GDG- Re: ? and ?? /Colonel/ DeTrobriand and /Colonel/ Burling

[Alan D. Brunelle]

cameron2 at optimum.net wrote:
> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
> <<  (2) The 3rd Corps was posted in Emmitsburg because (as I understand) 
> Meade was concerned about his armies left flank. Certainly at the time 
> Sickles /was/ making his decision to split his forces he was not aware 
> of the absence of a threat to the Emmitsburg area. (Even though he knew 
> of a threat up in the Gettysburg area.)  >>
>
> It's been a while since I've looked at this, and I don't have my references handy, but Sickles had been receiving somewhat conflicting orders from Howard, his Wing Commander, and Army HQ.  Howard wanted him up, while Army HQ wanted him to be sure to cover the Emmitsburg approaches adequately until any threat of a Confederate adnavce in that direction had abated.  Sickles IMO did the best he could under the circumstances, arguably at some personal risk given how Meade had been on his back the day before over the conduct of his march, taking care to keep HQ well advised as to what he was doing. 

This is my understanding as well Jim: both in terms of Sickles having 
inconsistent commands - Meade /should not/ have been reaching around his 
"Wing Commander" to direct Sickles personally - as well as kudos to 
Sickles for at least trying to handle both sets of problems.

Of course, we give him kudos on 7/1 for spreading his forces out. Then 
we bash him on 7/2 for spreading his forces out... :-)

Alan