Who Failed at Gettysburg

[HistorywithWaffles]

There's so many answers given when asked that question, who failed at Gettysburg. Since I have the ear of many Civil War buffs and historians, I want to see what you have to say. In your estimation who failed here at Gettysburg? What could've been done better? While you're at it go check out my video filled with Gettysburg stories.

 

[FZ11]

There's so many answers given when asked that question, who failed at Gettysburg. Since I have the ear of many Civil War buffs and historians, I want to see what you have to say. In your estimation who failed here at Gettysburg? What could've been done better? While you're at it go check out my video filled with Gettysburg stories.

Good video, music, presentation. Thank you!

 

[dlofting]

I've often thought about Pickett's Charge: General Lee, what were you thinking???

I don't know if its apocryphal or not but after the war Lee was told that people were saying that Pickett's charge was a mistake.

He supposedly replied "Any fool can see that now, where were they then."

 

[damYankee]

Two points that are seldom mentioned when this question arises, (annually right around July 1).
1. The Union had something to do with it!
This may come as a shock, but even though the first day was technically a victory for the Reb's as they forced the Union force to retreat, and the Yanks took more losses either as POWs or wounded or killed, there is an old saying, "when things are going better than you expected, it might be a trap."
So let's give the guys in Blue a little credit for assembling a formable force on a dominant geographic feature and then reinforcing it in such a way that reserve forces could be moved from one strong point to another with relative protection from enemy artillery and observation.
2. As I understand it the engagement at Gettysburg was not planned by either side, it just developed and on that first day, and into the first night the Rebel forces clogged the roads leading from Harrisburg to Gettysburg. If the Confederate advance were as well planned as the withdrawal was perhaps the outcome would have been different.
I doubt it, Lee was operating beyond his lines of communications, one should never depend on luck and the ineptness of your opponent, those factors are out of your control.

 

[Georgia Sixth]

There's so many answers given when asked that question, who failed at Gettysburg. Since I have the ear of many Civil War buffs and historians, I want to see what you have to say. In your estimation who failed here at Gettysburg? What could've been done better? While you're at it go check out my video filled with Gettysburg stories.

JEB Stuart. If he had been near Lee's army, Buford would not have been able to stall the infantry. In all likelihood, the confederates would have occupied the hills above town. Even if it had worked out that the Union kept the heights, Stuart's cavalry would have guided Longstreet on the second day and gotten him to the Union left hours earlier than he actually did. There might have been no significant battle at all. Meade would probably fallen back to his Pipe Creek line.

 

[rvbgrif]

I don't know if its apocryphal or not but after the war Lee was told that people were saying that Pickett's charge was a mistake.

He supposedly replied "Any fool can see that now, where were they then."

He was too invested in the offensive.

He was coming off of successes at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, and won day 1 of Gettysburg. The Yankees were pushed off of Seminary Ridge, and had fallen back to Cemetery Hill.

He took the most optimistic view of a bad situation and gambled with it, based on his past winnings.

He should have taken Day 1, walked away from the table, gone around Meade's army, and picked a better place to do battle.

 

[DC1221]

Dan Sickles failed his way into a Medal of Honor. He disobeyed orders, destroyed his corp, and lost his leg but made himself a hero anyway.

"The entire battlefield is a memorial to Sickles." What a character.

 

[DC1221]

I've often thought about Pickett's Charge: General Lee, what were you thinking???

Many times I've stood at the Virginia Memorial, looking across to Cemetery Ridge, and wondered the exact same thing.

 

[Tony Z]

All history is revisionist and easy for us to criticize. I am not a Lee fanboy, but I do believe Lee understood all to well how the cards were stacked against the south. The south was the aggressor because, well they seceded. Lee knew it would be a war of attrition. Lee knew he had to take long chances, the moment he crossed the Potomac. His moves, even the third day, were very calculated and deliberate, as he was the invader and had to force Meade off that hill.

 

[JerryD]

All history is revisionist and easy for us to criticize. I am not a Lee fanboy, but I do believe Lee understood all to well how the cards were stacked against the south. The south was the aggressor because, well they seceded. Lee knew it would be a war of attrition. Lee knew he had to take long chances, the moment he crossed the Potomac. His moves, even the third day, were very calculated and deliberate, as he was the invader and had to force Meade off that hill.

I think this is a very plausible explanation. Its all pretty speculative, but if you agree Lee did not just suddenly lose his mind and was still acting rationally, then it makes sense. Yes, he took long odds. But I think its very possible that he realized this may be his last, best shot at a war winning victory. He thought he might be able to catch the AOP before it fully assembled, and in the end the simplest answer is the one he gave; he simply asked his troops to accomplish more than they were capable.

 

[Tony Z]

I don't think Lee lost his mind (maybe Sickles did on the 2nd!). Lee knew the long odds of being on enemy soil and he had to roll the dice. Let's back up to his moves on the 1st and the 2nd day(s). Stuart was not present at first. He no longer had Jackson. Let's back even further to September 1862. In the days before Antietam, Lee nearly abandoned his position and almost decided to recross the Potomac. Forward to Gettysburg, the clock was running out against the south.

 

[dlofting]

He was too invested in the offensive.

He was coming off of successes at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, and won day 1 of Gettysburg. The Yankees were pushed off of Seminary Ridge, and had fallen back to Cemetery Hill.

He took the most optimistic view of a bad situation and gambled with it, based on his past winnings.

He should have taken Day 1, walked away from the table, gone around Meade's army, and picked a better place to do battle.si

I think the quote was Lee admitting that in hindsight Pickett's charge was a mistake....so I'm sure in 1866 he would have agreed with you.

 

[Saint Jude]

Lee.

 

[wausaubob]

What were the consequences? Pickett's division was ruined and did not accompany Longstreet's other divisions to Georgia. In the subsequent year, even when the Confederates gained the upper hand in the Wilderness and on the Weldon RR, they did not have the mass to exploit their advantage. The campaign did not nothing to damage the military/industrial complex. Thousands of people were already invested in US debt, and tens of thousands were already working in the war industries. Then consider what happened at Knoxville, Chattanooga, Little Rock and Charleston in the months after the failed invasion of Pennsylvania.

 

[damYankee]

What were the consequences? Pickett's division was ruined and did not accompany Longstreet's other divisions to Georgia. In the subsequent year, even when the Confederates gained the upper hand in the Wilderness and on the Weldon RR, they did not have the mass to exploit their advantage. The campaign did not nothing to damage the military/industrial complex. Thousands of people were already invested in US debt, and tens of thousands were already working in the war industries. Then consider what happened at Knoxville, Chattanooga, Little Rock and Charleston in the months after the failed invasion of Pennsylvania.

Therein is the CSA's downfall! They didn't have the mass to exploit any advantage they may have had after any hard gained victory.

 

[MRB1863]

In many humanitarian ways, perhaps there are no "Winners" when it comes to scoring a war. Each participant loses immeasurably.

 

[Peter r]

In the end General Lee failed. We can point fingers at some of Lee's subordinates, but in the end it was on Lee.

I agree on your overall point , however the lack of Stuart's reports on union army positions proved fatal to lee,s tactics .

 

[MRB1863]

I agree on your overall point , however the lack of Stuart's reports on union army positions proved fatal to lee,s tactics .

Lee preferred Stuart for his intel. However, did not employ his available cavalry to substitute. Lee was an astute commander and it is incomprehensible he did not have a plan B to gather intelligence.

 

[frontrank2]

Besides General Lee, my opinion is that Brigadier General Alfred Iverson was woefully deficient. He had his brigade shot to ribbons by not deploying skirmishes as they advanced over open ground. Lee was so upset at his incompetence that he had him removed from the ANV.

 

[Tony Z]

Besides General Lee, my opinion is that Brigadier General Alfred Iverson was woefully deficient. He had his brigade shot to ribbons by not deploying skirmishes as they advanced over open ground. Lee was so upset at his incompetence that he had him removed from the ANV.
View attachment 554111

Wasn't Iverson reported to have been hiding in a plow trench along with a bottle of spirits (liquid).

 

[wausaubob]

Therein is the CSA's downfall! They didn't have the mass to exploit any advantage they may have had after any hard gained victory.

Much as was noted by Confederate General Jackson before he was mortally wounded by friendly fire.