State senator proposes to rename Ft Bragg…to…Ft Bragg

General Bragg – The other guy, this one was a good general

Poe sends in this message of brilliance. We need leadership like this in Washington.

The Daily Caller reports;

A state senator from Wisconsin proposed that “Fort Bragg” should be renamed “Fort Bragg.”

Republican Wisconsin state Sen. Dale Kooyenga announced in a press release Tuesday his resolution to rename Fort Bragg – originally named after Confederate Army General Braxton Bragg – after Braxton’s cousin, Union General Edward Bragg, according to the Army Times.

Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act in December, one part of which requires the removal of Confederate names from buildings, forts and schools within three years from the start of the 2021 fiscal year. This act reportedly stipulates that a “renaming commission” will look into costs and seek input from stakeholders and communities. It was originally introduced by Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

“I knew about the looking to change (Fort Bragg’s) name and did some research and thought this was perfect. I think American history is full of ironies, and I thought it was appropriate for a Wisconsin state senator to bring it up,” Kooyenga told the Army Times during an interview.

Kooyenga said in a news release that Bragg fought against the country he pledged allegiance to and it resulted in the needless death of many men.

“In contrast to the man it currently honors, Fort Bragg creates some of America’s greatest leaders, men and women who dedicate themselves to principles that stand in sharp contrast to Braxton Bragg’s principles … In fact, Fort Bragg better resembles the ideals of Wisconsin Gen. Edward S. Bragg, not his cousin,” the news release stated.

Kooyenga hopes this resolution will gain bipartisan support.

The Biden administration is reportedly trying to rename several military forts that are named after Confederate generals. A commission was created to rename all forts that commemorate the Confederacy in February, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Defense.

“I also thank the Congress for establishing this process, and I continue to pledge my personal commitment – and that of the department – to making sure it succeeds. I look forward to seeing the results of the commission’s work in the months ahead,” said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.

For those who don’t study Civil War history, Braxton Bragg (the current namesake of the fort to bear the name) was a decorated hero of the Mexican-American War. When the south seceded, he joined the Confederate States Army, and his previous wartime successes were not repeated. He is regarded as one of the South’s worst generals.

Edward Bragg (the proposed namesake of the fort to bear the name) was a Union man through and through. He raised a company of three-year enlistees (the norm was considerably shorter than that) and was elected their captain. “Bragg’s Rifles” were Company E of the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Along with other Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan infantry regiments, they would form the “Iron Brigade”. The Iron Brigade would be so named for its strong discipline, its unique uniform appearance, and its tenacious fighting ability. During the war, the Iron Brigade suffered the highest percentage of casualties of any brigade in the war.

Within a year of organizing his company, Edward Bragg was a lieutenant colonel. He saw significant combat action and before the war ended he was promoted substantively (that is to say not a brevet or honorary promotion) to brigadier general and command of the Iron Brigade.

I’ve done some preliminary research and we can play the same renaming trick with Forts Gordon and Rucker. Instead of being named after Confederate John Brown Gordon, Ft Gordon should instead be named for Union General George Henry Gordon. Fort Rucker can be named for General Daniel Henry Rucker instead of Confederate Edmund Rucker.

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