawed as most historians ideas were sixty some years ago when this was written. There's been so much strident analysis into 19th century warfare in the last several generations, that the modern understanding is not only more nuanced, it's far more detailed. McWhiney wrote a book on his theories which I need to read: Attack and Die, about Southern martial culture, and Confederate military doctrine.
From what I've seen leafing through it, reading the intro and the epilogue, to get his thesis and analysis, I can say that his cultural points are mostly correct. The South was heavily influenced by Scots-Irish Celtic culture. However, the good Dr's comprehension of both Confederate doctrine, and of 19th century warfare in general, leaves some to be desired. This understanding of his colors his analysis of the Civil War, and of Bragg's generalship.
Again, I won't rate Bragg in the top tier. But I stand by my decision to place him firmly in the middle of the pack. He was easily the best, alongside McClellan, at Administration, organization, training, logistics, and even at planning. He would have been The choice for Jefferson Davis to place as Head of the Chief of Staff (essentially, making him Von Moltke the Elder). As a field commander, Bragg lacked the ability to deal with negative, and contentious personality types, as he was simply too aggressive and domineering. In that, he could be a martinet. He also siffered from notorious poor health. The physical pain he was in, frequently, likely contributed to his cantankerous, prickly demeanor and his ability to get along with egotistical men of ambition.
But as a field commander, he did have some notable successes for the Southern cause. The men he trained, from his early Pensacola days, to his time as Commander of the AoT, were the best trained men in the South. Tactically, the Army of Tennessee, always operating undermanned and outgunned, exerted prodigies of valor on the field. Their mastery of close order tactics (something McWhiney discounts, due to his misunderstanding of 19th century warfare) contributed to inflicting higher loss, while on the offensive, at Perryville, and Murfreesboro. His Kentucky Campaign cleared northern Alabama, most of central Tennessee, all of eastern Tennessee, and kept open Chattanooga and the gateway to the Deep South for over a year. His operational and strategic successes (Perryville was a tactical victory, and Murfreesboro was both a tactical, and strategic draw, and yes I know that last is controversial) kept open the logistical lifeline not only to the Confederate armies in the West, but also to Lee's army in Virginia, which consumed nearly half of all the foodstuffs in Bragg's district. (Something Bragg often grumbled about, but understood the need for). Had Bragg not placed the Federals on the backfoot in 1862, in the West, and secured the supply chain of foodstuffs and materials to Lee (including the Augusta Powder Works), Lee would have been unable to hold the line of the Rappahannock for as long as he did, and may have abandoned the Chancellorsville Campaign to draw closer to Richmond.
Speculations aside, Bragg definitely deserves a fairer shake than he received here.
However, there's not much on Bragg, out there.
Samuel J. Martin has a book on Bragg that I need to read, and Earl Hess wrote an excellent, very fair, book on Bragg about a decade ago. Braxton Bragg, the Army of Tennessee, and even his two chief opponents, Rosecrans and the Army of the Cumberland are all very much the red headed bastard stepchildren of the Civil War historical world. They all deserve much more scholarship, analysis, and attention. It is my contention that the vital, decisive, theater of the war was not Virginia, or the Mississippi River Valley, but rather that rail corridor which stretched from Louisville all the way down to Atlanta.
It was there that the most crucial campaigns of the war were waged, and the most consequential battles were fought. And it was there that Braxton Bragg's service deserves more, and more judicious, attention.
McWhiney's book is still the foundation upon which all modern works on Bragg rest, and just on that basis I have to recommend it. It's very well written, more so even than Dr. Hess' book (Hess isn't quite the prose-smith that McWhiney was, though he is a far better writer than Col. David Glantz), though Hess' book is more fair, and objective. And Hess has a far better grasp on 19th century warfare than did Dr. McWhiney.
Last thing, there is a sequel to this, though written by Judith Lee Hallock. As far as I understand, Dr. McWhiney was Hallock's Doctoral advisor, and she took McWhiney's notes and completed the book for him (this volume ends after the Murfreesboro Campaign). And since I have it, I aim to dig into it before years end.
I will still recommend this book. Most will still agree with Dr. McWhiney that Bragg contributed to Confederate Defeat. My own view is that no single General can be blamed for Southern failure to achieve independence. However, if I had to pick one individual, likely more responsible than most others, I would point at Jefferson Davis, not Bragg.
Braxton Bragg is, still, the most reviled man from the Southern side of the War Between the States. He may even edge out McClellan as the most reviled man of the war, period. While I, personally, would not rate Bragg as a top tier commanders, not alongside Lee, or Meade, or Taylor, or George H. Thomas, I would place him firmly in the middle rankings. Partly why Bragg is so universally reviled is the mythology that has grown up around him. A mythology that Dr. McWhiney seemed willing to try to confront, only to surrender to it.
The first half of the book is a detailed, and honestly quite compelling, overview of Bragg's early life, his schooling, military academy days, his Army career, his service under fire in the Mexican War, and his life as a married man in Louisiana leading up to Secession. A few surprising tidbits stood out.
Bragg loathed his Mother, never spoke of her, but was quite fond of his Father, and Brother. His Mother was convicted of murder, before Bragg was born, and spent time in prison. I can only guess as to what kind of woman she was like.
Bragg had several friends, close ones, too, who because Union Generals during the War Between the States. His closest friend was William T. Sherman. They even exchanged correspondence after the War, and were still cordial despite the War.
Likely his closest advisor, and this may, or may not, have been a good thing, was his younger wife Elise. She was, well, an incredibly opinionated, very strong willed woman, not afraid to speak her mind, and was willing to engage her husband intellectually on matters both agricultural (they owned a plantation, together, with some slaves, and Bragg was not a harsh master as his myth may suggest. He actually enjoyed working alongside his slaves), and military. At times she gave startlingly sound advice (she was very well read, and well educated, and combined with her strong temperament, they were likely a match made in Heaven). Other times, her advice was horrendous, and may have contributed to Bragg's failure to get along with some his subordinates.
Bragg was, the myth is not wrong, a very prickly, sensitive man. People forget how much Southern culture is very much an Honor culture. And yes, he did quarrel with plenty of superiors, and juniors, throughout both his US and CS military careers. However, even as McWhiney points out, often he was in the right. And Bragg's ideas for Army administrative reform were so ahead of their time, that when they were adopted by the US Army in the early 1900's, they stuck around. In some cases, they're still utilized.
So far so good, McWhiney in the first half of the book tried hard, and succeeded, to be objective, fair, and to spend time analyzing the other side of the tale to ensure Bragg got a fair shake. Then came The War, and the objectivity rapidly got thrown out the window.
Part of it is that McWhiney's own understanding on Civil War era military tactics, doctrine, and how combat operated was just as flawed as most historians ideas were sixty some years ago when this was written. There's been so much strident analysis into 19th century warfare in the last several generations, that the modern understanding is not only more nuanced, it's far more detailed. McWhiney wrote a book on his theories which I need to read: Attack and Die, about Southern martial culture, and Confederate military doctrine.
From what I've seen leafing through it, reading the intro and the epilogue, to get his thesis and analysis, I can say that his cultural points are mostly correct. The South was heavily influenced by Scots-Irish Celtic culture. However, the good Dr's comprehension of both Confederate doctrine, and of 19th century warfare in general, leaves some to be desired. This understanding of his colors his analysis of the Civil War, and of Bragg's generalship.
Again, I won't rate Bragg in the top tier. But I stand by my decision to place him firmly in the middle of the pack. He was easily the best, alongside McClellan, at Administration, organization, training, logistics, and even at planning. He would have been The choice for Jefferson Davis to place as Head of the Chief of Staff (essentially, making him Von Moltke the Elder). As a field commander, Bragg lacked the ability to deal with negative, and contentious personality types, as he was simply too aggressive and domineering. In that, he could be a martinet. He also siffered from notorious poor health. The physical pain he was in, frequently, likely contributed to his cantankerous, prickly demeanor and his ability to get along with egotistical men of ambition.
But as a field commander, he did have some notable successes for the Southern cause. The men he trained, from his early Pensacola days, to his time as Commander of the AoT, were the best trained men in the South. Tactically, the Army of Tennessee, always operating undermanned and outgunned, exerted prodigies of valor on the field. Their mastery of close order tactics (something McWhiney discounts, due to his misunderstanding of 19th century warfare) contributed to inflicting higher loss, while on the offensive, at Perryville, and Murfreesboro. His Kentucky Campaign cleared northern Alabama, most of central Tennessee, all of eastern Tennessee, and kept open Chattanooga and the gateway to the Deep South for over a year. His operational and strategic successes (Perryville was a tactical victory, and Murfreesboro was both a tactical, and strategic draw, and yes I know that last is controversial) kept open the logistical lifeline not only to the Confederate armies in the West, but also to Lee's army in Virginia, which consumed nearly half of all the foodstuffs in Bragg's district. (Something Bragg often grumbled about, but understood the need for). Had Bragg not placed the Federals on the backfoot in 1862, in the West, and secured the supply chain of foodstuffs and materials to Lee (including the Augusta Powder Works), Lee would have been unable to hold the line of the Rappahannock for as long as he did, and may have abandoned the Chancellorsville Campaign to draw closer to Richmond.
Speculations aside, Bragg definitely deserves a fairer shake than he received here.
However, there's not much on Bragg, out there.
Samuel J. Martin has a book on Bragg that I need to read, and Earl Hess wrote an excellent, very fair, book on Bragg about a decade ago. Braxton Bragg, the Army of Tennessee, and even his two chief opponents, Rosecrans and the Army of the Cumberland are all very much the red headed bastard stepchildren of the Civil War historical world. They all deserve much more scholarship, analysis, and attention. It is my contention that the vital, decisive, theater of the war was not Virginia, or the Mississippi River Valley, but rather that rail corridor which stretched from Louisville all the way down to Atlanta.
It was there that the most crucial campaigns of the war were waged, and the most consequential battles were fought. And it was there that Braxton Bragg's service deserves more, and more judicious, attention.
McWhiney's book is still the foundation upon which all modern works on Bragg rest, and just on that basis I have to recommend it. It's very well written, more so even than Dr. Hess' book (Hess isn't quite the prose-smith that McWhiney was, though he is a far better writer than Col. David Glantz), though Hess' book is more fair, and objective. And Hess has a far better grasp on 19th century warfare than did Dr. McWhiney.
Last thing, there is a sequel to this, though written by Judith Lee Hallock. As far as I understand, Dr. McWhiney was Hallock's Doctoral advisor, and she took McWhiney's notes and completed the book for him (this volume ends after the Murfreesboro Campaign). And since I have it, I aim to dig into it before years end.
I will still recommend this book. Most will still agree with Dr. McWhiney that Bragg contributed to Confederate Defeat. My own view is that no single General can be blamed for Southern failure to achieve independence. However, if I had to pick one individual, likely more responsible than most others, I would point at Jefferson Davis, not Bragg.
January 3, 2014
Volume one accounts for his early life, West Point time, Mexican War and his times as a planter and the start of the Civil War through 1862. This book tells his story quietly and evenly and has been a easy read.It's nice to find a good treatment of Bragg.
March 28, 2016
The book that first tried to explain Bragg's career in context. It is an exceedingly fair work but one that also felt somewhat incomplete.
August 19, 2011
Dr McWhiney was my advisor in college back in the early 1970's. FINALLY - I found a copy of his book.
As is true with most people, Braxton Bragg was neither all good nor all bad. YES - he was not a good field commander BUT he was a master of organization.
What impressed me was how McWhiney presented both the pros and cons of Bragg's abilities or lack of abilities by using a wealth of primary source materials.
In the hands of McWhiney we see Bragg as a complex man whose flaws contributed to the eventual defeat of the CSA.
As is true with most people, Braxton Bragg was neither all good nor all bad. YES - he was not a good field commander BUT he was a master of organization.
What impressed me was how McWhiney presented both the pros and cons of Bragg's abilities or lack of abilities by using a wealth of primary source materials.
In the hands of McWhiney we see Bragg as a complex man whose flaws contributed to the eventual defeat of the CSA.
July 23, 2011
Bragg commanded the Confederate army in the Mississippi region of the South and ultimately lost the region for the Confederacy. This work is an analysis of his leadership and military strategy.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews