GDG- Cavalry (again): Buford's withdrawal

[Eric J. Wittenberg]

Chet and Alan,

Just to follow up on JD's response.

He's quite right--my article will appear in the next issue of 
Gettysburg Magazine.  Phil Laino has mapped the deployment of 
Buford's men on the morning of July 2 in detail for the first time, 
and it definitely addresses the circumstances under which Buford was 
ordered from the field.

It also addresses the steps Butterfield tried to take once he 
realized that the flank had been largely stripped of cavalry--too 
little, too late--and discusses in great detail the reasons why 
Meade's order to Buford made a lot sense at the time it was issued.

I hope you can wait a few more weeks, and you will have the article.

Eric

At 12:23 PM 6/11/2007, you wrote:
>Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
>Chet and Allan,
>
>There's no evidence that it was Buford who asked to be withdrawn.  That was
>an unfortunate and unsubstantiated conclusion on Longacre's part - which
>he's subsequently backed off of (see his "Lincoln's Cavalrymen book, in
>which he corrects this and states that it was Pleasonton's idea) and also in
>private conversations with myself, Eric, and likely others.
>
>Buried in the back of the Gettysburg ORs is a long-overlooked missive from
>Butterfield which orders Buford south to Taneytown, per Pleasonton's
>request.  Quite timely, Eric Wittenberg has an article appearing in the
>upcoming July issue of Gettysburg Magazine, titled "The Truth About Buford's
>Withdrawal on July 2" which will be of great interest of all of the readers,
>and goes into great detail on this issue.
>
>Incidentally, NOT all of the cavalry was pulled from the field.  Devin left
>behind 2 undersized companies (about 100 troopers) of his 9th NY Cavalry
>under Capt. Timothy Hanley, and was assigned to Sickles.  Sickles kept these
>troopers at his HQ, and never used them for any type of recon.  Apparently
>by then he had already made up his mind to adjust his position.  There were
>also several other cavalry companies with the infantry corps HQ, as well as
>with AOP HQ.  There's no way to estimate, but there could very well have
>still been something like several hundred mounted cavalrymen on the field
>still.
>
>J.D.
>
>
>     >>Why Buford asked to be withdrawn at such a critical time, IMHO,
>remains
>inexplicable. However, that Pleasanton granted the request is more
>understandable. Buford was a veteran division commander and one of the most
>combative officers in the army, thus when such a request came to the corps
>commander it is not without reason that Pleasanton would take him at his
>word and grant permission. (To the group's cavalry experts: Is there a
>record of the two meeting or of Pleasanton actually inspecting the condition
>of Buford's brigades to evaluate their combat worthiness?)
>    However, even in granting Buford's request, Pleasanton should have
>arranged for a screening force (perhaps a squadron or even a regiment) to
>remain on the flank until fresh cavalry could be brought up after the rest
>of Devin's and Gamble's brigades were withdrawn. That would have been a
>sound and prudent military move.
>   Also, does anyone know if Sickles or Hancock were formally informed of the
>removal of the flank-covering cavalry or did they suddenly discover that the
>horsesoldiers had vanished and, if so, what, if any, did that fact play in
>Sickles'  decision to eventually move forward to the Emmittsburg Road?
>    With regards,
>      Chet>>
>
> 
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Eric J. Wittenberg
Attorney and Counselor at Law
ERIC J. WITTENBERG CO., L.P.A.
2602 Oakstone Drive
Columbus, OH  43231
614.776.1477
Fax: 614.899.1801
eric at ewittenberglaw.com
www.ewittenberglaw.com


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