GDG- BMI

[Tom Ryan]

Alan,

	Appreciate the kind words about my five-part series.  I enjoyed researching
and writing those articles.  As far as I know, it was the first comparative
study of intelligence operations between Union and Confederate forces during
a single campaign.  All previous studies covered one side or another, but
not both.

	Thanks for mentioning the civilian contribution to knowledge about enemy
forces.  The tables were turned as you point out when the ANV moved north.
They no longer had the advantage of all those civilian eyes keeping watch
and reporting on Union movements.  Just the opposite occurred with several
civilian groups operating aggressively in monitoring the movements of Lee's
army and estimating its size.

	The students you referred to were from St. James College just west of
Williamsport, MD and south of Hagerstown.  BMI agent John Babcock questioned
them as they were being evacuated eastward out of the path of the
Confederate invasion.  These students confirmed that the ANV was not moving
east toward Frederick, but rather north toward PA.  This piece of
information, I believe, is what triggered General Hooker to move his troops
across the Potomac in pursuit, since the threat of an attack on Washington
was removed.

	Among other things, this intelligence is what led to Stuart's cavalry being
blocked from passing through the Union army which was no longer stationary.
This falls into the category of "For the want of a nail...."

Regards, Tom Ryan

-----Original Message-----
From: gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com
[mailto:gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com]On Behalf Of Alan D. Brunelle
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 4:12 PM
To: GDG
Subject: Re: GDG- BMI


Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:


I've also read in various sources (including Tom Ryan's wonderful 5-part
series in Gettyburg Magazine) references to the fact that the ANV's
numbers were very accurately counted by civilians, and past on promptly
through proper military channels. Tom also pointed out a teacher &
students did some accurate counting, and were lucky enough to get
through Confederate lines and report on that. (Sorry, the magazines are
at home, so I don't have a proper reference.)

To actually be able to sit there and count troops and even individual
artillery pieces accurately, and then provide that information to the
military must have given the BMI even *more* accurate numbers to rely
upon. The Confederates typically had the better civilian information
while the AoP was marching in Virginia, and this time the tables were
turned...

Respectfully,
Alan
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