re: The Top 10 Greatest Generals of All-Time (according to Moneyball math)

Fredericksburg was definitely a high point for the Confederacy and a nadir for the Union. Though I feel like much of that is owed to both the incompetence of the Union high command, as well as its constant infighting. In December 1862, there were two blocs within army HQ: Burnside and Hooker. Burnside was in overall command but many within the army believed the command should have been Hooker's. Hooker believed that, too, and was Burnside's main rival and arch-nemesis within the high command.

Hooker had a lot of allies, chief of which was Major General William B. Franklin - who commanded the Union left at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Franklin's objective was to turn Jackson's line while Major General Edwin Sumner's grand division supported the assault with an attack on Lee's center at Marye's Heights. Franklin, however, failed to properly execute the plan against Jackson's lines. Of the tens of thousands of men Franklin had under his command, only a single division went forward (that of George Meade). And Meade's division actually temporarily achieved a breakthrough. Had Franklin provided timely support with the rest of his force, it's possible Burnside's plan works. But instead, we get the tragedy of Marye's Heights as between 6,000-8,000 Federal infantrymen are shot down before the stonewall.

Burnside alleged after the battle that Franklin deliberately refused to follow his orders due to being a staunch ally of Hooker's. Franklin denied that charge but did do everything in his power to undermine Burnside and have him relieved of command in the battle's subsequent aftermath. At the very least, there was massive amounts of political intrigue and infighting that led to the Union disaster at Fredericksburg.