Most embarrassing union defeat in the ACW - Historum

**Apachewarlord** · November 18th, 2012, 06:16 AM

As we all now, the Union was embarrassed quite a lot, but what was the most embarrassing?

**Apachewarlord** · November 18th, 2012, 06:24 AM

For me it was a tie between the Seven Days and the Crater, however, I went with the Crater simply because it came so close to working, only to topple do to bad leadership.

ugabug · November 18th, 2012, 06:33 AM

Antietam wasn't a Union defeat at the very worst it was a draw.

**Apachewarlord** · November 18th, 2012, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ugabug

Antietam wasn't a Union defeat at the very worst it was a draw.

I agree with you on that. I put it on simply because some people could see it as a very embarrassing draw. Also, I do know a few people who do count it as a Union defeat.

**tjadams** · November 18th, 2012, 07:38 AM

Chancellorsville
Fredericksburg
Seven Days
Second Manassas
And a personal favorite sentimental favorite of mine:
Battle of Mansfield

Sam-Nary · November 18th, 2012, 11:04 AM

Seven Days, easily. If you look at the performance of the Union Army in the individual battles of the Seven Days, you'll find that the Union Army won each individual engagement and inflicted heavier casualties on the Confederates then the Confederates inflicted on them. Yet, McClellan assumes he is outnumbered and runs away.

And the crucial retreat was the first one. Instead of regrouping maybe a few miles to the east of the position, McClellan retreated south and ultimately secured the ultimate victory for Lee because he surrendered the key supply lines he needed to keep his army close to Richmond for long.

The Seven Days were a battle the Union SHOULD have won, if only McClellan had the stomach actually fight.

funakison · November 18th, 2012, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam-Nary

Seven Days, easily. If you look at the performance of the Union Army in the individual battles of the Seven Days, you'll find that the Union Army won each individual engagement and inflicted heavier casualties on the Confederates then the Confederates inflicted on them. Yet, McClellan assumes he is outnumbered and runs away.

And the crucial retreat was the first one. Instead of regrouping maybe a few miles to the east of the position, McClellan retreated south and ultimately secured the ultimate victory for Lee because he surrendered the key supply lines he needed to keep his army close to Richmond for long.

The Seven Days were a battle the Union SHOULD have won, if only McClellan had the stomach actually fight.

The seven days battle does seem to have been a shambles for the Union army and its jittery commander, whilst on other side the audacious actions of one Jeb Stuart seemed to mesmerise and befuddle the union command.

67th Tigers · November 19th, 2012, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam-Nary

Seven Days, easily. If you look at the performance of the Union Army in the individual battles of the Seven Days, you'll find that the Union Army won each individual engagement and inflicted heavier casualties on the Confederates then the Confederates inflicted on them. Yet, McClellan assumes he is outnumbered and runs away.

And the crucial retreat was the first one. Instead of regrouping maybe a few miles to the east of the position, McClellan retreated south and ultimately secured the ultimate victory for Lee because he surrendered the key supply lines he needed to keep his army close to Richmond for long.

The Seven Days were a battle the Union SHOULD have won, if only McClellan had the stomach actually fight.

Not really. After Gaines Mill (the loss in the engagement was really bad luck on the Union part) the Army of the Potomac was turned and the supply line cut. The only option left was to withdraw to a new base (as, for example, Grant i after Holly Springs was compelled to do).

McClellan had long been worried ("complaining") about the vulnerability of his supply lines.

**Panthera tigris altaica** · November 19th, 2012, 03:26 PM

The Battle of Fredericksburg was poorly conducted and in my mind the most embarrassing. Specifically, the most embarrassing, completely tragic and very lopsided event to come out of the battle was Burnside's ordering a Union assault on Longstreet's fixed Confederate position on Marye's height. I don't remember the exact figures, but it was something like thousands of unions casualties for only a few hundred Rebel causalities. Very sad.

However, a tiny bright spot had come out of the carnage was the story of Richard Rowland Kirkland, or the Angle of Marye's Height.

**Apachewarlord** · November 19th, 2012, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panthera tigris altaica

The Battle of Fredericksburg was poorly conducted and in my mind the most embarrassing. Specifically, the most embarrassing, completely tragic and very lopsided event to come out of the battle was Burnside's ordering a Union assault on Longstreet's fixed Confederate position on Marye's height. I don't remember the exact figures, but it was something like thousands of unions casualties for only a few hundred Rebel causalities. Very sad.

However, a tiny bright spot had come out of the carnage was the story of Richard Rowland Kirkland, or the Angle of Marye's Height.

True, I should have had Fredricksburg as my second option, not the seven days