Let Dixie ring Throughout the Land

Rules are the same as red flood the option with the most votes wins. Players may also put forth there own proposals.

Chapter One: A Crossroad
9:00 AM, May 13th, 1863
The War Between the States has entered its second year and is still strongly raging throughout the divided country. Led by Robert E. Lee the Army of North Virginia has went from victory to victory, establishing their superiority over there Union counterparts.
But the war is far from won, at each battle The Army of North Virginia has taken loses that the Confederacy can barley afford over the long term. Furthermore the command structure of the army has been damaged with the death of one of it’s most trusted generals Stonewall Jackson. To add to matters the army’s supplies are almost gone and the devastated country side of Virginia can’t support the army for very long unless if something else is done.
But the army’s problems are small when compared to the situation on the Western Front. Constant defeats have dampened the chances for an confederate victory. Now the situation is nearing disaster as General Ulysses S. Grant threatens to take Vicksburg, whose fall would split the Confederacy in half.
President Davis has asked Lee to meet with him in Richmond and help to determine a new strategy for both the Army of North Virginia and the Confederate army as a whole. In preparation the Lee has called Lt. General James Longstreet, to meet with him.
“Good day General Lee, How may I help you?,” Longstreet asks.
“Good day to you to General” Lee greeted, before getting directly down to business. “As you know we have won almost every battle against the federals. But out of all of those has one helped to bring the end to this monstrous war?”
“No, Longstreet replied, “all that the victories have done is forced the Yankees to retreat across the river to lick there wounds.”
“Exactly, the problem is, we can not follow up our victories and turn it into something useful that can actually end this bloodshed. If we could draw the Hooker out of his fortified lines and into territory were we could easily attack them and threaten Washington they would either be forced to give battle again or lose a city.”
“How do you propose we do this?” Longstreet asked somewhat skeptical, “Are you proposing another invasion of the North? The Army of the Potomac outnumbers us. To even attempt to offset this advantage we would have to draw reinforcements from every army. If I understand this correctly you are proposing that we pull man out of a already rapidly deteriorating situation where there most needed and put it on the most successful front where there probably the least needed?”
“Really are they the least needed?” ,Lee questioned with a hint of Scorn in his voice. “You weren’t here at Chancellorsville. If you were, you would know as well as I do that we almost lost. If Hooker didn’t halt the advance and if Jackson’s flank attack didn’t rout half the Union army, we could be having this talk in a Richmond that is under siege. What would you propose instead? Have Johnston attack an army that’s both numerically superior but has also shown that it is better commanded?”
“No, I’m not that crazy, that would be suicide. As you know I’ve been advocating an invasion of Kentucky by General Brag or General Johnston. With a threat to the north’s own territory Grant would be forced to move away from Vicksburg and pursue the army in the north.”
“ May I ask, with all due respect, how do you propose Johnson goes about defeating the union army then? Once again I point to the superiority the union has achieved in that theater.” Lee asked, slightly amused.
“On that same line of questioning, I why would you think of invading the union in the face of superior numbers?”, Longstreet fired back.
“Surly the risk are worth it:, Lee explained “ First of all if we gain a victory on northern soil it would swell the ranks of the already rapidly growing dove faction in the U.S. That and perhaps British intervention brought on from the victory would be enough to force Lincoln to seek peace?”
From the conversation went in a circle with both men not giving any ground on there points finally Lee broke the stalemate.
“Enough!, we have other matters to attend to; Matters other then arguing all day. Let us discuss our immediate problem the command and supply of the army. My staff estimates that the supplies you brought in will last three months. Do you agree with this?”
“As far as I can tell yes this is right. After that god knows what we’ll do. Our supply line at best can only bring in enough to support a couple divisions. On top of that the Yankees had no trouble raiding it at Chancellorsville.”
Lee sighed out of frustration: “Sometimes I that this army has been abandoned. Could the government in Richmond not help expand the rail lines and draw supplies from other parts of the confederacy?” Lee jotted down a quick note for the coming meeting.
Also general I need to find a replacement for the second corps commander and a commander for the new third corps. I’ve been leaning towards Ewell and Hill for the post. What do you think of them?”
“There both good commanders, Jackson relied heavily on Ewell and Hill’s attack was the only thing that adverted disaster at Antietam. It also seems like Ewell has the support of the second corps due to that rumor going around that Jackson chose him as his successor.” Longstreet replied. “Do you have any other candidates”?
“Yes, if needed the next choices would be either John Hood or Richard Anderson, both are good offensive commanders who have served well in the past.
Longstreet nodded in agreement.
“I believe that is all James, We will talk again soon”
“Always a pleasure Robert I’m sure we will. With that he left the tent.

1. Future Confederate Offensives, what recommendation will you make?
A. The situation in the west is clearly beyond saving, but perhaps a victory in the north could offset this, by driving down union morale and perhaps bringing foreign intervention. Have the Army of North Virginia invade the north.
B. C. Filter all possible reinforcements to Johnston in the west and order him to attempt to break the siege of Vicksburg.
C. Follow Longstreet's Plan and have Bragg or Johnson (chose one) launch an invasion of the north, hopefuly drawing Grant away from Vicksburg.
D. Other

2. Your new Corps commanders, (chose two)
A. Ewell
B. A.P. Hill
C. Hood
D. Anderson
E. Other

3. Supplies: you have enough supplies for a couple months but once those are out your forces will need more.
A. Ask Davis to divert more funds to the army of North Virginia. This would hurt the other confederate armies and the all ready strained economy.
B. Invade the north and live off the land in connection with option 1a.
C. Send out a division or two every couple months to collect supplies from the local ares.

1)
D.Place Longstreet in command in the East with 3 corps, and Lee moves to Tennessee and takes command of the forces there, with any other corps from the Army of North Virginia.
Lee is a great leader, a mythical god amongst the Confederacy. Where Lee goes, victory follows. After the defeat at Chancelorsville, Hooker isn't looking for a fight, but building up behind the Potomac River. Longstreet is Lee's Warhorse, and has advocated fieldworks for the troops. If the Army of the Potomac invades, Longstreet can hold them until Lee returns. Lee can probably move north into Kentucky, and threaten Grant's lines that connect him to the industrial areas and his supplies.

2)A.P. Hill, Ewell. They are veteran commanders, who will know what to do, either with Longstreet or Lee.

3)C
I'm sorry about my ignorance, but I think that this is a good idea in light of the other 2.

Invading the North will force the Federals to do 1 of 2 things. 1-Go out and fight Lee, or 2-Stay put.
Grant knows the advantages of the Union, and will not hesitate to commit them to battle. Grant can throw troops in ad nausem, eventually breaking the Confederates somewhere. He has a material advantage, and allowing him to split the Confederacy renders the entire Mississippi area and west null and void to the conflict.
Lee has an aura that will reflect in the troops, and if the Confederates start winning on both fronts, then the public and international support might begin to shake.

I agree with M.M.

To the last option:
couldn't we send a light cavalry detachment into the north. They could raid the supply of the blue ones and send us some. This would not only strengthen our supply, but also keep the federals busy and gives us time.

One of our main problems is, that we must have an appropriate strategy. Currently, we manage to hold the fort at the east and loose ground in the west. Even if we stop the federals in the west, time is not on our side. So how do we want to end the war?

We can only win, if we either get the support of the European countries, or if the population of the north is getting tired of the war.

One way could be, that we stop Grant in the West and then defeat the Potomac Army.

1) C.
2)A and B. Hood and Ewell.
3) C.

Sorry there was a mistype in the choices 2B should have been A.P hill not A.P. hood. fixed

IrishArmenian know your Confederate Generals.
Bragg-To full of himself, a bad strategist and logistics person
Johnston-He can fight, but prefers defense rather than offense.

1. I'll go with MM though I don't know if it's the greatest idea.
2.B and D
3. I guess C.

I didn't post that. I thought I agreed with you, mostly because I don't know s*** about American History.

You posted C.

I don't know if you meant to or what, but you did, so if there was a shrug emoticon, I would use it right now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marshal Murat

You posted C.

I don't know if you meant to or what, but you did, so if there was a shrug emoticon, I would use it right now.

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:shrug:

1) D. See MM
2) D) Anderson, an aggressive commander with independent experience and E) Pender, a young up and comer. In the RW he was killed at Gettysburg. He was given a division at 29.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by R.E. Lee

"Pender is an excellent officer, attentive, industrious and brave; has been conspicuous in every battle, and, I believe, wounded in almost all of them."

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Ewell was the commander who wouldn't follow up on the first day of Gettysburg and who allowed the Union to fortify the high ground. And Hill couldn't keep Heth under control and let the Battle of Gettysburg begin.

3)C. To hold out for no more than a few months. Permanently we should do our damnedest to get British aid. That would require a major victory in the north within the next six months.

Come along good sir, new chapter!

I'm sorry that there has been a delay in the second chapter I've been busy this last week. I'm hoping to get the next chapter done by wensday or thursday.

I agree with Marshal Murat´s choices. Only at the commander choices,i would pick Richard H. Anderson over Ewell. About the Grand strategy.I think it really would be a good idea to chance the focus of offensives into the west and let Longstreet defend in the East. We need to eliminate the Western threat in order to gather our forces on to a deciseve battle in the East.

Sorry for the delay in this chapter, hopefully I can write the next one faster.

Chapter Two: A Meeting With the President
9:30 PM, May 14th 1663

That night Lee thinks about his meeting with Longstreet in his sleep. What good would an invasion of the Pennsylvania do? Would it be worth it. As Lee watches the shadowy figures play across the tent wall he begins to think about the consequences of losing Vicksburg. Should he really put more men into a flourishing front while annoying it’s poor relation in the west? No, it would simply be ridiculous.
But what about Virginia and the capital, would pulling reinforcements from the army put the situation in the east at risk. Lee’s mind wonders back to Chancellorsville, a pyphiric victory if any battle in this bloody war deserved the name Chancellorsville was it, not only for Jackson but the loss in man power. Lee had doubts about the ability of the Army of North Virginia fighting battle after battle with no gain but added causalities. But no, if the west fell apart it wouldn’t matter. To help Virginia he would have to abandon it for a while to reverse the loses in the West. Only then could the war end.
Turning to his desk Lee digs up the most recent report from Braggs army. After the bloody and inclusive battle at Murfreesboro the situation remains a stalemate. Bragg has positioned his forces at the town of Tullahoma, 90 miles north of the important rail junction of Chattanooga. Like most confederate armies Bragg is out numbered, 46,000 to 65,000. But the greater problem is Bragg’s clashes with his two Corp commanders, Polk and Hardee. Both sides have agreed that the feud has greatly decreased the army’s efficiency.
If we need to make a distraction, to draw the Yankees from Vicksburg this would be the front to do it at, Lee thought. Bragg has proven that he can at least win a draw at every battle. The thought stays in Lee’s mind, as he turns back to the day to day paperwork of the army.
The next day Lee boards a train and heads south towards Richmond. After an uneventful four hour trip, he walks into the Confederate white house.
“Hello General, Lee” The president will see you shortly”, John Baline, presidents Davis’s secretary said over the white folds of a news paper.
Walking into the president office you notice that he seems very pale and worn. A look of tired resolve is painted on his face. Lee takes a seat at a dark wooden table next to the secretary of war Seddon.
“Welcome General Lee. Now perhaps we could finally start?” Seddon said with a hint of annoyance.
“Certainly gentlemen, I must apologize for my lateness the train ran late.” Lee replied.
“Now, now, now, lets not be hasty Mr. Seddon, the fate of confederacy will not be decided on because General Lee here is late by a few minutes.” Davis calmly responded.
“Now General Lee what do you have to suggest about our current situation” Seddon ask somewhat impatiently.
Lee began outline the plan that he and Longstreet had came up with two nights before. The main offensive would fall in the west and then that would hopefully draw Grant north and away from Vicksburg.
“Now I have a few questions to ask, General,” Davis ask, “First what will you do if Hooker tries to attack Richmond again? Can Longstreet hold him.”
“I have the utmost confidence in General Longstreet. He is clearly one of the best we have, if the Yankees come we will defeat them as we did before.”
“What I have to say worries me more is what do you propose we to do with Bragg’s subordinates, both of his corps commanders have been feuded with him for months what do you suggest in that regard” Seddon adds.
“We should move them off to another command or dismiss them, Bragg hasn’t done a thing wrong.” Davis says. Lee mentally sighs, out of all of Davis’s downfalls this is the worst. His tendency to ignore the failures of his friends who are bad generals has been hurting the command corps since the first day of the war.
“Also, were would you recommend sending the four newly raised Brigades? Would you recommend any troops being transferred to a different army? Lee ponders for a moment how he will respond.

1. The command of the army of Tennesse
A. dismiss or transfer Bragg, he is clearly the cause of the troubles. However President Davis may argue against this.

B. Dismiss or transfer polk and Hardee, it is not braggs fault both have been insubordinate.

C. Do nothing, Perhasp Lee's presence will be enough to resolve the situation.

3. The newly raised birgades, each contains about 2,000 men, were should they be sent?
2. Unit transfers: Should any units be transfered to a different army? the numbers:

The army of North Virgina: 60,000
The army of the west: 24,000
Vicksburg garrisioned (cut off placed here just for reference): 12,000
The Army of Tennesse: 50,000 men.

Dismiss Bragg. His command is flawed and over-rated. Davis has to be brought around to this view.
Bring the Army of the West and Tennessee together, and send 3 brigades to assist that newly formed army. Other brigade to Richmond.

I suggest that Lee do 1 of 2 things.

1.Try to confront Grant before Vicksburg
2.Cut Grant's supply lines to the Union.