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Who would have been the best commander for the army of the potomac?  Rate Topic 
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 Posted: Mon Feb 15th, 2010 03:03 am
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Old Blu
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 ole wrote: Winging it again, but Couch refused, after Chancellorsville, to ever serve again under Hooker. So he was given the plum assignment of watching over the Pennsylvania district.

Seems he did some good service in the Penninsula Campaign, and in the Maryland Campaign. Other than those, I don't recollect where, other than seniority, he demonstrated any particular ability to run the Army of the Potomac.

Ole
I think Chancellorsville was where the falling out occured between Hooker and Couch.  But according to Furgurson's book, Couch was offered the Union Army but refused because of his health problems.  He did make a recommendation to Washington suggesting General Meade, which did happen.  So goes history.
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 Posted: Mon Feb 15th, 2010 03:59 am
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spoofseeker
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 Well all in all Lincoln made the right choice didn't he? Meade took the ground at Gettysburg so I suppose the question is a moot point
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 Posted: Mon Feb 15th, 2010 04:29 am
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csamillerp
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 the question isnt what happened but who you would choose to lead the federal forces
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 Posted: Mon Feb 15th, 2010 11:41 am
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Doc C
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 My apologies, I had Hancock confused with Reynolds in my earlier post. Guess it's my "old timers disease" acting up again.

Doc C
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 Posted: Mon Feb 15th, 2010 05:09 pm
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susansweet3
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 Happens every so often to many of us Doc.
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 Posted: Mon Feb 15th, 2010 11:45 pm
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Doc C
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 CSA

To end my posting on this subject, under the circumstances Meade was the best and only pick for the commander of the AOP. IMHO, in difference to Sickles and Historicus, he did an outstanding job.

Doc C
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 Posted: Wed Apr 28th, 2010 04:50 am
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peaeyeparker
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 Hey all,

For me, I guess it depends what time period we're looking at.  Certainly Grant wouldn't have been the commander in '62 that he was in '64.  I'm always curious how far Kearny might have gone if he'd lived.  He might not have been a really skillful general (minus several points for riding right into enemy troops), but he was aggressive.

Adam
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 Posted: Wed Apr 28th, 2010 06:32 pm
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Mark
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 Hindsight is always 20/20. Lincolin would not have known anything about most of these suggestions in 1861. I probably would have done what he did--Hallack. Solid and well respected soldier with a good record. Probably the best choice for the job given what the president knew at the time.

Mark
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 Posted: Wed Apr 28th, 2010 08:04 pm
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Old Sorrel
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 Grant would still be my choice. He was as stubborn as a mule. Never gave up. And from what I've read about him he hated defeat. If I was to pick some one off the beaten path. An underdog leader......Pap Green.......old yes, but after what he did on Culps Hill, why not.

Cheers

Old Sorrel 

Last edited on Wed Apr 28th, 2010 08:14 pm by Old Sorrel
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 Posted: Thu May 6th, 2010 08:02 pm
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Whyme Two
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 Politics would have done Grant in early in the war. There really wasn't a man for the job from the start of the war.
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 Posted: Thu May 6th, 2010 10:10 pm
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Mark
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 The other question you have to ask though is do you even WANT your best commander in the East? I confess to still being on the fence as to which theater was the more important...
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