Hill at Antietam

[Okie]

Would Hill have been able to support Lee in a much better capacity had he bypassed Harper's Ferry altogether?

 

[rbasin]

And not capture Harper's Ferry? He likely would have been in the field faster. Might have stopped Burnside from crossing at all if he was assigned there for example.

 

[Kathy the history sleuth]

It's too bad Lee didn't have other resources to leave at Harper's Ferry. Perhaps he underestimated the resources that were needed at Antietam.

 

[Okie]

And not capture Harper's Ferry? He likely would have been in the field faster. Might have stopped Burnside from crossing at all if he was assigned there for example.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[Okie]

It's too bad Lee didn't have other resources to leave at Harper's Ferry. Perhaps he underestimated the resources that were needed at Antietam.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[rbasin]

One point is how the Harper's Ferry garrison could interrupt Lee's supplies

 

[Saphroneth]

Would Hill have been able to support Lee in a much better capacity had he bypassed Harper's Ferry altogether?

I don't think this is feasible or makes sense. This is because of the positions of the armies before Harpers Ferry fell.

In the first place, AP Hill was only part of Jackson's corps, but the positions were:

This is roughly how it looked when Harpers Ferry surrendered. If Harpers doesn't surrender then McLaws and Anderson probably lose most of their manpower and certainly all of their guns (as they'd need any escapees to evade over the Maryland Heights).




Now, there is no reason in principle why AP Hill could not have arrived sooner - he could have been part of Jackson's column (marched 15th), or marched with McLaws and Anderson (leaving on the 16th), and either way reached Sharpsburg before the fighting on the 17th. But there is a real risk involved because as of the night of the 16th AP Hill and Franklin are facing off over the Harpers Ferry fords.
If AP Hill marches for Sharpsburg earlier, it leaves the ford with at most one single brigade (Thomas's, historically) to protect it. There is nothing that would stop Franklin from attacking over the ford with his corps and then putting a division or two south of the Potomac blocking off the Shepherdstown Fords. This would trap Lee far more effectively than the planned movement by Burnside's 9th on the battlefield itself.

 

[jackt62]

Wasn't the reason for Hill's delay in marching from Harpers Ferry to Sharpsburg because Jackson ordered him to parole the Union garrison and collect captured stores? Could this have been expedited somehow had the dire situation facing the army at Sharpsburg been been better understood and communicated earlier?

 

[ErnieMac]

Wasn't the reason for Hill's delay in marching from Harpers Ferry to Sharpsburg because Jackson ordered him to parole the Union garrison and collect captured stores? Could this have been expedited somehow had the dire situation facing the army at Sharpsburg been been better understood and communicated earlier?

You are correct about Hill's delay. Jackson noted in his campaign report "Leaving General Hill to receive the surrender of the Federal troops and take the requisite steps for securing the captured stores, I moved, in obedience to orders from the commanding general, to rejoin him in Maryland with the remaining divisions of my command. By a severe night's march we reached the vicinity of Sharpsburg on the morning of the 16th."

A. P. Hill wrote "By direction of General Jackson, I remained at Harper's Ferry until the morning of the 17th, when, at 6.30 a.m., I received an order from General Lee to move to Sharpsburg. Leaving Thomas, with his brigade, to complete the removal of the captured property, my division was put in motion at 7.30 a.m." So far as I know Hill had not received any updates concerning events at Sharpsburg. Hill had no reason known to him and no discretion to leave Harper's Ferry before the morning of Sept. 17.

 

[Lt R. Blackwell 4th Texas]

Wasn't the reason for Hill's delay in marching from Harpers Ferry to Sharpsburg because Jackson ordered him to parole the Union garrison and collect captured stores? Could this have been expedited somehow had the dire situation facing the army at Sharpsburg been been better understood and communicated earlier?

I don't think this is feasible or makes sense. This is because of the positions of the armies before Harpers Ferry fell.

In the first place, AP Hill was only part of Jackson's corps, but the positions were:

View attachment 421871


This is roughly how it looked when Harpers Ferry surrendered. If Harpers doesn't surrender then McLaws and Anderson probably lose most of their manpower and certainly all of their guns (as they'd need any escapees to evade over the Maryland Heights).




Now, there is no reason in principle why AP Hill could not have arrived sooner - he could have been part of Jackson's column (marched 15th), or marched with McLaws and Anderson (leaving on the 16th), and either way reached Sharpsburg before the fighting on the 17th. But there is a real risk involved because as of the night of the 16th AP Hill and Franklin are facing off over the Harpers Ferry fords.
If AP Hill marches for Sharpsburg earlier, it leaves the ford with at most one single brigade (Thomas's, historically) to protect it. There is nothing that would stop Franklin from attacking over the ford with his corps and then putting a division or two south of the Potomac blocking off the Shepherdstown Fords. This would trap Lee far more effectively than the planned movement by Burnside's 9th on the battlefield itself.

Great analysis, as always.

 

[MHB1862]

I don't think this is feasible or makes sense. This is because of the positions of the armies before Harpers Ferry fell.

In the first place, AP Hill was only part of Jackson's corps, but the positions were:

View attachment 421871


This is roughly how it looked when Harpers Ferry surrendered. If Harpers doesn't surrender then McLaws and Anderson probably lose most of their manpower and certainly all of their guns (as they'd need any escapees to evade over the Maryland Heights).




Now, there is no reason in principle why AP Hill could not have arrived sooner - he could have been part of Jackson's column (marched 15th), or marched with McLaws and Anderson (leaving on the 16th), and either way reached Sharpsburg before the fighting on the 17th. But there is a real risk involved because as of the night of the 16th AP Hill and Franklin are facing off over the Harpers Ferry fords.
If AP Hill marches for Sharpsburg earlier, it leaves the ford with at most one single brigade (Thomas's, historically) to protect it. There is nothing that would stop Franklin from attacking over the ford with his corps and then putting a division or two south of the Potomac blocking off the Shepherdstown Fords. This would trap Lee far more effectively than the planned movement by Burnside's 9th on the battlefield itself.

It is likely that Franklin would have stopped Franklin from attacking over the Ford.

 

[Saphroneth]

It is likely that Franklin would have stopped Franklin from attacking over the Ford.

Really? Franklin attacked McLaws at Cramptons Gap, and McLaws had up to a quarter of Lee's entire army available in potentia to defend the gap (which Franklin couldn't see because it was on the far side of the hill); we're discussing the willingness of Franklin (with the same strength he had at Cramptons once closed up, at which point he did indeed attack) to attack a single brigade that he can see.