GDG- Gettysburg The second day

[Chet Diestel]

> Esteemed GDG Member Keith Mackenzie Contributes:
>
>
> Not for nuthin, but didn't Lee spend most of the day { day 2} in Hill's 
> company? or at least his general vicinity?
>  k.
>
   True enough, but much of Lee's proactive endeavor, it seems to me, was 
directed towards getting Longstreet into position & c. which is certainly 
understandable at that moment. But he seemed to keep a much looser rein on 
the activities of his two less veteran corps commanders and especially the 
least experience, Hill, who was the middle clog in the massive assault being 
planned.
  An attack in echelon is a most difficult and coordinated military 
undertaking with many things that can go wrong even with veteran commanders 
in charge. This level of command was all new to Hill, whose corps had been 
roughly handled on July 1, with two of his three division commanders down 
the third under Anderson having indeed fought four battles, but largely in 
defensive mode. Moreover, Hill's performance on the first day could be 
called lackluster at best.
   It seems that once the assault jumped off up the Emmittsburg Road, Lee 
let the battle run itself instead of moving continuously up the battleline 
making sure each brigade moved when it was suppose to and making sure 
divisional and corps commanders were up front coordinating the movement of 
their troops. Instead, the hammer-blows of the series of brigade level 
assaults starting with Law's Brigade and going north was simply allowed to 
fade away ... and what might have been became what history is.
  It just seems that Lee had more faith in both Hill and Ewell that was 
warranted or demonstrated by their performances.
   With regards,
            Chet