GDG- Buford and Reynolds

[elcarto at comcast.net]

>>We know that Reynolds never had the chance to communicate to Howard or
Doubleday his intentions. 

>>But how does Doubleday get the idea that the MAIN LINE is to be the
Seminary? Why does he commit the 1st Corp to defending that so stridently?  -Jim Lamason
 

>>I never could understand the way some folks argue the fact that Buford
found the high ground first. Of course he did, he was on the scene before Howard,
Hancock, or should I say, even Reynolds.

>J.D., as far as Reynolds dying too soon to say what was on his mind, we only
need to look to John Buford. The only thing that what was on JFR's mind that
morning was keeping the high ground west of town. Reynolds died continuing
the defense Buford began that morning. - Anthony Christ

Personally, I think the answer lies in the note that Reynolds DID send to Meade; the one in which he promises to 'barricade the streets of Gettysburg and fall back inch by inch..." Reynolds certainly saw the same thing as Buford regarding the wonderful position formed by Cemetery Hill and Ridge (too bad the modern viewshed is so different!), but also knew that the rest of the AOP would be a ways in showing up.  If you're trying to hold onto such a good piece of ground for the rest of the army to occupy, you don't defend ON it, but in front of it, to allow for being pushed back before the rest of the army comes up.

I don't think that Reynolds had any intention of holding his forward position along McPherson's Hill all day; just long enough to ensure that the better position to his rear was still there when Meade came up.  The big problem is that he was killed before he could do anything but his initial deployments, or to lay out his plans on paper.   I'm sure that if he had still been in the saddle another half hour, he would have sent messages to both Sickles and Slocum, ordering (Sickles) or requesting (Slocum) that they advance to Gettysburg to support him ASAP.  His death left both Howard and Doubleday with no clear idea of his intentions, and Doubleday simply defended the ground that he had been ordered to hold the rest of the afternoon.  I think that Howard DID understand what Reynolds had in mind (it's not for nothing that he got that Thanks from Congress), but was just out of his depth and muddled the job. 

So while it's true that 'Reynolds died continuing the defense  Buford began that morning," both of them recognized the real 'good ground' and were taking the long view towards saving it for Meade.  Both Johns knew that Ewell was coming in from the north, and that any forward position west of the town would ultimately be untenable, but they were playing for time and space and ultimately won that gamble.

Rick Barber