During the American Civil War, did Napoleonic Linear Tactics make sense? Or was guerrilla warfare best?
If you fought during the American Civil War, would you have preferred Napoleonic Linear Tactics or guerrilla warfare?
http://thomaslegion.net/napoleonictactic…
http://thomaslegion.net/napoleonictactic…
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
Although Napoleonic tactics by the time of the American Civil War were almost obsolete due to the evolution of weapons,
as it was proven at least at Getysbourg (1863) and in Frederisbourg (1862) for Confederates and the Federals respectively, (not to mention other battles) they were the only tactics known and uderstood. The same problem was to reappear in the oppening campaigns of the First Word War in Europe. The guerrila tactics in the other hand ,although they were aready kwown for the Napoleonic Wars in Spain (1806-1813, where they played a vital part to Napoleon's defeat to that theatre of operations), were not used to large extent by the Confederate Leadership even in the end of the war, for political reasons, for guerilla warfare is essentially peole's warfare in witch, the hierarchical order, so quintessential for the antebellum Southern society would be lost and the Confererate military laedreship would be replaced by forces beyond its control, whereas if they choose to surender (as they did in the end of the war) they could retain de facto and in time de jure also, their reigning position over the remains of the Southern society (as it did happen, despite the Reconstruction).In other words theguerilla tactics may have been more effective than Napoleonic linear tactics from the Confederate point of view but they carried a price-tag that the Confederate leadership was unwilling to pay. For the Federals, the guerrila warfare tactics were useless any way for that kind of warfare is essntialy defencive, wereas the Federal war aims, to bring the Southern States back under Federal control, could be realised only by offensive tactics
as it was proven at least at Getysbourg (1863) and in Frederisbourg (1862) for Confederates and the Federals respectively, (not to mention other battles) they were the only tactics known and uderstood. The same problem was to reappear in the oppening campaigns of the First Word War in Europe. The guerrila tactics in the other hand ,although they were aready kwown for the Napoleonic Wars in Spain (1806-1813, where they played a vital part to Napoleon's defeat to that theatre of operations), were not used to large extent by the Confederate Leadership even in the end of the war, for political reasons, for guerilla warfare is essentially peole's warfare in witch, the hierarchical order, so quintessential for the antebellum Southern society would be lost and the Confererate military laedreship would be replaced by forces beyond its control, whereas if they choose to surender (as they did in the end of the war) they could retain de facto and in time de jure also, their reigning position over the remains of the Southern society (as it did happen, despite the Reconstruction).In other words theguerilla tactics may have been more effective than Napoleonic linear tactics from the Confederate point of view but they carried a price-tag that the Confederate leadership was unwilling to pay. For the Federals, the guerrila warfare tactics were useless any way for that kind of warfare is essntialy defencive, wereas the Federal war aims, to bring the Southern States back under Federal control, could be realised only by offensive tactics
Source(s):
"Why the South did not resort to guerrila tactics after Apomatox?" (1964)
- 1Rating: Good Answer
- 0Rating: Bad Answer
- Asker's Rating:
- Asker's Comment:
- Very well stated; I enjoyed all your answers- great job!
- Action Bar:
- Comment (0)
Other Answers (7)
i dont think its a matter of mking sense or being the best, linear tactics were the ones taught at west point so all that was really understood. furthur more guerilla tactics dont work well with large armys etc.. they are better suited to smaller forces causing havoc amongst the population rather than pitched battle fields.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου