oldreb1343
Retired User
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
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- duncan,nc
I want to know y'alls opinion on who's to blame for the Battle of Gettysburg, day by day, movement by movement, and reason why you think this.
best answer ive probably ever heardI'll stick with Pickett's assessment. The main reason the Confederacy lost at Gettysburg was those **** Yankee's!
They should have followed Forrest's maxim. If they got there first with the most, then Meade would have broklen his army trying to take Cemetary Ridge.
If the situation looked bad enough after Day 1, Meade would have moved back to Pipe Creek and invited Lee to try again.I'm not convinced that Meade would have been dumb enough to bother to try. The onus was more on Lee to destroy Meade than the other way around - until the retreat/pursuit.
If the situation looked bad enough after Day 1, Meade would have moved back to Pipe Creek and invited Lee to try again.
Then again, moving an army in the face of an equal, opposing army is risky business. Maybe he was right to stay on that ridge with a cemetery.
I'm not convinced that Meade would have been dumb enough to bother to try. The onus was more on Lee to destroy Meade than the other way around - until the retreat/pursuit.
It's my understanding that Meade was looking to bring the battle to the confederates, but I must admit a lack of knowledge in this regard.
It's my understanding that Meade was looking to bring the battle to the confederates, but I must admit a lack of knowledge in this regard.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, D.C., June 27, 1863.
Maj. Gen. GEORGE G. MEADE, Army of the Potomac :
GENERAL: You will receive with this the order of the President placing you in command of the Army of the Potomac. Considering the circumstances, no one ever received a more important command; and I cannot doubt that you will fully justify the confidence which the Government has reposed in you.
You will not be hampered by any minute instructions from these headquarters. Your army is free to act as you may deem proper under the circumstances as they arise. You will, however, keep in view the important fact that the Army of the Potomac is the covering army of Washington as well as the army of operation against the invading forces of the rebels. You will, therefore, maneuver and fight in such a manner as to cover the capital and also Baltimore, as far as circumstances will admit. Should General Lee move upon either of these places, it is expected that you will either anticipate him or arrive with him so as to give him battle.
All forces within the sphere of your operations will be held subject to your orders.
Harper's Ferry and its garrison are under your direct orders.
You are authorized to remove from command, and to send from your army, any officer or other person you may deem proper, and to appoint to command as you may deem expedient.
In fine, general, you are intrusted with all the power and authority which the President, the Secretary of War, or the General-in-Chief can confer on you, and you may rely upon our full support.
You will keep me fully informed of all your movements, and the positions of your own troops and those of the enemy, so far as known.
I shall always be ready to advise and assist you to the utmost of my ability.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. W. HALLECK,
[/QUOTE]
I blame General Jeb Stuart for the loss at Gettysburg. If he had done his job, who knows what would happened.
Did you know that Lee had more cavalry brigades with him than Stuart had with him?
From what I remember from the cavalry brigades Lee had the brigades of Imboden and Jenkins were rather new to the regular service beeing converted from partisans or infantry; and Robertson´s brigade was pretty green.