- Joined
- Feb 27, 2017
- Location
- Ohio
The decision to stay & fight at Gettysburg was Meade's (along with Hancock's). Buford & Reynolds got things started, and who knows how things might have developed if Reynolds had not been killed. Meade sent Hancock to take Reynolds's place, and Hancock saved Cemetery Hill. Hancock also sent back word that he thought Gettysburg was a good place to fight & that the position was a strong one "provided it was held by good troops." The decision to concentrate at Gettysburg and fight the major battle there was Meade's alone, and get made it sometime during the late afternoon on July 1 (my opinion is soon after he received Buford's message from the front saying "We need help now" and before he got word from Hancock.
As for "not having to do anything" once get got to Gettysburg, Meade made all the major decisions about shifting troops to endangered positions. He sent Sykes to the left, ordered Slocum/Williams to send troops to the left, and sent in the 6th Corps to various locations once they arrived. There are two (I believe) major exceptions. Meade had ordered troops to Little Round Top, but it was Warren who grabbed Vincent's brigade specifically to save the hill. The other major exception was Hancock sent Carroll's brigade to save East Cemetery Hill -- I am not aware Meade had any involvement in that decision. Aside from Meade, Hancock made the major troop decisions involving shifting troops to threatened areas, but these were troops under his nominal command after July 1.
As for "not having to do anything" once get got to Gettysburg, Meade made all the major decisions about shifting troops to endangered positions. He sent Sykes to the left, ordered Slocum/Williams to send troops to the left, and sent in the 6th Corps to various locations once they arrived. There are two (I believe) major exceptions. Meade had ordered troops to Little Round Top, but it was Warren who grabbed Vincent's brigade specifically to save the hill. The other major exception was Hancock sent Carroll's brigade to save East Cemetery Hill -- I am not aware Meade had any involvement in that decision. Aside from Meade, Hancock made the major troop decisions involving shifting troops to threatened areas, but these were troops under his nominal command after July 1.