Frank, I know the politics that transpired in Richmond. And I understand the feelings of some of the Confederacy's ranking officers. But in all actuality, Lee replaced Joe Johnston after his wounding at Seven Pines/Fair Oaks. This change in command only involved the Army of The James or as Lee renamed it, The Army of Northern Virginia. All of the other full generals commanded different parts of the Confederate Army. Bragg and Albert Sydney Johnson (casualty at Shiloh) in the Trans Mississippi, Beauregard in the southern region of the Confederacy and even Joe Johnston as commander of The Army of Tennessee. I know there were rivalries and personality conflicts between all of these men but they weren't really in competition for "overall" commander of Southern Forces. It seems to me that they all had control of their own "department". Lee being given command of all Southern Forces in February of 1865, there wasn't much time for bickering or complaining about superiority. I don't hold much stock in the ranking of these commanders as to their position in the overall army.

Keith