wescul
Private
- Joined
- May 15, 2012
It is generally accepted that Day 1 was considered a Confederate victory with the Federals being pushed back through town and to the ridges outside of town. My question is, as Longstreet’s Corps is marching in on Day 2, they pass several makeshift hospitals and 1,000’s of Federal Prisoners captured from Day 1 (already stripped of their shoes by the Rebs). After Pickett’s Charge on Day 3, it is generally accepted that the Confederates have suffered a defeat and Lee orders his famous retreat back to Virginia. The Confederate Army is so crippled and demoralized that Lee leaves thousands of his wounded on the battlefield to the mercy of the Federal Army and their doctors. Lee/Imboden’s train is 17 miles long with wounded men etc. If Lee was so “bogged” down after Day 3 with wounded men, could he reasonably be able to take a thousand plus POW’S with him? If not, were they simply turned loose at the end of Day 3/the battle to return to the Federal Army etc? Thanks for your help in this matter.