Shattered Nation

by Jeffrey Brooks

  He made his choice. Davis would, of course, have to wait for Bragg’s full report, but there could be no delaying the decision beyond that. If Johnston was left in command, Atlanta would be in Yankee hands before another week had passed. Lincoln would win reelection and the defeat of the Confederacy would be only a matter of time.

  Johnston had to go.

  Chapter Five

  July 14, Afternoon

  Johnston and Mackall stood upright, in full dress uniforms, their hands clasped tightly behind their backs. Behind them stood Hood, Hardee, Stewart and Wheeler. In the distance, Bragg’s horse and buggy were approaching.

  Mackall leaned over and spoke softly. “Are you going to tell him about our plan to attack the enemy at Peachtree Creek?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Johnston replied. “There is security to consider. To prevent the Yankees from discovering our intentions, it would be best for as few people to know about our plan as possible. Thus far, not a soul knows about it save you and me.”

  “But Bragg has the ear of the President. If he reports back to Richmond that you have no strategy to defend Atlanta, Davis might order your removal at once. Besides, we shall have to inform the corps commanders in a few days anyway.”

  “I know, William. I know.” Johnston pursed his lips. He was not entirely sure what he was going to do and this very fact filled him with unease.

  Bragg’s buggy pulled up to the front of the Niles House and Bragg emerged. “Gentlemen,” he said simply as he strode up the steps, raising his hands in a salute. The senior commanders of the Army of Tennessee collectively returned the salute, stiffly and professionally.

  “Welcome back to my headquarters, General Bragg,” Johnston said with a forced smile.

  “Thank you, General Johnston.” There was an awkward silence. With Bragg there were always awkward silences.

  “Let us go inside.” As the officers walked through the doorway, Johnston saw Bragg nod knowingly in Hood’s direction. He pretended not to notice.

  A few minutes later, after coffee had been provided, Mackall began a presentation on the general military situation, going into much greater detail than Johnston had the day before. Mackall explained where the three infantry corps of the army were situated and what was known of the enemy positions. The Union forces had not moved for several days, though scouts reported that the buildup of supplies was almost complete. It seemed that a renewed push to capture Atlanta would likely begin in the next few days.

  Bragg did not seem particularly interested in the presentation. At times, he seemed not to be paying attention at all, which Johnston considered very rude. His loathing for Bragg increased. To Johnston, it was apparent that Bragg had only come to the briefing for the sake of appearances. He had clearly already determined what he would say in the report he was going to send to President Davis.

  Mackall came to the end of his presentation, and Bragg glanced at the generals assembled around him.

  “General Hardee?”

  “Yes?”

  The tone of these words was ice cold. Johnston felt distinctly uncomfortable as he watched Bragg and Hardee gaze at one another with scarcely disguised hatred. Everyone in the room was well aware of their detestation for one another. No one else spoke, as though fearing that the slightest disruption of their conversation would set off an explosion.

  “What is the present strength of your corps?”

  “Eighteen thousand men, more or less.”

  Bragg grunted. “Their morale?” he said after a moment.

  “Very good, I would say. They have beaten the Yankees repeatedly since the beginning of the campaign.”

  “They have not been dispirited by the long retreat?”

  Hardee glanced at Johnston for just a moment. “Not in the least.”

  Bragg nodded, then looked at Stewart.

  “And the strength of your corps, General Stewart?”

  “Roughly the same as Hardee’s, I would say. Between eighteen and twenty thousand men. Their morale remains unshaken, despite the death of their previous commander, who was much loved and respected.”

  Bragg’s face hardened into cold granite at the mention of the late Leonidas Polk. During their service together, Bragg and Polk had grown to loath one another with an intensity that surpassed even the hatred between Bragg and Hardee. Johnston wondered why Stewart would have said something certain to goad Bragg. Had it been a simple moment of awkwardness or had it been calculated impoliteness?

  “A pity the regard in which General Polk was held by the men was been matched by his performance on the battlefield,” Bragg said.

  “One should not speak ill of the dead,” Hardee said instantly, anger in his voice.

  “Gentlemen,” Johnston said quickly, anxious to defuse any argument before it started. He held out his hands, palms down, as though to smooth troubled waters. “We should remain focused on the matter at hand.”

  “Agreed,” Bragg said sharply. He turned to Hood. “And you, General Hood? What is the strength and morale of your corps?”

  “Fifteen to eighteen thousand men, give or take. They are anxious for battle, I should say. Months of fighting from trenches has made them more determined to come to grips with the enemy. They’re tired of being on the defensive. They are ready to fight.”

  Johnston scowled ever so slightly. Hood had certainly told Bragg everything he had wanted to know during their secret meeting the night before. He wondered just how foolish Bragg and Hood thought he was.

  He couldn’t resist a slight jab. “The strength of Hood’s corps is slightly lower than that of the other two corps due to losses it sustained at the Battle of Kolb’s Farm, where its attack was repulsed by the enemy with heavy casualties.”

  Hood’s head jerked slightly, but he said nothing. Inwardly, Johnston smiled. He then reminded himself not to get carried away. He had to maintain control of himself if he was to have any chance of keeping his command. The tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife and Johnston knew it would be unwise to unnecessarily increase it.

  Bragg ignored Johnston’s comment. “Well, I believe I fully understand the military situation and have a sound idea of the condition of the army.”

  “Excellent.”

  “Now, can you tell me what plans you have to oppose Sherman’s advance? Obviously, he must begin his move on Atlanta soon.”

  “Within days, I should say. As soon as he gets his entire force across the river and builds up sufficient supplies.”

  “And when he does advance, what will you do?”

  This was the moment Johnston had known would come. Obviously, if he told Bragg of his plans, Bragg would immediately notify President Davis. That would mean that every telegraph wire between Atlanta and Richmond would be humming with the details of his strategy and every telegraph operator in Georgia and the Carolinas would become privy to them. Shortly thereafter, every clerk in the War Department would be talking about them as well. Then the Richmond rumor mill would begin inexorably turning.

  Richmond, Johnston knew, was infested with Yankee spies. If a single one of them got so much as a hint of the plan to attack Sherman at Peachtree Creek, it would be a simple matter to get the news across the siege lines to General Grant. A simple telegram from Grant to Sherman would then put an end to all of Johnston’s hopes.

  However, if Bragg was told nothing, he would report back to Davis that Johnston had no plan to halt Sherman’s advance on Atlanta. The President, Johnston knew, would conclude that Johnston intended to abandon the city without a fight. This would certainly lead to Johnston’s removal from command.

  Then there were Hood and Wheeler to consider. With those two schemers obviously doing everything in their power to discredit him, Johnston had to assume that Davis would think the worst of him no matter what Bragg’s report said.

  Johnston began cautiously. “General Bragg, you are aware that the enemy has more than twice our number. My plans, therefore, depend largely on the movements of the
enemy. We hope that the coming days will present us with an opportunity to attack the enemy when the advantage is ours.”

  “Do you believe the appearance of such an opportunity to be at all likely?”

  “I do, yes.” He took a deep breath, glanced around at his corps commanders, and decided to tell Bragg his plan. It was a risk, he knew. But it was a risk he would have to take if he wanted to remain in command of the army.

  Bragg was now talking. “Well, in war a commander must obviously look for every possible advantage. But suppose such an opportunity does not occur. Are you prepared to resist Sherman if he attempts to capture Atlanta by siege?”

  Johnston’s eyes narrowed. “The defenses of Atlanta are too strong to be carried by assault and too extensive to invest. A siege of Atlanta is simply not a feasible strategy for the enemy.”

  “I see.”

  “But let us return to the matter of catching the enemy at a disadvantage.”

  “Very well,” Bragg said, his voice sounding both tired and disinterested.

  Johnston did not respond right away. It suddenly occurred to him that if he were to discuss the plan with Bragg, he would necessarily have to reveal it to his corps commanders as well. He was not prepared to do that just yet. If the corps commanders knew of the plan, they would obviously share it with their division commanders, who would then share it with their brigade commanders, who would then share it with their regimental commanders. It would filter down through the ranks until, at least in the form of rumor, ordinary soldiers in the ranks would begin to hear of it. If any of them were unfortunate enough to be captured by the enemy, or if any of them simply deserted, information about the upcoming attack could be presented to Sherman as though on a silver platter.

  His original intention had been to inform the corps commanders two days before the attack was to be launched. That would give a sufficient amount of time for the necessary reconnaissance to be undertaken and for other preparations to be made, while minimizing the chance of an intelligence breach. But as Sherman still had yet to begin his advance from his bridgehead over the Chattahoochee, it might still be a week or more before the decisive battle would be fought. That was too long.

  “General Johnston?” Bragg asked. “You were speaking of catching the enemy at a disadvantage?”

  “Yes,” Johnston said, pausing uncertainly while he pondered how to answer. “The strength of our fortifications will allow us to use the city as a pivot, if you will, while we maneuver against Sherman as he approaches. I am completely confident that we will be able to strike Sherman a decisive blow at a time and place where it would do tremendous damage.”

  Bragg’s eyebrows went up in a clearly feigned effort to appear interested in what Johnston was saying. “ I see,” he said. “Well, I shall certainly transmit your confidence to President Davis. It goes without saying that the President expects every effort be made to defend Atlanta from the enemy.”

  “Of course.”

  “Well, I should be going.” Bragg pushed his chair back and rose, a movement quickly repeated by Johnston, Mackall, and the four other commanders. “I bid you gentlemen a good afternoon and wish you luck in the upcoming battle.”

  “I shall walk you to your buggy, General Bragg,” Johnston said.

  “Very well.”

  Bragg exchanged salutes with the assembled generals, then shook the hands of Hood and Wheeler before turning toward the door. Johnston considered it a calculated rudeness that Bragg did not give Hardee, Stewart and Mackall the courtesy of a handshake, but restrained himself from mentioning it.

  “And are you heading back to Richmond?” Johnston asked as they walked down the front steps.

  “Not immediately. I shall travel to Mobile to confer with General Taylor regarding the coastal defenses of the Gulf. It is feared that the Union Navy may soon attack Mobile Bay.”

  “I see. When you return to Richmond, present my compliments to President Davis and General Lee.”

  “I shall do so.”

  Johnston turned his head to look back up the steps, seeing that no one else was within easy earshot. “Do you have one more moment, General Bragg?”

  Bragg’s face betrayed confusion. “Of course,” he said in a measured tone.

  Johnston leaned slightly forward. “General Bragg, I did not wish to speak of this in front of the others, but I will tell you now that the Army of Tennessee shall attack the Army of the Cumberland when it crosses Peachtree Creek. I have drawn up a plan I believe gives every chance of victory. Please inform President Davis of this.”

  “You plan to attack?”

  “I do. Two corps will attack the Army of the Cumberland while the third corps holds off the rest of the Yankees. I believe that we will be able to catch the enemy while his forces are divided and defeat them in detail.”

  Bragg was silent for several infinite moments, his eyes studying Johnston’s face carefully. “You have drawn up the plans?”

  “General Mackall will be preparing the orders this very evening.”

  “So nothing is on paper just yet?”

  “Not yet, no. I thought it best to wait until tonight, in order to maintain proper secrecy.”

  Bragg said nothing in reply, at first looking back at Johnston with a blank expression. There was a pause that seemed to last forever. Then, very slowly, one end of Bragg’s flat, thin mouth curled up slightly, forming a sneer of infinite hatred.

  Involuntarily, Johnston stepped back. He took a moment to recover. “I wish you a safe and pleasant journey,” he said automatically.

  “And I wish you success in the coming battle.”

  Johnston doubted that very much. “Thank you, General Bragg.”

  *****

  July 15, Morning

  As President Davis walked into his office, Mr. Harrison handed him the latest telegram from Bragg. Although he was anxious to open it immediately, Davis managed to remain calm enough to chat for a few moments with Harrison. The conversation was brief, focusing mostly on inane Richmond social gossip.

  When Harrison finally closed the door, Davis hurriedly opened the telegram. It was a very long message, but the exertions that the telegraph operator must have been forced to make were justified by the importance of the message.

  President Davis,

  I have made General Johnston two visits and have been received with courtesy. I have also held discussions with his senior commanders. Johnston did not seek my advice and it was not volunteered.

  I find nothing here to be encouraging. Our army has suffered twenty thousand casualties since the commencement of the campaign, without inflicting proportional losses on the enemy.

  I do not believe Johnston has prepared any plan to resist the enemy advance on Atlanta. Therefore, I believe that he should be removed from command at once.

  Davis nodded as he read, sipping a cup of lukewarm coffee as he did so. It was reassuring that Bragg had also come to the conclusion that it was now necessary to replace Johnston. The only question was whether Hardee or Hood was to be Johnston’s successor. As if reading his mind, that was the subject to which Bragg next turned his attention.

  I do not believe that General Hardee has the confidence of the army, and it seems more than likely that his appointment would result in the continuation of Johnston’s passive strategy, as he has apparently been its strongest supporter among the high command.

  If the change be made, Hood would give unlimited satisfaction and would certainly engage in a more aggressive policy than has hitherto been the case. Do not mistake me as proposing him to be a man of genius, but I do believe he would be far better in the present emergency than anyone else we might have.

  During the whole campaign, General Hood has been in favor of giving battle and mentions to me numerous instances of opportunities lost.

  God grant you wisdom in this difficult decision.

  General Bragg

  Davis briefly wondered if he could trust that Bragg’s rejection of Hardee did not stem from Bragg
’s well-known personal distaste for the man. After a moment’s consideration, he decided that he could. After all, Davis himself felt comfortable that his own decision to replace Johnston was not motivated by his poor personal relationship with Johnston. If he could put patriotic duty ahead of personal matters, surely Bragg could do the same.

  Davis now tried to play out the scenario in his mind. If Hood took command of the Army of Tennessee, the long retreat would certainly come to an end. All possibility of abandoning Atlanta without a fight would be gone. Bloody fighting was certain to commence. Perhaps Hood would instill the same spirit and élan in the Confederacy’s main western army that had so long inspired the Army of Northern Virginia to such glorious victories as Second Manassas and Chancellorsville.

  Davis knew that replacing Johnston with Hood would result in tremendous controversy, perhaps more so than any other decision he had made since the beginning of his presidency. He would certainly be accused of allowing his personal prejudices to dictate his military policy. Johnston, after all, had many powerful friends. Louis Wigfall and many others in Congress would denounce the measure with all their fury. Many of the newspapers would certainly cry foul. But his detractors were already criticizing his leadership and had been for years. Davis was not particularly concerned about them. There was no pleasing such people, after all.

  He pulled out some stationary and began drafting a message to Secretary of War Seddon, directing him to remove Johnston from command and appoint Hood in his place. As Davis wrote, his pulse quickened.

  *****

  July 15, Afternoon

  Sherman was in his headquarters discussing logistical matters with McPherson when the messenger arrived. “Telegram from General Grant, sir.”

  Sherman took it and nodded a thanks.

  General Sherman,

  The rebel raider Jubal Early has withdrawn from the Washington area and is returning to Virginia, with between twenty and twenty-five thousand men. Their future operations are uncertain, as General Lee cannot feed such an additional number of men at Petersburg.