GDG- Lee invades

[Tom Ryan]

<<Lee is perhaps a surer hand in the west, in dealing with Grant.  But does
he have enough to work with out there to confront Grant effectively?
Back east, does this course of action leave the ANV overly passive, and not
adequately take advantage of the summer campaign season to try to take
advantage of the AOP's defeat.  Would Richmond demand a more active and
agressive ANV.  And is the AOP is able to recoup, and uses the lack of
agressive action by the ANV as a chance to resume the offensive, would
Richmond be comfortable not having Lee on hand and in command of the ANV?>>

Jim,

	That is the rub as far as Davis is concerned.  Does he fear a threat to the
capital more than the loss of Vicksburg.  He is the one who has to make that
decision.  My thought is that Lee is the best person to salvage the
situation in Mississippi, despite the fact that he has to hope for a
positive response from the Western's army's men and officers.  Lee's
reputation would have to carry the day with them.

	It would have been a redux of the Penninsula Campaign when Lee took over
from Johnston there, and snatched victory from defeat.  Of course he would
be facing the best general in the Union army in Mississippi, rather than one
of the worst fighting generals in McClellan.

	Davis would have had to make the call, and hope for the best.  I just think
there is a lot better outlook for the Rebels in Lee than in Johnston out
West.  The other part of this is, that once Davis makes the decision to send
Lee, he would more or less have to direct the ANV and Bragg's army in
Tennessee to go on the defensive and fight delaying actions until the
situation in Mississippi played out.

	Considering all of the political and military ramifications of such an
action means that chances of Davis actually doing it were next to none.  Yet
from this vantage point it still seems to have been his best chance for
victory at the time.

Tom