Logistics and Gettysburg

[whitworth]

What if General Robert E. Lee had kept his two corps on the west side of South Mountain, in the Chambersburg area?
What if Lee had realized that Gettysburg and Adams County, PA was one of the worst places he could have picked to do battle with the AoP?

Gettysburg has the same logistical problems in 2006, that it had in 1863.
And nobody, but nobody, in the historical writing arena, seemed to notice.

But then, who ever studied logistics. Not the Confederates; not before Gettysburg.

[samgrant]

What if the rebs were at Gburg first, and took that Cemetary Rige line and then, the Yanks approached from north and west (looking for shoes?), would Meade do what Lee did, etc. ...............?

[lrd89]

Originally Posted by samgrant

What if the rebs were at Gburg first, and took that Cemetary Rige line and then, the Yanks approached from north and west (looking for shoes?), would Meade do what Lee did, etc. ...............?

I think he would have felt intense pressure from Washington to attack.

[milhistbuff1]

yes, but in what fashion? try to lure Lee south to pipe creek, Flank, straight on direct assault etc.. ?
Matt

[ole]

Meade would have been under pressure to attack, but even the ninnies in Washington would have to realize that Lee had to move against Meade or slink home. (After gaining a little weight for a day or two.)
Ole

[lrd89]

It's hard to say but I doubt a direct assault would have been successful under the circumstances.

[ole]

Ird89:
If Lee couldn't assault his way to victory over part of the army on the 1st and 2nd days, how could he expect to assault a consolidated and ready army?

I figure you are right.
Ole

[whitworth]

"What if the rebs were at Gburg first...?"

The Battle of Gettysburg would never have happened. The AoP would have set up defensive positions in Maryland.

With the fall of Vicksburg, no pressure would come to Meade to attack.

Logistically, the Confederate army could not stay in Gettysburg more than a week due to logistical problems. Logistics was the reason General Lee spread his corps out, before Gettysburg. Gettysburg was a poor base for the Army of Northern Virginia with its inefficiencies.

[lrd89]

Originally Posted by ole

Ird89:
If Lee couldn't assault his way to victory over part of the army on the 1st and 2nd days, how could he expect to assault a consolidated and ready army?

I figure you are right.
Ole

Oops, I could have made my post a little clearer. I think if the positions were reversed that Meade would have been under enormous pressure to drive the ANV out of PA and MD. I'm assuming the Pipe Creek Circular wouldn't have existed under this scenario, so I don't think Meade would have went to Pipe Creek. I say he attacks head on and is defeated.

[ole]

Ird89:
If Lee had not been surprised at Gettysburg and if he had managed to consolidate his forces before Meade came up, then Meade would have been under pressure to run him out.

Would the pressure have been enough to force him to attack? I don't think so. Meade would have only had to hold off ("maneuvering for position" could have given him days) attacking. Every day he could delay would have been one day closer to the day when the ANV would have had to go home without doing battle -- the ANV simply could not live off the land if it wasn't moving.

I read somewhere recently some projections on how long an army of a given number could exist in a relatively fertile region -- with figures for infantry or cavalry -- static, advancing slowly, or moving fast.The numbers given escape me, but the time was a lot shorter than I had suspected -- days, not weeks. The ANV would have had to move in less than a week.

Two or three days of waiting for an attack and Lee would have had to start back (he couldn't wait the whole week or he'd be marching back without food). No attack necessary.
Ole