Bragg, the South’s irascible enigma

Braxton Bragg probably is the only general in the history of any U.S. war to have failed in four consecutive campaigns and have been promoted after every one of them.

Bragg, born in 1817 and raised on a medium-size North Carolina farm, was noted from early childhood for his humorless and tactless personality and an unswerving devotion to duty. Somehow, his surly personality never stopped him from advancing.

He graduated fifth out of a class of 50 at West Point in spite of the fact that he did not check out a book from the library during his academic career.

He was made into an instant hero in Mexico when Gen. Zachary Taylor famously called for “A little more grape, Captain Bragg!” Yet his post-Mexico arguments with Army officials become legendary. In fact, a rumor circulated that when serving in the far West as both post captain and post quartermaster, he had an argument with himself by letter.

Resignation accepted

In spite of Bragg’s contentiousness — he never met an argument he didn’t like — he always found ways to advance, both militarily and personally. In 1849, he married a beautiful Louisiana belle, Eliza Ellis, and stood to inherit major plantation holdings.

He was best friends with another misunderstood officer, William T. Sherman, who also suffered from a mood disorder (probably what today would be called bipolar disorder).

Bragg’s tenure in the Army survived a court-martial and official reprimand, and he did not hesitate to argue even with the secretary of war himself — future Confederate President Jefferson Davis, who also had served in the Mexican War — over matters of Indian policy and war strategy.

Bragg’s better half, Eliza, found life on the western frontier demanding and boring. When Bragg asked for a transfer in 1855 and it was denied, he boldly submitted his resignation. He was outraged and offended when it was accepted promptly. Bragg was then forced to watch the gathering war clouds between North and South from the relative peacefulness of his Louisiana sugar plantation. For a while at least, Bragg’s irascibility was limited to mere domestic matters.

Gifted organizer

When war reached Louisiana, Bragg was not able to keep himself out of it. On Jan. 11, 1861, he led a large group of state volunteer soldiers to Baton Rouge, where they captured the Federal arsenal.

When Louisiana formally seceded, Bragg was named the state commander and promoted to major general. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed brigadier general in the Confederate army by his old comrade-in-arms President Davis.

Bragg proceeded posthaste to the relative backwater of Pensacola, Fla., where he disdainfully took command of a large group of undisciplined volunteer soldiers. (“Sweepings of the streets,” he once called them.) In spite of his negative attitude, Bragg drilled the men, enforced sanitation and supply routines, and produced what at the time were some of the best volunteer regiments in the entire Confederate army.

Bragg did not, however, make any attempt to use these men in an attack on nearby Fort Pickens, the Federal stronghold dominating the area. Though his organizational prowess was unparalleled, he failed even to attempt a change of the status quo in Pensacola.

When his men left — desperately needed in another theater — Bragg left with them and was promoted to major general. His new command included all of Alabama and parts of Florida. Shortly thereafter, he was moved with his men directly under General Albert Sidney Johnston in Mississippi and was promoted to corps commander.

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