4 AUG--This Day in US Military History

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 08:58:35 -0400

1864 – A Union operation against Confederate defenses around Atlanta, Georgia, stalls when infighting erupts between Yankee generals.

The problem arose when Union General William T. Sherman began stretching his force—consisting of the Army of the Ohio, the Army of the Tennessee, and the Army of the Cumberland—west of Ezra Church, the site of a major battle on July 28, to Utoy Creek, west of Atlanta. The Confederate army inside of Atlanta, commanded by General John Bell Hood, had attacked Sherman’s army three times in late July and could no longer mount an offensive operation.
Sherman now moved General John Schofield, who commanded the Army of the Ohio, from the east side of Atlanta to the west in an attempt to cut the rail lines that supplied the city from the south and west. Schofield’s force arrived at Utoy Creek on August 3.
The Army of the Cumberland’s Fourteenth Corps, commanded by General John Palmer (pictured), had also been sent by Sherman to assist Schofield. But on August 4, the operation came to a standstill because Palmer refused to accept orders from anyone but General George Thomas, commander of the Army of the Cumberland. Although Schofield was the director of the operation, Palmer felt that Schofield was his junior.
The two men had been promoted to major general on the same day in 1862, but Schofield’s appointment had expired four months later. Schofield had been reappointed with his original date of promotion, November 29, 1862, but Palmer insisted that the reappointment placed Schofield behind him in seniority. Agreeing only to relay Schofield’s order to his division commanders, Palmer refused even to accept Sherman’s orders.
On August 5, Sherman declared that Schofield was senior to Palmer, upon which Palmer resigned and returned to his Illinois home. The delay provided the Confederates ample time to extend their defenses and protect their western rail links. An example of how generals’ egos could be both large and fragile, the incident would be laughable if it were not for the event’s consequences. When the Yankees attacked on August 6, they were repulsed with the loss of 300 casualties, which might have been prevented if the squabble had not occurred.

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2005/08/04/august-4/

August 4

4 August 1790 - Congress authorized the Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton's proposal to build ten cutters to protect the new nation's revenue (Stat. L. 145, 175). Alternately known as th...

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Aug 4 at 2015 9:00 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 09:00:45 -0400

I didn't know that. Thanks!

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 4 at 2015 10:24 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 10:24:29 -0400

Such childishness from one in such a high position of command. General Palmer seems not to have understood that they were in a war and that the objective is victory and nothing else. He should not have gotten off so easily.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Aug 4 at 2015 12:38 PM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 12:38:47 -0400

Hopefully todays Generals have learned from the past. An oversized Ego can be dangerous at that rank.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2015 1:43 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 13:43:49 -0400

I have always wondered at what point in our Military History that the profession especially of officers transitioned from one of political position and ally to those in office to one who is versed in the craft/art of war. I think some of the issues with incompetent generalship during the Civil War stemmed from the political appointments of generals and senior officers in order to maintain Congressional or other senior political support/favor.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 4 at 2015 2:43 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 14:43:49 -0400

The Union had a horrible sense of Unity of Command as generals acted independently of each other on their own campaigns.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 4 at 2015 2:49 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 14:49:14 -0400

(Updated) General Palmer and Tom Berenger ('SGT Barnes' from Platoon) look like they had the same grandpappy.

Response by SSG Don Maggart made Jun 17 at 2023 7:31 PM

SSG Don Maggart — Sat, 17 Jun 2023 19:31:35 -0400

They thought almost in the ashilol Swamps was Fun