Gettysburg-"Turning point"of the Civil War?

[JMadonna]

(07-21-2013 04:03 PM)Hess1865 Wrote:  OK, how do you think Atlanta would have turned out if Jeff Davis hadn't replaced Gen. Johnston with Gen. JB Hood??
Bad move in Davis' part IMO.
We all know how Jeff and Johnston got along!

We'll never know.

Johnston predicted that once Sherman crossed the Chattahoochee River his position became more difficult and precarious. Sherman split his army into three columns for the assault on Atlanta. General George Thomas' Army of the Cumberland was left without support as he approached Peachtree Creek. Johnston decided to attack Thomas as he crossed the creek, when he received the order relieving him of his command in favor of Hood.

The timing couldn't have been worse. By the time Hood tried to execute the plan 24 hrs later, Thomas had crossed the creek and was barely able to repulse Hood's attack.

Politically, Davis needed a victory and with Lee and Grant checkmating themselves that left Johnston as the only one who could deliver.

There is no question that the war was lost in the west and it was Davis that lost it.