A question for Civil War history fans; which general was the best strategist in the Civil War, and why?

Question

Usually most evaluate Robert E. Lee and U.S. Grant; but what about others, such as JEB Stuart, Phil Sheridan, Stonewall Jackson, etc.
Please, serious answers!

Answer 1

The first two answers are jokes by the way. Sherman did the easiest thing. There was little resistance because the areas he was torching were already battered and most of the troops were pulled back. The second guy...could have just answered the darn question without pulling it apart.

Forrest was a great General and even financed his own unit. He stood up to the people that were above him even threatening to kill a few of the men who commanded him. When you cut to the chase..he did stand out by leaps and bounds tricking his enemys with simple gags..."like marching his men in circles to make his unit appear larger." The man was a legend that is often eclipsed by his deeds after the war. To a point, The Army of Tennessee was a whole different army than Virginia's. So for that group I would say Forrest, hands down.

As for Virginia, I like all of the men who commanded. It was the group which made the army work but Lee held it all together. I never agreed with all of his decisions but when it comes down to it the man must have had a presence like no other. I dare say he was more respected and loved than Jefferson Davis. Lee always felt the weight of the world. Think about it.

Lincoln offered the man command of the Union Army, but Lee turned it down because he could not fight against his home. Lee later replaced Johnson "correct me if I am wrong" as commander of the Confederate Army which he served until its end. The Union had a revolving door of commanders. Lee took command and handled a smaller under armed army, dealt with a non- working government, and kept the Generals under him working together through conflicts inward and on the battlefield.

Jackson, Longstreet, Pickett, Stuart, the list goes on.
All of them were great men and in thier area of experiences none could be replaced. But Lee encouraged starving soilders to fight and fighting generals to focus.

It is by the respect and honor he projected alone that wins the prize.

Answer 2

*chuckles* OK, theres 3 or 4 different perspectives that could answer this quesiton ok?

1)You could be the poor son of a ****** whos packing a rifle who's actually going into the battle for one of these generals- remember, you've seen tens of thousands of men dead and dying. Your perspective of this General is going to one of wary uneasyness and distrust at thats if you like him. If you don't like him, you just might shoot him yourself and save the enemy a bullet.

2)You could see it from the perspective of a fellow classmate- All of the generals of the american civil war had gone to West Point and knew each other either by classmates, or by reputation.

3)You could be the Historian thats examining the battle step by step and writing for posterity (or money if you can come up with a new twist and sell enough of the idea to people who care) or a muesuem. Your perspective would be far different than the two preceeding examples because of your access to knowlege that they didn't have.

4)You could be the decendant of a Cotton Farm Owner who was rich who lost everything during the war- in which case its possible you hate blacks and you love the KKK
(I actually was in the US Army at Ft Bragg with one of these guys)

Answer 3

General George Armstrong Custer

Had he not haulted the southern cavalry during the battle of Gettysburg it is probable that the north would have lost the battle in which the south might have been free too march on the capital.

Answer 4

Nathan Bedford Forrest , noted as the Greatest Calvary Officer to ever sit horseback

Answer 5

Sherman, he burned his way across Georgia to punish those Southern folks.

I think it also helped end the war with such a vast economic area destroyed.

Answer 6

South- Jubal Early. Brilliant strategist.

North- George Thomas. Good stategist (not great) but steady and uwavering.

Answer 7

Grant,,
He stayed drunk,to kill the pain of killing,the entire war