Fwd: Re: GDG- Re: why not blame a well led Union Army

[Aretta Gemmer]

J

ust a thought, but I believe Lee knew Meade from the pre-civil war army, and 
had great respect for him. Lee is quoted as saying when informed that Meade 
had replaced Hooker as commander of the AOP: "General Meade will commit no 
blunder in my front, and if I make one he will make haste to take advantage 
of it."  
Seems to me there is some respect and knowledge of the opposing commander 
evidenced here?

J Gemmer

----------  Forwarded Message  ----------

Subject: Re: GDG- Re: why not blame a well led Union Army
Date: Thursday 07 September 2006 09:00 am
From: "Chet Diestel" <chetd1 at comcast.net>
To: "GDG" <gettysburg at arthes.com>

Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:



Esteemed GDG Member Dave Shultz Contributes:

Been reading lots of queries and questions concerning Confederate
generalship at GB July Second. Why not start July 1? June 30? Lots of
mistakes made by many of Lee's subordinates all three days ... far to many
to blame any-one officer. Instead of looking at CSA mistakes why not
visualize a well led Union Army successfully countering Lee's every move
(well, most of em-anyway), whether it be that of Hill, Hood, Longstreet,
Johnston, Ewell, Anderson, etc.   Oh-yea  ... Stuart too.

    What could, would or may, have been was not a factor. The CSA was
whipped in aspect at GB beginning with simple logistics. July 2 was no
exception. The day began early with a reconnoiter. The Union recon was
superb. Meade personally led the group made up by extremely knowledgeable
officers mostly engineers and artillerists. The Confederate recon was led by
Lee's chief of artillery accompanied by Capt. Johnston and a couple other
young engineers, whose names I have but cannot recall. That recon was well
planned and completed.

  Pendelton did exactly as ordered and found the Union left. Unfortunately
communication, and the skills handled by Meade's subordinates, was not the
same in the CSA as that of the USA.   Oh-yea ... Meade sent Hunt on two more
rides between 5:00 and 10:00 AM to be sure. Hunt's last ride entrenched the
hunch that an attack from the west of immanent.   I cannot understand why do
much blame be heaped CSA generals July 2 especially after one considers whom
they were up
against. Whatever we think of Sickles .... he was no pushover!

   Regards,

          Dave S.

     You hit upon one of the most lasting and puzzling questions which, to
my way of thinking, has plagued the study of the battle from almost the
beginning: The failure to acknowledge that Meade conducted one of the best
fought battles of the war. Much --- to much, really --- of the focus has
been on what Lee and his generals did wrong --- or didn't do at all --- and
not what Meade and his generals did right.
  Indeed, to read some histories one would believe that Meade just sat
passively around his headquarters drinking coffee and waiting for Lee to
plan the next assault and when it came did nothing proactive to break it up.
Indeed, the only Union tactical move even mentioned was Sickles'
unauthorized, ill-fated move to the Emmittsburg Road line and the Peach
Orchard and the Wheat Field.
   Perhaps it is all part of the Lee legend building --- he was so great
that no mere mortal like Meade could have out general him. So, if the battle
was lost, it had to be the fault of others and where subordinates can't be
blamed, or perceived illness can't be cited, then even the general
commanding's mistakes decided the fate of the battle more than his
opponent's abilities and actions.
  Yes, blunders up and down the command level of the ANV throughout the
battle contributed to the defeat, but Meade won the battle through efficient
reconnaissance which gave him knowledge of the entire battlefield, superior
use of interior lines, using his superior staff to the best possible
advantage (including using Hunt and Warren as sort of roving
"sub-commanders"), leaving the administrative side of the army to
Butterfield, and, perhaps most important of all, having great faith in his
own abilities to fight and win the battle --- the "Lee Legend" never spooked
Meade.
    With regards,
           Chet


                  
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