Another famous line about Braxton Bragg was that when news of his being assigned to Wilmington in October 1864, reached the public, the Richmond Enquirer wrote, "General Bragg is going to Wilmington. Goodbye Wilmington."
And, relieved Major General Whiting at Wilmington had his supporters. None bigger was Fort Fisher's commander, Col. William Lamb, who wrote: "No one was so capable of defending the Cape Fear as the brilliant officer who has given so much of his time and ability for its defense.
One of Lamb's lieutenants recalled that "Little Billy's" relief (what Whiting was called by his men due to his size) and Bragg's arrival brought gloom to the entire command.
While Whiting had commanded the Cape Fear District he had constantly pleaded for more troops and supplies. But when Bragg arrived on October 22, 1864, he reported the city and its defenses to be in good shape.
Bragg's Not the Man. --Old B-R'er
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