Civil War History - Gettysburg ForumGettysburg! It's not just a National Park. It's a Civil War Battlefield. For some it's historic and storied past are almost an obsession! All related discussions are welcome here!
If the III Corps is not positioned on the Emmitsburg Pike in the path of Longstreet's attack what would have happened? The full fury of Hood and McLaws hitting the undefended Round Tops and the bottom end of Cemetary Ridge? The collapse of the Federal left?
Sickles' against-orders move put his men in a position to soak-up the main thrust of Longstreet's attack and buy time for the important spots of the line to be reinforced.
Well, his men certainly soaked up a considerable portion of the Confederate thrust, as the casualty figures will bear out.
On the other hand, if Sickles had not advanced against orders and had remained where Meade expected him to be, it seems to me that the Federal left would have been that much stronger, and/or Sickles would have been in position to reinforce weak spots in the line himself.
My understanding is that origionally the end of Sickles line was on Little Round Top. If that is the case then I would have to agree that the line would have been more stable. Just one question. Did Lee plan the attack on the second day with Sickles origional line in mind or were the details worked out after He moved forward to his new position in the peach orchard? If so, what effect did it have on the Confederate battle plan for July 2nd? Would Lee have allowed Longstreet to move further around the flank?
There is a book, released last year entitled "Lee's Real Plan at Gettysburg"by Troy D. Harman, Which purports to prove that the true objective of Lee from the first day to the last, was Cemetary Hill.
The objective of Longstreet's attack on day 2 was Not the Federal works on Cemetary Ridge, but the Peach Orchard. Apparently he planned to plant a strong artillery position there to support the main attack planned against Cemetary Hill.
I do not have the book yet, so I have not read it, yet. It is supposed to be heavily researched, from the brigade on up. But if it is true that the peach orchard was the true objective of Longstreet's attack, then Sickles' premature advance probably did disrupt the Confederate plans more than some have assumed.
IMO it would explain, what to me was the curious direction of the Rebel attack and why Longstreet was so adamant about attacking along the Emmitsburg pike, rather than across it.
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I just finished Thomas Keneally's biography of Sickles, "American Scoundrel." good biography and perspective of the facinating social and political goings on of the times. ( I would have to agree that he was quite a scoundrel-he got away with murdering Francis Scott Key's son. Treated his wives and children like dirt while he pretty much did whatever he wanted etc etc)
Starting around page 277 Keneally discussed the situation at Gettysburg. He did not go into the kind of detail the folks here demand, but he did note how Dan and Meade were at odds (Sickles a known drinking dandy and Meade a religious teatotaler type). He described what happened and said the merits of the move are still being debated. Geesh. He did point out how Sickles did not like the "hole" or low land at the base of Little roundtop. He also said that Hunt toured the area with Sickles and liked the higher ground. He also pointed out how Sickles and Longstreet befriended after the war because they were both defending their actions during the battle. Longstreet was even quoted as saying to Sickles as they walked up little roundtop during an 1890ies reunion something like "you had better escort me up here since you wouldn't let me up here during the war" (of course it was 5th Corps that didn't let him up, but hey, he was old.)
I would have to say he was wrong not to take Little roundtop. Why did he and Hunt not see that! Leaving his right "in the air" was certainly not good? And, If you walk the ground there you see that he could have positioned himself back to the east of the road that runs from PA Monument to Roundtop and Longstreet's men would have had another Picketts charge like march across all of those fields, taking fire while Sickles men were tucked in a protective position that could have been easily reinforced from the rear?
But he should have had guns on roundtop regardless!?!
Just some thoughts-and I recommend the book for a very interesting perspective on the man and the period.
Nicolo, I've met Troy Harman and I know that he does, as you said, believe that Lee's objective from the very beginning was to take Cemetery Hill.
I'm a little surprised to hear that Longstreet was making a major push to establish an artillery position at the Peach Orchard. The Peach Orchard is on a fairly high point of the battlefield. While that would mean that artillery could have good lines of fire from that point, it would also mean that any artillery units stationed there probably wouldn't be able to remain very long, since they could be targeted by enemy artillery from almost any point on the battlefield.
Mr. Harrison, I read that in a review by another writer, as I have not recieved my book yet. But it seemed to answer my question about why Longstreet's line of attack was along the Emmitsburg pike rather than more Easterly against Cemetary Ridge. (Outside of the fact that perhaps Longstreet and Lee did not know exactly where the Federal left was located)
Longstreet may not have been aiming at attacking the Federal left to destroy or get around it, as much as he was attempting to drive the Federals away from the area around the Peach Orchard so the planned Rebel Artillery base would not be subjected to a killing fire from the nearby Union forces.
After driving the Federals away from the ridge and the artillery moved into the Peach Orchard and provided support to a renewed attack from Longstreet to complete the defeat of the Federal left, Or as I understand it to provide fire support for a final attack on Cemetary Hill probably built around the recently arrived and fresh division of Pickett.
I am no scholar of the Civil War, but Harman's scenario would seem to answer a lot of the questions of why Lee seemed to have lost his touch in this battle.
Sickles was wrong pushing his troops forward out form the assigned position by Meade. Meade had ordered him back about the same time Longstreet began his offensive.
Sickles may have blunted Longstreet's push but if it was not for all reinforecements sentinto the quagmire he created by not falling into his proper place in line.
I will have to think how Longstreet's attack would have gone had Sickles had been in his proper position on the ridge. It is interesting to think about for LRT most likely would have been with a lot more force then 5 regiments.
Off the ponder .......
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From the record it does not seem that LRT entered into the plans of Lee, Longstreet, Sickles or Meade. Apparently only Hood, understood the strategic importance of LRT for most of Day Two.
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