and no doubt sincerely, all thought of personal ambition in the matter [italics mine] : " If my corps cannot go West, I think that we might accomplish something by giving me Jenkins, Wise, and Cooke's brigades, and putting me in General Bragg's place, and giving him my corps. . . . JVe would siLvely rim no risk in such a change and we might gain a great deal. I feel that I am influ- enced by no personal motive in making this suggestion ; and will most cheerfully give up, when we have a fair prospect of holding our Western country. I doubt if General Bragg has great confidence in his troops or himself either. He is not likely to do a great deal
He was not put in Bragg's place, however, but under Bragg's orders, and therefore naturally was unable to accomplish all the great things that he had counted on. If he had found it difficult to place much reliance on Lee, how was it to be expected that he should place any on Bragg ? He did not, and said so. Here again, I do not think there was any set purpose of malice or mischief- making. Bragg was wrong. Longstreet was right. This must be so obvious to every one that outspoken com- ment could hardly make it any plainer. The effect, how- ever, was not happy ; witness Mackall, who was no friend to Bragg : *' I think Longstreet has done more injury to the general than all the others put together. You may understand how much influence with his troops a remark from a man of his standing would have to the
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