GDG- Day 2 - What was Ewell Thinking?

[Ron Chaplin]

Why was Ewell unable to communicate with Longstreet?

Ron Chaplin

On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 3:41 PM, John Baniszewski <jdbano2001 at yahoo.com>
wrote:

> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
> I would not go too hard on Ewell for his day 2 actions.  After all, he was
> told "make a demonstration against the enemy's right flank, to be turned
> into a full scale assault, should circumstances warrant".  So for a second
> day in a row, he got an order from Lee that really put a burden upon him.
>  He did make the demonstration in the afternoon, in the form of the
> artillery attack in which Latimer suffered so heavily.  But the "should
> circumstances warrant" part was the challenge.  With his inability to
> communicate with Longstreet, he had no way to accurately gauge "if
> circumstances warranted".
>
> Whatever fault there is, I place upon Lee.  As overall army commander, it
> was Lee's job to set up some form of control over the two corp that were to
> cooperate, and enable their communication.  He did not do that.
>
> I also fault Lee in allowing Ewell to remain where he was at the end of
> July 1.  Lee recognized Ewell was in an awkward position, where he could not
> work effectively in coordination with Longstreet and Hill.  Lee even gave
> Ewell orders to move back to Seminary Ridge.  But he let Ewell talk him out
> of it.
>
> John Baniszewski
>
>
> John Baniszewski
>
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