GDG- Ewell and the High Ground

[Tom Ryan]

<<Dear Tom - the problem I have with your scenario below is that for
Stuart to be with Lee in PA changes a whole lot of things. Is Custer
out at Hanover is Stuart is known to be with Lee, for example? So
much stuff changes that I think we get ourselves in big trouble to
predict anything about how July 1 would be different. Chances are
both Union and confederate Corps are in different positions than they
are on June 30th is Stuart is doing his job and not riding around the
AoP. So, everything changes and we can't really predict anything.>>

Hi Laurie,

	Just trying to illustrate how important Stuart was to the success or
failure of the ANV at Gettysburg.  I think a few examples of what good
recon, scouting and screening can do to change the fortunes of a battle or a
campaign are not uncalled for in this case.

	By the way, your throwaway line about "if Stuart is doing his job and not
riding around the AoP" is an example of how historians down through the
decades have misunderstood what actually happened and why with regard to
Stuart's absence from the ANV for several days during the Gettysburg
Campaign.  It has been a lonely battle, but I have contended for some time
that Stuart was not on a glory ride or intentionally out grabbing headlines.
What happened on June 25 to block Stuart's route was a combination of
circumstances that were almost completely out of Stuart's control.  Eric and
J.D.'s book "Plenty of Blame to Go Around" does the best job of laying out
the facts.  But the thing to keep in mind is that is was decisions on the
Union side that caused Stuart's problems.  Good intelligence and fast action
led to the beginning of Hooker's march across the Potomac on June 25 -- and
Stuart's intended ride through the Union army was negated, and he was forced
to go around the army instead.

	The thing that should be kept in mind is that Stuart was a professional
soldier, and acted in that manner in almost all occasions and under all
circumstances.  To imply that he would intentionally leave his army in the
lurch is simply unsupported by fact.

	I say this not as a Stuart devotee or an ANV supporter or anything of that
character, since I always attempt to remain neutral on historical subjects.
Simply searching for the truth.

Regards, Tom