Lyr Add: Braxton Bragg

Subject: Lyr Add: Braxton Bragg
From: GUEST,F
Date: 25 Jul 22 - 01:00 AM

Civil War historians describe Confederate general Braxton Bragg as arrogant, cantankerous, incompetent, and hated by officers and enlisted men alike. It’s said that his own soldiers twice tried to have him assassinated. Fort Bragg, North Carolina, has changed its name to Fort Liberty. Why couldn’t residents of Fort Bragg, California, do something similar?
                                
BRAXTON BRAGG
Tune: Cotton-Eye Joe (fascinating conversation about that song here on DT)                           

Sometimes, folks, the truth is a drag
Our town’s named for Braxton Bragg
                                                
Braxton Bragg, Braxton Bragg
Rebel General Braxton Bragg.

Braxton Bragg, Braxton Bragg
Everyone hated Braxton Bragg.

He fought for the Confederate flag
Lost every battle, Braxton Bragg
                                        
Braxton Bragg, Braxton Bragg
Lousy strategist Braxton Bragg.

Braxton Bragg, Braxton Bragg
Everyone hated Braxton Bragg.

He and his wife owned a hundred slaves
Worked them into early graves.
                                        
Braxton Bragg, Braxton Bragg
Black Lives Matter was not his bag.
                                                                                
Don’t know about you, but it makes me gag
Our town’s named for Braxton Bragg.
                                        
Braxton Bragg, Braxton Bragg
Angry, arrogant Braxton Bragg.

Braxton Bragg, Braxton Bragg
Everyone hated Braxton Bragg.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Braxton Bragg
From: cnd
Date: 25 Jul 22 - 08:25 AM

A gentle correction, currently it is only *recommended* that Ft. Bragg be renamed to Fort Liberty; the name change hasn't formally happened yet, and I've been unable to find any information about a date for the impending renaming. Nonetheless, I imagine that there's more push for a government-funded entity to be renamed than a town.

Otherwise, though, your characterization and summarization of him is pretty spot-on for his service in the Civil War. (An argument could be made that he was an adequate leader but simply repeatedly outmaneuvered by a more tactical Rosecrans, who was allowed a greater degree of freedom and independence in the western theater, farther from Lincoln's meddling hand -- numerous historians blame the repeated failure of the various Union leaders/success of the Confederacy in the eastern theaters early in the war on Lincoln's heavy-handed involvement -- but I think his string of failures largely speaks for itself).

Regardless, I am surprised a town in California would still bear the name of an eventual Confederate. Before you posted your Hotel Mendocino cover I had never heard of the town. I suppose the main argument against renaming it is because it honored Bragg in his pre-CSA days for his work in the Mexican-American War?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Braxton Bragg
From: GUEST,Bill
Date: 26 Jul 22 - 01:30 PM

Of course the Mexican war was a fake war whipped up by the Slave Power to annex Mexican land & extend the territory open to slavery - so that argument doesn't hold water either.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Braxton Bragg
From: cnd
Date: 26 Jul 22 - 01:53 PM

Certainly, I won't disagree with you there in the slightest. But you don't see the same kind of push for the dozens of towns, counties, etc. named after Polk, Taylor, and others to be renamed.