Ron,
I have always felt the same. I have always pointed out to friends and colleagues that while Lee was bottled up at Petersburg with nowhere to go, the Aot was on the move always. Joe Johnston knew he had not the resources to go into a slugfest with Sherman so he played him. and he was, I think, quite successful. But the fools in Richmond couldn't see it. Quite frankly Davis' actions remind me of hitler's meddling with his generals in WW 2. Placing Hood in Johnston's stead after Atlanta spelled the death knell for the AoT. The AoT always got the generals and colonels Lee discarded as well. The AoT was blessed with men like Cleburne, Granbury, Hardee, Wheeler, Forrest, etc. Sadly, but a boost for the AoT, Lee even discarded Wade Hampton in 1865. Hampton should have had the ANV's Cavalry Corps instead of Fitz Lee.