With Patton in mind...

[UrsaMaior]

I voted for Alexander, cuz IMHO they were same kind of extroverted people.

[wm]

I suspect the "past lives" point is a red herring here.

[Stan]

I voted for Rob

[Steve Blair]

I'd vote for Ranald Mackenzie if he was on the list. He and Pershing had the same general disposition, and Pershing had a major impact on Patton as a young officer. That and the record of Mackenzie's proteges in the Philippines was quite good.

But barring that choice...I'd vote for Rob's cigar. It gives him the whole Che/Fidel effect...and we know how important symbols are in small wars....

[Rob Thornton]

Stan

I voted for Rob

I don't know who that guy in the photo is - but he is the ugliest SOB I've ever seen - good thing his wife met him in a dark room

[John T. Fishel]

of you, I voted for Mosby. My reason was that he was the only "small warrior" in the bunch. But, I am not sure who Patton would have picked. Would he have gone with a warrior like Hannibal or an intellectual like Sun Tzu?

[tequila]

Patton's family was close to J. S. Mosby growing up. [highlight to read historical spoiler]

Note that Patton himself never fought any small wars as a commander. He did take part in one of the few "victories" of Pershing's punitive expedition, killing a close aide of Pancho Villa.

[Gian P Gentile]

Stan


I don't know who that guy in the photo is - but he is the ugliest SOB I've ever seen - good thing his wife met him in a dark room

It is a good thing his kids love him too...

gian

[Stan]

It is a good thing his kids love him too...

gian

Hey Gian ! It gets better

An old county doctor went way out to the boondocks to deliver a baby. It was
so far out that there was no electricity. When the doctor arrived, no one was
home except for the laboring mother and her 5 year old child. The doctor
instructed the child to hold a lantern high so he could see while he helped the
woman deliver the baby. The child did so, the mother pushed, and after a little
while, the doctor lifted the new born baby by the feet and spanked him on the
bottom to get him to take his first breath.
“Hit him again,” the child said. “He shouldn’t have crawled up there in the
first place!!”

[Culpeper]

I suspect the "past lives" point is a red herring here.

That' correct and appears most people caught it as well. This was just for fun for a change. Apparently Patton used to listen to stories by Mosby himself, as wm points out above. The singular battle part was also tricky.

During George's childhood, one of the best friends of the Patton family was none-other-than Colonel John S. Mosby, the fabled "Grey Ghost" of J.E.B. Stuart's legendary cavalry...These firsthand stories, and horseback re-enactments, directed by one of the greatest Guerilla fighters of all time no doubt had a huge influence on Patton. (author's opinion)

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoun...oge_Patton.htm

I got the idea for the poll from Steve Blair on the greatest generals thread...

I tend to look more at the "great leader" question, and that at any level of command. From that standpoint I do believe there are some common traits that can be found in great leaders at all levels of command, but for some reason or another (vision, personal inclination, ability to "grasp" war...I don't know) not every officer rises to higher command levels...or even should. The Union Army in the Civil War was rife with men who were excellent regimental or corps commanders, but floundered when promoted to higher levels of authority. There were also others who were not stellar at lower levels (Sherman was one) but excelled when placed in charge of larger formations.

I think Patton, who could be considered one of the greatest generals, would agree with you. Also, the Confederacy is a good example of great leadership forced to promote beyond their own level of personal leadership traits due to high casualty rates at the highest levels. Lincoln could hire and fire any general as he saw fit. Jefferson didn't have that luxury, which could be a whole other topic.

Okay, now start with the, "Stop brown-nosing, Culpeper!"

[Rifleman]

Since this is really just for fun there's nothing wrong with me being contrary just for the sake of contrariness.

I'll say that Patton would have thought of small wars in terms of "punitive expeditions against the hostiles." Given that, he would have ignored the list.

Instead, Patton would have picked George Rogers Clark or Robert Rogers. Daniel Morgan is another possibility.

[slapout9]

Or would Patton have chosen Francis Marion aka "The Swamp Fox".

[wm]

If Patton were interested in "punitive expeditions against the hostiles," I suspect that the British loyalist leader Banastre Tarleton, rather than Francis Marion, may have been a more likely choice, particularly if you choose to accept the view of Tarleton popularized in "The Patriot."

But Sir Garnet Wolseley, who made his mark battling the Ashantis and Fuzzy Wuzzies, among others, seems an even better choice. I think Patton would have loved to have had a popular American catch phrase akin to later Victorian England's "Everything Sir Garnet." Hearing his troops and the great American public saying something like "Everything George S," would have warmed the cockles of Patton's heart.

[Steve Blair]

I still contend that given Patton's feelings on discipline, unit integrity, and tradition he would have looked to Mackenzie. As for Patton's own outlook on small wars...I think he would have sat back and tried to come up with something from history or his own thoughts on the subject that was best suited for the situation at hand. Or he would have let one of his subordinates do some thinking. One thing folks tend to overlook about Patton is that he was very good at growing subordinate commanders. He allowed one mistake, and if you didn't learn form it you were gone. But he did give his people room to grow and learn. Look at Abrams, for one. That side of his character, combined with his own adaptability on the battlefield, tends to make me believe that Patton would have felt his own odd mystical kinship with Mackenzie and gone from there.

As for classical military leaders...hard to say. Patton had a romantic streak in him that might have led him to Richard, or even Saladin.

[Rifleman]

If Patton were interested in "punitive expeditions against the hostiles," I suspect that the British loyalist leader Banastre Tarleton, rather than Francis Marion, may have been a more likely choice, particularly if you choose to accept the view of Tarleton popularized in "The Patriot."

Yes, but Daniel Morgan gave Tarleton a "devil of a whipping" at Cowpens, the tactical masterpiece of the war.

I think Patton, with his knowledge of military history, would pick the "Old Waggoner" over Tarleton.

This is one of the most meaningless discussions I've seen here in a while.....but it really is fun.