GDG- If Sickles had stayed put!

[Margaret D. Blough]

Alan,

>>Hi Tom -

That assumes three things:

(1) Longstreet would "ignore" the threat of 10,000 men to his flank/rear.<<

I don't think either of us believe that the general who so devastatingly attacked the flank of Pope's attacking force at Second Manassas would do that.

Regards,

Margaret


-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Alan D. Brunelle" <Alan.Brunelle at pobox.com> 

> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes: 
> 
> 
> Tom Ryan wrote: 
> > Esteemed GDG Member Contributes: 
> > 
> > 
> > <> > to have been back on CR/LRT? >> 
> > 
> > <> > the 
> > attack gets called off. If the attack is still made, though, there are so 
> > many variables that almost any secnario can be imagined. Would the attack 
> > have cone in up the Emmitsburg Road, or, would the axis of advance have 
> > shifted to come in against the Union line in a more frontal manner? As far 
> > as pouncing on the flank of the 2nd Corps, if the 3rd Corps is back on the 
> > ridle, with its right on the 2nd's left, what open 2nd Corps flank is there 
> > to pounce on?>> 
> > 
> > My thought was that, if McLaws and Hood anchor on the ER, and move in 
> that 
> > direction, they will likely hit the Union line at an angle and take the 
> > Second Corps at least partially in flank. Looking at the map, the 
> > separation from the Third Corps position out to the ER is such a distance 
> > that their fire, while damaging, would not stop the onslaught of those two 
> > divisions supported by Hill's brigades. 
> > 
> > In other words, Cemetery Ridge and the ER are not running parallel, but 
> > rather converge toward each other while moving in a northern direction. 
> > This seems to be an advantage for the Rebels to, in effect, bypass the Third 
> > Corps (while still taking fire from them in the flank), and crashing into 
> > the Union line about where the left of Second Corps position was. 
> > 
> > Once that happens, Longstreet's rear would be protected by Anderson's 
> > division as it follows the action once McLaws and Hood move on up the road. 
> > 
> > Whenever I stand on Cemetery Ridge at the foot of LRT and look across to 
> > the ER, the thoughts described above come to mind, and I am still having 
> > trouble understanding how the Third Corps could have stopped Longstreet's 
> > attack from that position. 
> > 
> > Tom Ryan 
> 
> Hi Tom - 
> 
> That assumes three things: 
> 
> (1) Longstreet would "ignore" the threat of 10,000 men to his flank/rear. 
> 
> and 
> 
> (2) Even if Longstreet could ignore that threat, you must further assume 
> that Hood & McLaws would as well. (Something they did not do in the real 
> battle.) 
> 
> and 
> 
> (3) Once in position, you must also assume that Sickle's corps would 
> just sit there watching the Confederates march on by and attack the 2nd 
> Corps. (If Sickle's & his men saw Longstreet's troops marching by /with 
> their flank & rears facing them/ - I kinda doubt they'd just sit back, 
> eat some popcorn, and enjoy the show.) 
> 
> I think the other thing that is missing is that the Union 3rd Corps 
> would not /all/ be back along Cemetery ride - certainly there would be a 
> Union skirmish line out somewhere between there and the Emmitsburg road 
> - if not on the road itself. 
> 
> Alan 
> 
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