That says it all Walt. You mean James McPherson who interviews with the World Socialist Web Site and supported Clinton? That James McPherson? You might as well start posting crap from Sandburg if you're going to use anything from McPherson as something besides wiping paper. So let's begin with the basic premise, shall we?
but the rebels had no major success outside of Virginia throughout the entire war excepting Chickamauga.
General Braxton Bragg, now in command of Confederate forces in the theater, was not going to stand on the defensive, but was determined to go over to offensive operations to recover both Tennessee and Kentucky for the Confederacy. The campaign began favorably as Confederate forces in East Tennessee, under the control of General Kirby Smith and in cooperation with Bragg, moved north into Kentucky with 12,000 troops. At Richmond, Kentucky they met, on August 30, a command of 7,000 new Federal recruits defending the city. In a one-sided victory, Smith's casualties numbered only about 450 while the Federals lost 206 killed, 844 wounded, and 4,303 captured or missing. Lexington, Kentucky was captured by Smith's forces, unopposed, the following day.On September 13, Bragg had reached Glasgow, Kentucky which placed him between Buell, now at Bowling Green, and Smith in Lexington. Bragg's forces moved north to the Green River and forced the surrender of another 4,000 man Federal garrison at Munfordville.
Buell advanced his forces again northward to Louisville, and then began a movement to the southeast towards Bragg's suspected location. The two armies eventually stumbled into each other outside Perryville, Kentucky on October 8, 1862. Bragg, who was outnumbered three-to-one, but did not think so at the time, ordered an attack by Hardee and Polk. This assault routed the Federal Left Wing under General McCook. On the opposite flank, Joe Wheeler's 1,200 Confederate cavalry managed to immobilize Crittenden's corps of 22,500 Federal troops in an impressive performance. When the battle closed at the end of the day with no decisive results however, Bragg decided to retreat southward. Buell's pursuit was unenthusiastic, and Bragg arrived back in Knoxville on October 22. Lincoln was unhappy with the turn of events and on October 24, ordered Buell to turn over his command to Major General Rosecrans.
Guess Jimmy Mac missed that battle huh?
Notably, I admit the fall of the Confederates in the West, however as this author, and many non-Socialist authors, point out it wasn't so clear and dry as Jimmy Mac would have the koolaid drinkers to believe.
Bragg's use of the railroads, not only for logistic support, but for dramatic and unexpected troop movement, re-gained the initiative for the South in the western theater. He used that initiative to march northward into Tennessee, and then into Kentucky, at about the same time that Lee was crossing the Potomac into Maryland on the Antietam campaign.Guess Jimmy Mac missed all those battles too as well huh? Seriously Walt, Jimmy needs to quit giving interviews to Socialist websites and hit the books.Bragg's campaign nearly reached the Ohio River. It ended at the Battle of Perryville in October, where Bragg was forced to retreat back into Middle Tennessee at Murfreesboro. Still, it is evident that this dramatic and unprecedented use of the railroad to move an army across four states had changed the pattern of the war in the West
That is just weird -- you touting this battle as....I don't know what.
Check also where the beginning of McPherson's text begins in the note you responded to.
The rebels had NO major success outside Viginia except Chickamauga throughout the entire war.
Walt
If the Yankees had 206 KIA and the rebels had 450 casualties -- let's say they had @ 100 KIA. Then you are talking about a battle with @ 300 KIA. Hardly a major battle. Also, the rebels wound up vacating Kentucy. Some triumph.
It also seems to have escaped you that rebel forces INVADED Kentucky after KY attempted to remain neutral.
So much for states' rights.
Walt