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Schofield in Franklin and Nashville

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  • Schofield in Franklin and Nashville

    Schofield was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for stopping Hood cold in Franklin. But it was strange that he did not give pursuit, and it appears to me that his conduct in Nashville was over hesitant. What gives? Was he an over-cautious general?
    All those who are merciful with the cruel will come to be cruel to the merciful.
    -Talmud Kohelet Rabbah, 7:16.

  • #2
    First of all, his MOH was awarded for his actions at Wilson's Creek in AUG 1861 in SW Missouri. There is no doubting his personal bravery.

    He received no award for Franklin. He did receive a promotion to brigadier general in the Regular Army along with others after Nashville....Thomas was promoted to Major General and his official date of rank was listed as NASHVILLE 1864 (Sheridan's said (CEDAR CREEK 1864).

    Was he timid and cautious? Not overly so. Could he have counterattacked at Franklin? Possibly. But recall that you have to look at his actions within the total prism of the previous days. He extricated his force from a trap at Spring Hill and entrenched in a very effective defense which shattered Hood. He was under orders to join Thomas in Nashvile and he did so while disengaging from the enemy and conducting a succesful pull back across a river...a very difficult maneuver. Yes, he could have counterattacked but he can not be faulted for following his orders.

    At Nashville you may have some validity to your point. He did go behind Thomas's back to try to get him fired...and perhaps his delay on 16 December may have had more to do with that. All of that considered he could have done more.

    He was an adequate commander...much like the XXIII Corps was a workman unit....it wasn't a II Corps but it was good enough for the job...much like many units in the Army's history.

    Recall also that Schofield's greatest successes came in the Trans-Mississippi as an independent commander. He bridled under Curtis just like he did under Thomas...2 men with similiar dispositions....perhaps that had something to do with it as well.
    “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
    Mark Twain

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    • #3
      Thanks. I figured WABers with a more detailed working knowledge on corps-level operations would be more able to answer the question.
      All those who are merciful with the cruel will come to be cruel to the merciful.
      -Talmud Kohelet Rabbah, 7:16.

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