how-remembered-history-col-franz-sigels-leadership-crisis-udouj

There has been several over the past 15 years....... and so history does repeat itself... and sometimes its not just the senior leaders we find on the front page having done things that get them relieved -- its the ones who were promoted far beyond their capabilities and that keep getting promoted.

It did not hurt that Sigel essential bough along his own army " I fits wit Sigel" was the somewhat misplaced pride of his Army, much of which did not speak English.

Army's in General were run by amateurs, In fact a few became legendary leaders like College professor form Maine did elected to command by his neighbors

McClellan was a "professional' soldier and was a disaster far worse than Sigel, so things are never very cut and dried. especial in a war where a significant number of professionals turned traitor.

But visible flaws of leadership seen on and off the battlefield - should have been enough after the first 2 years of shaking out to have found guys like Sigel out on the Canadian border protecting it from invasion..... Little mac did not make it through the shake out years.. Butler did....

LTC Eric Udouj - Could they afford to have his army fade away when he was put in a safe place? The question is was he a net asset of a net deficit. little mac o almost cost us a nation, Sigel did not. Butler in the end did a better job than some Professionals, how he handled the citizen Of New Orleans was magnificently funny. I that war I would call the political Generals and real generals a draw on quality

But without a doubt no General help the union Cause so spectacular as John Bell W Hood, destroying a whole southern army with minimal union casualties was quite an achievement.

Hood was another example of promoted beyond his capability - and we have seen several who also were in that boat in the last decade. Bragg at Chattanooga was in the same boat when he wasted the advantages and pulled defeat from the jaws of victory. Then there was ole Pem down in Vicksburg..... who gave away a whole field army and whose leadership would be another example of bad judgement and poor leadership and hesitation... and exactly the enemy anyone wants to face.
But Sigel was important to recruiting - and more important in politics. So perhaps he would have been better at raising forces .... than leading them. It was never like he was important enough for a force to cease without him after they were raised. But then again - it is the WHY aspect of this article of his first real fight and looking at him in that lense.