Braxton Bragg: The Most Hated Man of the Confederacy by Earl J. Hess (review)

There is perhaps no more controversial figure in the Civil War high command than Confederate general Braxton Bragg. Bragg's military career has attracted the scorn of virtually every modern Civil War historian, and his cantankerous and poisonous personality is legendary. However, is this a fair assessment of one of the Confederacy's most important military leaders? The quest for the "real" Bragg is the subject of Earl J. Hess's new biography of the "Confederacy's chief whipping boy" (p. xi).

Hess, a noted and prolific scholar, contends that historians have dehumanized Bragg, in essence portraying him as a caricature of an incompetent leader and sadistic martinet. Hess seeks to move beyond these generalizations to understand Bragg both as a man and as a general. To this end, Hess reviews the varied and often contradictory opinions of Bragg from all those who knew him, including Confederate political leaders; the southern press; Bragg's chief subordinates—the junior officers and men serving under him; and, finally, even Bragg's Union enemies. Hess also examines Bragg's personal life, especially his relationship with his wife, Eliza. By closely studying the opinions of Bragg held by those who knew him best (as well as Bragg's opinions of these same individuals), Hess hopes to come closer than have past historians to truly understanding this important and dynamic leader. What emerges is not a full-fledged, cradle-to-grave biography but primarily a study of Bragg's personality and how this personality affected his military career.

Hess maintains that Bragg possessed many positive attributes. He was devoted to the Confederate cause, and he was hardworking, meticulous, and self-disciplined. However, like many highly motivated professionals, Bragg showed little regard for those who would not or could not meet his exacting standards. The author also demonstrates Bragg's considerable strategic and tactical ability on the battlefield. However, while Bragg could win tactical victories in places like Perryville, Stones River, and Chickamauga, he failed to win the campaigns. Indeed, his moments of brilliance were often sullied or squandered by indecision, stubbornness, and inability to work with his subordinates. Still, the author is quick to point out that Bragg's top generals could also be incompetent, stubborn, and vindictive. For Hess, Bragg's two principal failures as a general were his penchant to see the world through absolutes and his staggering lack of tact. Taken together, these two flaws led to numerous personal conflicts and prevented Bragg from ever truly succeeding as a commander.

In sum, Hess's view of Bragg is neither overly positive nor overly negative. The author has provided a dispassionate, fair, and balanced approach, which was no doubt difficult given the damning universal view of the general. Hess takes a number of past historians to task for their broad, sweeping generalizations that have failed to do service to the complexity of the man and his decisions as a general.

This new look at Bragg deserves a wide audience. Hess has written a well-researched and measured account of a key figure who influenced the fate of two nations. Only by examining the full range of both the positive and negative attributes that Bragg exhibited can historians hope to fully understand him and the events he influenced. This holds true for any study of any historical figure. Beyond giving readers a more nuanced view of a key commander in the war, Hess has implicitly provided invaluable lessons on scholarship. He reminds us of the importance of reading sources carefully and separating facts from interpretation. Perhaps the work's greatest service, however, is to demonstrate that despite current trends in the Civil War historiography, purely military topics are still essential and central to the understanding of our nation's greatest calamity.