History Learner
Well-known member
Gettysburg looms large in the American mind as arguably the most famous battle in the nation's history. This importance is derived, in part, from the strategic implications of the battle; it is considered the Confederate high watermark, with their defeat here often considered the turning point of the war. Said defeat was, however, definitely not set in stone and very easily the battle could've went the other way with all that entails. The ramifications of such a reversal depend upon how the victory is achieved, as there are several turning points upon which the course of the battle rested. Some options include:
Of the three, the first one is my favorite and probably of the most interest to you. For a summarization of it:
- Longsteet gets to Gettysburg on Day 1 on the Hagerstown Road
- Pickett's Charge goes as intended
- Samuel Johnston performs a better recon on the morning of July 2nd, so that Longstreet doesn't wear out his troops marching and then counter-marching. He is therefore able to attack on time with his forces, instead of running into 2nd Corps ahead of his objectives.
Of the three, the first one is my favorite and probably of the most interest to you. For a summarization of it:
- Stuart does his job, keeps Lee abreast of the AotP's movements.
- Lee decides Gettysburg is the place to concentrate his army, and plans for all three corps to arrive by different routes (I Corps via Hagerstown, II Corps from Harrisburg, and III Corps via Chambersburg).
- Lee ensures the Union will seek battle by sending Ewell up to capture Harrisburg.
- Under flag of truce, messenger gets the garrison of the city to agree to capitulate (keeping their arms and colors) if the Confederates take the forts on the South bank of the river, under threat of bombardment. They do on ~22 June.
- Longstreet and Hill's corps set up defensive positions on the heights west of Gettysburg to shield Ewell's strike in the north.
- Lincoln vetoes the Pipe Creek Circular, orders Meade north to strike Lee's army while it's divided.
- Reynolds' wing bumps into Gettysburg July 1; he attacks with I and XI Corps, before retiring to the CH-LRT line.
- Under heavy pressure from Washington, and knowing Ewell's corps is somewhere to the north, Meade launches a full attack with II, III, V, and XII Corps on July 2. The attack is repulsed with heavy losses, after Ewell forces him to crochet his right flank, and Meade retires to the fishhook.
- On July 3, Lee launches an echelon attack, starting with Ewell's fresh corps on the Union right. Meade commits VI Corps on his right, leaving the CH-LRT line vulnerable. Hill forces XI and I corps off Cemetery Hill and North Cemetery Ridge, and Longstreet puts a bow on it by taking South Cemetery Ridge and Little Round Top, taking control of the Taneytown Road.
- With only one line of supply/retreat left, Meade has VI Corps cover the retreat down the Baltimore Pike July 4. Lots of artillery and baggage is left behind.
- Lee has two divisions under Longstreet pin VI Corps, while the other two corps commanders take the Hanover Pike and Taneytown Road to try to cut off the AotP.
- VI Corps is cut off when a confederate column secures Two Taverns on the Baltimore Pike. Hill's column gets over the Pipe Creek around Taneytown.
- July 5, torrential rainstorms. AotP leaves more equipment behind to get over Pipe Creek before it stages too high. Longstreet starts down the Baltimore pike in pursuit of Meade. Ewell's column gets over Pipe Creek around Manchester. Hill's column makes for Westminster, while Longstreet's force is facing them from the front. AotP either barely escapes, abandoning all its baggage, and leaving a rearguard bound for captivity, or surrenders outright if Hill gets there too fast.
- Lee leaves forts in the South Mountain gaps, his columns strip Maryland bare, and Harpers Ferry is forced to surrender.