Just remind me..

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Yes but here is something I have noticed worth thinking about - sure the confederate armies move about and win a lot of battles. They have better generals for sure. But dominant armies don't have to do that, which brings us back to the lesson of Sherman again. The dominant just bulldoze through.

Other examples would be the Soviet steamroller in WWII. Sure, blitzkrieg is elegant and wins Germany a lot of quick victories but it cannot in the end compensate for fundamental weaknesses in Germany's situation. The same applies to the Confederacy. Sherman understood that and he just went for the jugular. He inspired US generals like Eisenhower with his broad front strat in the west. With overwhelming superiority the western allies too didn't have to risk Montie's northern thrust or Churchill's mooted Balkan campaign.

My reading of military history is usually its the ultimate loser who has to get fancy.

The vaunted superiority of the southern gerneals vs. the northern ones is part truth but also part legend. Given the northern forces were typically the aggressor/invading forces and given the nature of warfare had changed so siginficantly from earlier Napoleonic era, particularly that the lethality of weapons,(i.e artillery improvments, rifling of small arms, rapid fire weapons etc.) now allowed the defenders significant advantage. Considering these developments, the likes of Sherman and Grant casualties taken vs. Casualties inflicted ratios are spectacular in comparison to the best the south had to offer.

But to your point the idea you mention is one of consistent winnable strategy vs. "hail mary" desperation tactics.

[PLATO]

Davis screwed that pooch when he replaced Johnston with Hood.

I grew up literally on the battlefield in Franklin. I have a yankee cannonball sitting on my desk that I dug out of my back yard as a kid. Was there any stupider tactics used anywhere else by the Confederate Army than at Franklin? Hood sucked.

[MichaeltheGreat]

On the bright side, Hood's performance at Franklin is still outdone by Butler at the Bermuda Hundred and Fort Fisher, and Banks in the Shenandoah and at Grand Ecore.

Ol' Johnny Hood is a shining example of how the Peter Principle and laudanum don't mix.

[MichaeltheGreat]

The vaunted superiority of the southern gerneals vs. the northern ones is part truth but also part legend. Given the northern forces were typically the aggressor/invading forces and given the nature of warfare had changed so siginficantly from earlier Napoleonic era, particularly that the lethality of weapons,(i.e artillery improvments, rifling of small arms, rapid fire weapons etc.) now allowed the defenders significant advantage. Considering these developments, the likes of Sherman and Grant casualties taken vs. Casualties inflicted ratios are spectacular in comparison to the best the south had to offer.

Except for the south not having access to much new artillery through the war, and units still having smoothbore muskets in the west until 1864 and in the ANV until Gettysburg.

Despite the change in the nature of tactical warfare, the Yankees typically had access to superior numbers and materiel advantages such that they should have been able to overcome the tactical advantages exploited by the Confederates.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Except for the south not having access to much new artillery through the war, and units still having smoothbore muskets in the west until 1864 and in the ANV until Gettysburg.

Despite the change in the nature of tactical warfare, the Yankees typically had access to superior numbers and materiel advantages such that they should have been able to overcome the tactical advantages exploited by the Confederates.

Numerical superiority that was more often than not tied up in non-combat roles providing logistical support. While pure mancounts defintiely favored the north for armies in the field the percentage of combat roles favored the defenders. All in all the north had more men in the field more combat roles in the field but not so overwhelming as the raw numbers would have you believe.

[Sava]

you crackers lost
/cry