July 1st Without Hill?

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Some of the discussion in the shoes thread seemed to warrant further exploration in another thread.

What if Hill doesn't move towards Gettysburg on the morning of July 1?

Perhaps Buford doesn't arrive until after Pettigrew completes his supply raid on June 30, returning the same day to Cashtown. Or perhaps Hill and Heth take Pettigrew's claim of cavalry in Gettysburg seriously and, to avoid risking a general engagement, wait for Longstreet and Ewell.

Ewell is already marching back south to rejoin the rest of the army, but Rodes and Early aren't hurrying because Hill isn't engaged.

Let's assume Buford is still in Gettysburg on July 1. However, Reynolds and Howard are marching at a normal pace, not hurrying unless and not until Buford notifies them of Ewell approaching.

Where does Buford likely take a defensive position against Rodes' advance, in the absence of the ridges west of town he used against Hill?

When would Rodes & Early and Reynolds & Howard likely arrive on the scene? How would the day's fighting play out? Does Reynolds take up position on Cemetery Hill and Culps Hill due to the lack of good defensive ground north of town?

Would Rodes and Early avoid a general engagement any better than Heth?

If Rodes engaged Buford and sent word to Hill, does Hill have enough daylight to arrive from Cashtown?

 

[Wizard of Cozz]

Some of the discussion in the shoes thread seemed to warrant further exploration in another thread.

What if Hill doesn't move towards Gettysburg on the morning of July 1?

Perhaps Buford doesn't arrive until after Pettigrew completes his supply raid on June 30, returning the same day to Cashtown. Or perhaps Hill and Heth take Pettigrew's claim of cavalry in Gettysburg seriously and, to avoid risking a general engagement, wait for Longstreet and Ewell.

Ewell is already marching back south to rejoin the rest of the army, but Rodes and Early aren't hurrying because Hill isn't engaged.

Let's assume Buford is still in Gettysburg on July 1. However, Reynolds and Howard are marching at a normal pace, not hurrying unless and not until Buford notifies them of Ewell approaching.

Where does Buford likely take a defensive position against Rodes' advance, in the absence of the ridges west of town he used against Hill?

When would Rodes & Early and Reynolds & Howard likely arrive on the scene? How would the day's fighting play out? Does Reynolds take up position on Cemetery Hill and Culps Hill due to the lack of good defensive ground north of town?

Would Rodes and Early avoid a general engagement any better than Heth?

If Rodes engaged Buford and sent word to Hill, does Hill have enough daylight to arrive from Cashtown?

Rodes could avoid things altogether cause he doesn't actually have to come south, cause there is a direct route to Cashtown. Early on the other hand will be forced to engage or back track.

As to your general question, a concentration at Cashtown, goes 1 of 2 ways, depending on what Meade does.

1) Meade concentrates at Gettysburg or Pipe Creek and waits in which case, Lee discusses what to on might of the first and moves to engage on the 2nd with Stuart's Cavalry showing up.

2) Meade has Washington on his back and moves to attack Lee at Cashtown. Which would be ideal for Lee. But Lee can't just sit at Cashtown forever waiting on Meadeo r his supply will begin to run low.

 

[rob63]

It's a moot point. Absent Hill going to Gettysburg and sending word to Ewell, Rodes and Early go to Cashtown, not Gettysburg, according to what they wrote in their reports. Perhaps Early would encounter Union Cavalry near Hunterstown? I don't know how far out they were and how the timing would have played out.

Ewell's Report:

Early's Report: