what if jackson had been in command at culps hill

[kepple]

hello herre is a great what if question what if had jackson been in comand the night of july 1 st culps hill so u think that gettysburg would have over that day i most think it might have been

[pvt gauss]

Whole lotta "Ifs" there, but it would of been a different out come, for sure. If the Rebs had handled all the heights , early. The fight mite have been in Washington??

[sgtcsa]

The Grerat Stonewall would have made a huge difference. To exactly what extent, I really do not know, it would only be conjecture on my part, but rest assured, he would have affected the outcome of Gettysburg tremendously. In fact, at the very outset, he would have pushed the enemy off of cemetery hill, which old baldy failed to do........after that, anyone can only surmise, but what a difference it would have been. Ahhh, one can only dream.

SgtCSA

[idlewild]

Ever consider Divine Intervention? I am a firm beliver in God and his misterious ways. I belive that God took Jackson from the earth for a reason. God didn't want our nation divided, and I think that if Jackson was at Gettysburg then the Union army would have most likely been routed once again and sent fleeing to Washington. Think about it, if the Confederacy had won the war, America wouldn't be the great nation it was today, just think of the influences we have had on this world of ours and what it would be like without all that we have done. Just some food for thought.

[gary]

Jackson would have attacked Weikert's farm and then stormed Little Round Top. From there the position on Culp's Hill & Cemetery Hill would have been untenable. Meade would have retreated and the battle won by the 2nd day.

[max]

I believe that if Stonewall had lived that Gettysburg may have very well been another victory for the Confederacy. But even with that victory I don't think it would have changed the outcome of the war. It was also at this time that Vicksburg fell and that was a death blow the Confederacy.

Max

[mobile_96]

If Stonewall had been at Gettysburg, he would have smelt pretty badly by then. But aside from that:
OK....Lee has Gettysburg in his hat. What can he then do to make this a strategic win and not just a tactical one. Anything?? What are his options? What are Meades options after falling back from the hills. Or are you assuming that Meade runs home to Washington, leaving the State to Lee to do with as he pleases. Something I doubt very seriously. He still has the Pipe Creek Line to fall back on, if needed.
One of the problems of "what ifs" is that one has to believe that the enemy will always do what exactly what You need them to do to allow a win for your army.
Once Lee has the hills, can Meade regroup quick enought to turn the position around with the AoP surrounding Lee? If not, can Meade reqroup, or rather, can Lee regroup faster than Meade, and finish smashing the Union army.
Or is Lee damaged enough to prevent him from even trying to make a useful advantage of the win of the town of Gettysburg. Even with a win on day 2, he still had a large number of casualties, and based on the short run of the Art. on day 3, wasn't as well equiped for more fighting as Meade was.
Just a few thoughts.
Chuck in IL.

[ole]

Chuck, your observations are accurate.

It is generally accepted that Jackson would have taken the north end of Cemetary Ridge on the first day. To him, "if practicable" would be permission to do it and he probably could have.

Then, where would Lee have been? He had forage and sustenance, but not the provision to resupply ammunition, arms, or soldiers. As you pointed out, Meade had fallback plans and all the support he could use. Pursuing Meade south, he would have stretched his connection to supply even further. And he would have encountered Meade on ground of Meade's considered choosing.

As someone pointed out much earlier on another thread, an army such as Lee's could not sustain itself for long in any given area. Two days, I believe was about the limit. All the livestock, grain, fodder, et al., within a practical distance would be exhausted. So driving deeper into Federal territory was not something he could do even if he were able to make that drive.

The whole idea of invading the North seems misguided.

[Calicoboy]

Would Thomas Jackson have made a difference at Gettysburg? I doubt it. Jackson was a very reckless general. His tactics were of great success in the early part of the war when the Union army was green and subject to panic. By 1863 the Army of the Potomac was a tough bunch. I know I seem obsessed with the Iron Brigade (I do re-enact a member of such); but I do study all facets of the great war. However, I must say that the Iron Brigade stopped the Southern advance west of Gettysburg long enough for the Union Army to attain the high ground (at the cost of nearly 2/3 of their number). Ask the 2nd Mississippi if they could have fought any harder. A more pertinant question would be "what if Lee would have listened to Longstreet?" on the 2nd or the 3rd.

[Donut]

Well, there is Jackson charisma and fame to take into account. If this would have had any effect on it I do not know, but the fact is He was feared by the Union and if his military tactics didn't do the trick, I think he may have done something to Union moral and such.