General Braxton Bragg Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Braxton Bragg (1817-1876) graduated from West point in 1837 and served with distinction in the Mexican War, as a captain at the Battle of Monterey and major at the Battle of Buena Vista (the battles he references in this letter). At Buena Vista (February 1847), Bragg's unit came to the aid of a beleaguered Colonel Jefferson Davis, helping to turn a potential defeat into a great victory for the US and for Davis personally. Although the personal friendship between Bragg and Davis is disputed by some, citing Bragg's resignation from the Army (1855) while Davis was Secretary of War, there is no doubt that Davis respected Bragg's military skills. During the Civil War, General Bragg was most effective as an advisor to CSA President Davis (1861, 1864), proving an effective organizer who streamlined the conscription process. He was less successful as a field general, blamed by many historians for Confederate defeats in the Western Theater and even for failing to follow up his greatest victory, Chickamauga (September 1863).