- Joined
- Nov 26, 2015
- Location
- Greensburg, Pa
I finally ordered the July 2001 Gettysburg Magazine that featured a great piece from @Tom Elmore on Battle action on July 4, 1863. I found this subject very interesting. There is so little written on these July 4th actions. Tom details the limited actions that occurred that day however I won't rehash those events here.
My question surrounds the potential strategic impact of those July 4th actions. Were they just chance encounters that occured having no impact on Lee's Gettysburg "escape" or Meade's pursuit of such? Or was there any strategic nature to those limited actions such as buying time for Lee to escape Gettysburg?
@Tom Elmore , your work on detailing the timing of actions has been outstanding. Have you researched the timing of these July 4th actions? It would be interesting to me to understand if the bulk of the July 4th actions occurred before the bulk of Lee's army left the field. It would help me understand as well, what Meade understood on the confederate strength of numbers on July 4th.
I have always believed that Meade made the correct decision in not pursuing Lee. However, if Meade knew that the bulk of Lee's army had departed Gettysburg, but his army was still in place, was it a sound decision to take an offensive position and overwhelm the few remaining confederates left at Gettysburg further hurting the AoNV.
Did the July 4th actions make any impact on Meade's decision making on maintaining a defensive position while believing there were more confederates remaining at Gettysburg because of the July 4th actions?
These are some of the questions raised while I read that piece. That July '01 Gettysburg Magazine is still available from Nebraska Press for $5 plus $5 shipping. They continue to publish the Gettysburg Magazine to this day.
My question surrounds the potential strategic impact of those July 4th actions. Were they just chance encounters that occured having no impact on Lee's Gettysburg "escape" or Meade's pursuit of such? Or was there any strategic nature to those limited actions such as buying time for Lee to escape Gettysburg?
@Tom Elmore , your work on detailing the timing of actions has been outstanding. Have you researched the timing of these July 4th actions? It would be interesting to me to understand if the bulk of the July 4th actions occurred before the bulk of Lee's army left the field. It would help me understand as well, what Meade understood on the confederate strength of numbers on July 4th.
I have always believed that Meade made the correct decision in not pursuing Lee. However, if Meade knew that the bulk of Lee's army had departed Gettysburg, but his army was still in place, was it a sound decision to take an offensive position and overwhelm the few remaining confederates left at Gettysburg further hurting the AoNV.
Did the July 4th actions make any impact on Meade's decision making on maintaining a defensive position while believing there were more confederates remaining at Gettysburg because of the July 4th actions?
These are some of the questions raised while I read that piece. That July '01 Gettysburg Magazine is still available from Nebraska Press for $5 plus $5 shipping. They continue to publish the Gettysburg Magazine to this day.