Day 2 Longstreet

[@johnnysunday402]

"...worst. Ground. I ever. Saw..."

[@billb0313]

It nice until "they roll rocks down ya..."

[@dcid3348]

To me the Gettysburg campaign proved that Lee is an overrated yet romanticized general. The majority of his “pre - Gettysburg” victories were the result of Union (commanding generals) incompetence not the execution of superior tactics and strategy. Two examples of this is Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.

[@heihei3453]

Hood's gotta have the sharpest looking uniform of both sides.

[@firingallcylinders2949]

That Texas hat with the Confederate grays is sharp

[@signoguns8501]

17th/18th/19th century military uniforms were incredible lol. All the big hats, boots, bright colored jackets, cutlasses, etc. Flamboyant and badass at the same time.

[@marquismonroe8656]

A lot of people don’t think of this but Longstreet felt guilty when good lost his arm this day

[@laurathornton1456]

It's the venom in "The Commanding General "

[@Buckdodgers]

I saw that too...

[@rc59191]

He probably feels like Albert Einstein in a room full of idiots.

[@riverotter68]

yep, Lee screwed the pooch at Gettysburg

[@flankspeed]

Perhaps, but also... who would go against him, especially at that stage when he'd been victorious at huge risk against the odds many times before?

[@ronaldshank7589]

​@@riverotter68He should've never even invaded the North. What was he thinking? He seemed to have "Visions of Grandeur", & wanted to force a Compromise with the North, but there were so many blunders committed on the part of the Confederates, that, to me, it's a complete miracle that they weren't totally annihilated! Pickett's Charge was the last straw. That charge... Should've never happened. After day two's fighting, Gen. Longstreet went to see Gen. Hood at the makeshift Hospital. All Gen. Hood could do, is commiserate the condition of the grounds, that he and his Men had fought on. I STILL remember Gen. Hood weakly muttering:"The worst ground I ever saw".......& in his Heart, Gen. Longstreet agreed with him.

[@nuancolar7304]

These men were facing the difficulties in the chain of command that come when you have orders you feel are ill-conceived, but said orders do not cross any lines justifying disobedience. You may disagree with an order, but you are still obliged to carry it out.

[@sce2aux464]

“Hunter Six,” Ducote said, using [Lt]Drew's [Sloan] radio code name, “I need you to go get the IED.” Drew couldn’t believe it. “Cobra Six: What?” [Company commander] Ducote repeated the order: Their battalion commander wanted him to go back and get the IED. “We’ve got to go back,” Drew said to Specialist Lanke. “Are you kidding me?” Drew raced back to the site of the explosion, angry as hell...It pissed him off to no end that he was taking a huge risk in order to retrieve a bomb fragment that would most likely be stuffed in some storage locker and forgotten. But Drew was the ranking officer and the West Point graduate, and he realized that his commander’s order wasn’t illegal or immoral-it was simply stupid, in Drew’s estimation...he was slightly more fearful of going through life with the death of one of his soldiers on his conscience because of something like this than he was afraid of his own death. - In a Time of War by Bill Murphy, Jr Stupid IS immoral in a life-or-death situation. _"I, for one, am at the end of my rope when it comes to supporting a policy that has our soldiers patrolling the same streets in the same way being blown up by the same bombs day after day. That is absurd. It may even by criminal, I cannot support that any more."_ - Oregon Senator Gordon Smith (R)

[@jcalhoun7501]

July heat and everybody is wearing all that wool.

[@felixjaeger1635]

J Calhoun Well it's better to wear some sort of protection against cold steel. It's not perfect but nevertheless something

[@Albukhshi]

That's not what he meant. Wool is pretty good at stopping edged weapons--especially glancing hits or cuts (as from a sabre). It's why in the Napoleonic Wars it became customary for soldiers to either wear their greatcoat in the summer, or wrap their heavy wool blankets round their torsos: it deflected sabre blows. Now if you got shot, I don't think being naked or clothed made that wild a difference (and I suspect Michal would agree): the bullet shattered bones so effectively that splinters could be lodged which could on their own cause sepsis/gangrene. Even with modern surgery it would be difficult to save a limb struck by a Minie bal.

[@markmerzweiler909]

Gawd, that had to be hell.

[@pheenix42]

It wasn't called 'Devil's Den' for nothing.

[@tradssalesone6334]

Ive often thought about that too. How did they stand it ?

[@jeep146]

Lee had ordered the attack there was nothing Longstreet could do to stop it. Hood was a cadet when Lee was in charge at West point. Hood was 4 demerits short of being thrown out. Right before the war Lee was in command at Fort mason, Texas fighting Indians which is near San Antonio. Hood served under him until the war started. Hood was considered a brave soldier. He would be later blamed for poor decisions when he commanded a corp, was not considered as a good general for strategy by his fellow confederate generals.

[@yukoncornelius5014]

You speak very good english for an automobile.

[@geneyaher7888]

And yet Jefferson Davis made the mistake of putting him in charge of the Army of Tennessee to replace Joe Johnston which was a complete disaster for the Confederacy.

[@kennethkloby2726]

hood was seriously wounded at gettysburg (possibly again later) and was heavily medicated for the rest of war

[@geneyaher7888]

@@kennethkloby2726 Yup, lost the use of his arm at Gettysburg and lost his leg at Chickamauga 2 months later He was using Laudanum there after for the pain and many suspect it resulted in the horrible decisions he made at Atlanta, Franklin and Nashville.

[@phillipbrown8346]

Hood was a GREAT BRIGADE or DIVISION COMMANDER...but not suitable for HIGH COMMAND..

[@ultramagahoosierhermit2767]

Lee took a shot for all the marbles and lost. It's as simple as that

[@rc59191]

People say the Civil War was a lost cause for the South I dont believe it for a second. There was multiple times where they could of won but they were simply out soldiered in the end. Lincoln even admitted had the Confederacy won in Kentucky it would of been over for them.

[@MuddieRain]

“Just take it” lol

[@johnathanlewis7059]

damned if you do damned if you don't

[@Infernal460]

Thats most of life.

[@pheenix42]

Ain't that the truth!

[@michaelmckeever4843]

General Longstreet would have been best served going to the Western Theater and supervising the defense of places like Vicksburg, New Orleans, Mobile, etc.

[@Lorenzogino]

Having Longstreet confront his old friend Grant earlier in the war would have been interesting

[@eNosArmory]

Longstreet did horrid in independent command. Longstreet had the unfavorable propensity to argue with other Generals... he did it all the time.... Seven Pines, Mechanicsville, Lee at Gettysburg, Bragg out west. Given his own independent command for his Knoxville Campaign in late 1863 Longstreet bickered with his own subordinate Generals, placed Gen McClaws under arrest... and launched unimaginative frontal assaults against strong union positions (why is that... I thought Longstreet was some kind of defensive genius??) Nope... He wasn't, he was just like most other military minds of his time.... he just liked to argue and blame others. Longstreet was a great Corp commander... but that was the extent of his military aptitude. Longstreet was given his opportunity to prove himself in independent command... and he botched up and lost a lot of men.

[@Shatamx]

Dynamic Prepper His balk at Gettysburg cost them the battle.

[@voicesofmarshians528]

@@eNosArmory in Longstreets defense, Bragg was an incompetent buffoon and properly deserved to be chewed out. It still baffles me that the the home of the Army Special Forces is named after this dimwit

[@movieklump]

Hood would have given and arm and a leg to be in the civil war.

[@Stiglr]

...as it turned out....

[@chrispacer4231]

Now General... lookie here ... is this not just plain direct leadership...THESE WERE PURE LEADERS

[@petersampson5202]

GOD BLESS YOU MR. ESPARZA. I AM SO VERY PROUD OF YOU AND SO VERY HAPPY FOR YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH MY FRIEND.

[@johnw8984]

Meade wanted to retreat after the second day and had to be talked into staying by the rest of the Union Generals.

[@michaelmckeever4843]

Just imagine if President Lincoln had allowed John Reynolds to command the Army of the Potomac. Man, that would have been awesome!

[@resolute123]

Myth. Meade wanted to have plans to withdraw and regroup just in case. The Army of Potomac didn't exactly have a winning record so he wanted a contingency plan.

[@parthin]

Great Movie. Martin Sheen looks like a dwarf around these tall men, even though they try to hide it. Lee was a tall man.

[@andygossard4293]

Correct. Terrible miscasting, choosing a midget commie to play Lee.

[@screechowl75]

Why didnt Hood see the folly at Franklin when he threw his army against Thomas's entrench army at Franklin resulting in its extermination and lost Patrick Cleburne to boot. Attacking an entrenched army over two miles of open ground with artillery raining down on them was not very smart.

[@mikesuggs1642]

Hood was wounded moments after the action started and his division went straight in right directly in front. Had he not been wounded, prehap's he could have still preformed a flanking move around the Big and Little Round Tops or tried to get Batteries up on Big Round Top, If he could have the whole battle would have played out much differently??

[@magmat0585]

eh, so him getting wounded did cripple the attack due to confusion with chain of command (General Law, his second in command, wasn't aware for a good while that he was in command), however getting batteries up Big Round Top probably wouldn't have accomplished much. The hills were so forrested that you'd have to cut down a bunch of trees to get good firing lanes. The Union actually somehow managed to haul a battery up Little Round top after the 20th Maine's famous charge, but they affected nothing, since their gunners were exposed to snipers every time they reloaded and they couldn't aim down far enough to be effective. Plus, the time it would have taken would have allowed more Union reinforcements to arrive. Likewise a larger flanking attack wouldn't have worked, the confederates had marched 20 miles over rough country by the time they attacked devil's den and little round top. Their exhaustion (and lack of water) was part of the reason the Union was able to hold. Tiring them out even further wouldn't have helped. Remember also that the entire reason Gettysburg kicked off was because the rebels were looking for shoes!

[@brianpendergast2894]

Not Likely

[@OhioGaming9]

Also the Union had 2 other Corp on the right in reserve. Something a lot people forget. Had they tried to flank the commanding general on the union side would've heard about it. Even a flank maneuver would've been seen from the heights. Every move he made was observed.

[@jamesbutler8821]

​@@OhioGaming9 Yeah, I walked the battle sites at Gettysburg a year or so ago and was struck by how even IF their suicidal attacks at Little Round Top and Cemetery Ridge had succeeded, the Union had ample reserves very close by that would have been thrown in to counterattack, fresh troops attacking bloodied, exhausted men.

[@OhioGaming9]

@@jamesbutler8821 I get to walk the grounds this November! Can't wait I'll also be able to go back Chickamauga and Chattanooga as well. I really want to visit any and every battle site in the world if at all possible. I'm hoping to get to go to Normandy and see where the D day landings happened. Lee was arrogant. Had Longstreet been in command I think they would've withdrawled as he understanded the campaign was supposed to be more defensive. They confederacy had alot fewer supplies. Though also had the confederacy moved more of its army up. I think the Union Center would've fallen. The confederacy had a army of over 70,000 men I believe though the union had over 100,000. They should've never tried to take those heights. That was a fools erron.

[@agentcooper6361]

Why not just salute, ride back to your unit and do the flank attack anyway?

[@andygossard4293]

Longstreet should have had Patrick Gorman leading the assault on devil's Den/Wheatfield etc, not Hood.

[@jamesmullikin3045]

Day 2 and the plan was beginning to come untied

[@geoffreycarson2311]

WHY DID LEE NOT LISTEN TO LONGSTREET !!!!& HOOD 😣LONGSTREET & HOOD GOT the BLAME OF COURSE 😡😡😡😡😡THAT LEE WAS AN ARROGANT FOOL 😨😨😨😨😡😡😡😡😠THAT NEEDED FORRESTS NIGHT CAVALRY ON A FLANKING MANOUVER g

[@kommando5562]

Lee initially listened to Longstreet but was persuaded by other generals. Nathan Bedford forest was ignored tho and you look at what he planned and asked and see he was intricate and right about everything he asked to do and he was ignored for some reason.

[@007ndc]

An excellent movie but Hood was miscast . The actor here is far too old and gray.

[@jblooz2371]

Agreed. Hood was still in his 30s I believe. My GG Grandfather served under him in Laws Brigade. In this attack. 48th Alabama did their time in the Slaughter Pen that day.

[@ernestoguevara8930]

General Lee lacked the humility and insight to realise that his top Generals were right. The Southern army had marched into a bad position. It seems through stubborn hubus, he felt he could fight his way out of this geological bear pit! Wrong, Wellington or Napoleon would have listened to their Generals and split their Armies in two and gone around the sides and reformed to fight on more favourable ground! I know hindsight is a great tool, but Robert E Lee lost the war at this moment with his stubborn Southern style!

[@SantomPh]

Lee asked Ewell, Rhodes and Early about it- he was initially agreeing with Longstreet but his present generals wanted to fight. He listened to the wrong group

[@frednone]

The Battle of Gettysburg was not the deciding battle in July 1863, that happened in Tennessee.

[@ernestoguevara8930]

@@frednone I bow to your superior knowledge of this conflict, but all I can think of is the terrible and unnecessary loss of so many families in Virginia. There is no shame in out-witting or out-manoeuvring your enemy. Maybe Lee thought he was unbeatable, so did Adolph Hitler! That aside, I am interested to know which battle in Tennessee, you believe was the turning point of this dreadful war. Thanks in anticipation. Regards.

[@christophergraves6725]

@@ernestoguevara8930A reference to Hitler is not germane to this discussion.

[@susanduncan7875]

" General, I do this under protest!" Nothing else to say.

[@ronaldshank7589]

That made Gen. Heth good and mad! What he's saying makes perfect sense, but Gen. Lee must've been out of his mind to send Gen. Heth and his men up the slope like that. What was Gen. Lee thinking? The Confederates ran into one problem after another during the Gettysburg Campaign. So much went wrong, that I'm actually surprised that the Confederacy didn't meet it's end right there at Gettysburg!

[@mikeberkshire6292]

As I understand it this was the first, last, and only time Hood protested an order.

[@kenwalker8656]

@@ronaldshank7589 Hood, not Heth

[@melodymakermark]

What if he had said “General Longstreet, fuck you and the horse you rode in on?”…. Just curious.

[@jamesbutler8821]

​@@melodymakermark Wasn't Longstreet's fault. If I were Hood I might have found some way to subvert the order. "Why am I attacking Big Round Top? I thought you told me to?" wink wink

[@buckyccovington3048]

Longstreet by day 2, found himself in the very position that Buford described to Devin on the morning of day 1.

[@rawfoodwriter]

Maybe I don't understand, but I don't think its the same

[@marccru]

Gotta get the high ground. Nothing else matters in the world of early artillery.

[@anthonyhengst2908]

​@@rawfoodwritertrying to place a ring around the hills and try to coordinate the army. Even Lee says later, "The attacks were not properly coordinated, I don't know why and still we nearly won the day".

[@reginaldweasley2401]

"They dont even need guns to defend that! All they need to do is roll rocks down on yah!"

[@mrv2rocketman]

Then Hood goes off to command the Army of Tennessee and gets them destroyed at the Battle of Franklin

[@VersusARCH]

He had to do better

[@mrv2rocketman]

VersusARCH nah Hood was a mess. Attacking franklin was Suicide there was so much Arty and entrenched federal troops surrounding the town he would of needed 18,000 to break it

[@lawrencebittke8478]

Six Confederate generals were killed in that battle, including Major General Patrick Cleburne, the “Stonewall of the West” and one of the South’s most capable commanders in the Western Theater.

[@stoneymcneal2458]

Not sure why, but this has always been my favorite scene … the way he looks at Longstreet and then urges on his horse.

[@LordZontar]

"The Commanding General will not allow a flanking manoeuvre. I argued against it this morning, I argued against it yesterday. Hell, I've been arguing against any kind of attack. I can't call this one off, and you know it."

[@jamesmiller5331]

I watched it also

[@ronaldshank7589]

Gen. Heth must've, at that moment, felt completely trapped in a situation that he couldn't get out of.

[@tradcathgroyper7411]

I watched it too. You couldn't even type it correctly.

[@nicholasmuro1742]

And your point?

[@davidmurray5399]

If you look at the plat maps for Adams county for that decade[1860-69], there were several farm lanes and a township road that crossed the area on Emmitsburg road south of Warfield ridge, and connected to the Taneytown road to the east of the Round Tops area. If Lee had used his cavalry[he had some cavalry, not all of it was swanning around with Stuart]for scouting rather than doing provost work or stealing cattle[Imboden's command did a lot of that]the nature of the ground south and east of the Round Tops would have been known, and would have done a lot to suggest a move that way. Of course, a lot of the Union Army was moving along the Taneytown road, so it may not have been as easy as some might conjecture.

[@robertmccallum7417]

If stonewall Jackson said to lee everything longstreet said to lee he would've listened

[@janspup6232]

@@PPLL463 i agree Jackson might have been able to change Lee's mind. Interesting fact, none of Lee's daughters ever got married, who could ever live up to R.E. Lee?

[@jameskilcoyne1955]

Longstreet was cautious, always wanting to fight on the defensive, whereas Jackson was aggressive wanting to attack! attack! So, if Jackson would have recommended not attacking but rather maneuvering that would have got Lee's attention. As for Longstreet perhaps Lee thought that was just his "old war horse" being his usual cautious self.

[@markmerzweiler909]

that ground had to be horrible if a fire breather like Hood was hesitant.

[@vinniemigliano4203]

mark merzweiler it IS horrible ground. Have you ever been to Gettysburg?

[@Rusaarules]

@@vinniemigliano4203 I have. Climbed up the face of Big Round Top. That one I can agree with flanking. Little Round Top... eh, I was surprised at how little it actually was. Was like a gentle slop for like 30 ft.

[@vinniemigliano4203]

Rusaarules is just another one of the “What ifs?” of the battle of Gettysburg.

[@mikesuggs1642]

The Confederates fought Gettysburg blindfolded! Lee apparently didn’t even ride to the front to access the situation himself! Some reports say he was ill during the battle and loopy! Longstreet balked on Day 2 and took his time! Didn’t go into action until after 4 pm! Big round top was unoccupied! Had Hoods division took that instead of directly assaulting the heavily fortified ridge! Meade would have had to retreat or lose half his Army trying to take it back!! Without Jackson, Lee was an inept commander!

[@mikesuggs1642]

@RPK-4352 Lee had plenty of Horsemen on Day 1 and the preceding days leading up. Stuart left him 2 Cavalry brigades before he went on his ride. Where were they? Not saying Stuart do not share some of the blame but to take all the blame off Lee and try to use Stuart as the primary reason the battle was lost is just wrong. Lee is directly responsible for the miscommunication on Days 1 and 2 and for the horrific bloodbath on Day 3 that is known as Pickett's charge which destroyed a sizeable portion of the Army of Northern Viriginia.

[@johansmallberries9874]

To me, it’s like Longstreet had to adopt Lee’s demeanor and tone in order to bring himself to issue the order to attack. An order he himself protested and received a similar response.

[@michaeltalley51]

The historian Shelby Foote stated, "Gettysburg was the price the South paid for having Robert E. Lee as commander." He believed his army would do whatever was asked of them. Little Round Top was just the precursor to Picket's Charge.

[@firingallcylinders2949]

Lee should've never gone into Pennsylvania. He was excellent on defense and having the Union chase him around Maryland and VA but his aggressiveness cost him here.

[@ronaldshank7589]

​@@firingallcylinders2949Yeah..... Big-Time! Gen. Lee should've never gone to Gettysburg, or even gone North of the Virginia/Maryland Border, in the first place! What was he thinking?!? I know that he was trying to force a Compromise with the North...but, in reality, he had no chance to make that happen.

[@chrisolson84]

@@ronaldshank7589 From what I understand the Siege of Vicksburg is what put pressure on Lee to mobilize. The entire campaign was nothing but a desperate attempt to break the siege by applying equal pressure on the eastern front. Grant forced Lee's hand, and he could no longer sit on them.

[@KingofDiamonds85]

To be fair to Lee, if Longstreet had attacked when Lee wanted him to attack, there wouldn't have been much, if any, resistance on Little Round top. If anything, Gettysburg showed how much Lee trusted his generals to a fault. Lee on Day 1 gave Ewell an order, that Stonewall Jackson would have interpreted as attack immediately to take Culps and Cemetery Hill. Same with Longstreet on the 2nd day, Longstreet had most of his division ready to attack by 11-12 o'clock, but didn't attack till 3 hours later. If Longstreet even attacked an hour earlier than he did, they most likely would have taken the Union left. Instead, Lee gave an ambiguous order left up to Longstreet's discretion and this also effected Hill and Ewell's attack.

[@codyrodgers6426]

@KingofDiamonds85 it wouldn't have mattered the battle was lost on day 1 after Ewell didn't take the hill. By day 2 and 3 the union was heavily entrenched and had reinforcements in wait. Even if Longstreet was able to take the center he would of lost alot of men and by then the union reserves would arrive before the confederates would reinforce the position which is what Longstreet told Lee. Longstreet had a better grasp of this battle field and was a very defensive general and didn't like taking unnecessary risks which is what this was after day 1 failed.

[@이정환-x7p]

Both of them very well know; This charge will be disaster and lots of their men will die. Do this but under protest. Poor Gen Hood ...

[@Stiglr]

Would that Cleburne and his other charges have attacked Franklin, TN under protest.... then, Hood was in command...

[@Rdfelic]

1:27 Yaaaaaaaaaah!!!

[@skunkape2]

HEEYAHH!

[@MrTeiohx]

Hood’s actor nailed it.

[@rc59191]

Wish we could of seen more of him in the battle for Devils Den or when he fought Sherman.

[@firingallcylinders2949]

@@rc59191 The movie was 4 hours long unfortunately there's only so much we could get. You almost need a series to show everything.

[@theworm6870]

Amazing that Hood was able to recognize what a suicidal mission it was to attack Little Round Top, but NOT able to see how ridiculously stupid it was to make the attack at Franklin a year later across 2 miles of open ground, without artillery against men entrenched in works. That attack wrecked his army, and any chance the South had to prolong the war.

[@SantomPh]

The Worm by then he pretty much had no choice

[@markmerzweiler909]

Thing is...Jefferson knew he was prone to such actions when he appointed him to take over Atlanta.

[@odysseusrex5908]

The Worm Not really amazing. Two years later he was crippled by the loss of an arm and a leg, and taking strong doses of morphine to deal with the pain, It is quite possible that his thinking processes were muddled. There is also a theory that the attack at Franklin was primarily to discipline the army. They had been fighting defensively for so long that he felt they needed to practice the skills involved in offensive combat. If so, I think he should have stopped after the first or second assault, but, again, wounds and morphine.

[@odysseusrex5908]

Lake Leander At the Battle of Franklin, Hood ordered multiple assaults against a well entrenched Army of the Ohio on high ground. Nearly a quarter of his army, including twelve generals became casualties. The Wikipedia article on it is pretty good.

[@CS-zn6pp]

@Armando Gallegos Laudanum is a tincture of opium containing approximately 10% powdered opium by weight. Reddish-brown and extremely bitter, laudanum contains almost all of the opium alkaloids, including morphine and codeine.

[@stevent9179]

"Sam, you are the best I got, now sir, if you are ready, take that hill."

[@Rdfelic]

YAAAAAH!!!!!

[@ronaldshank7589]

"Gen. Longstreet, I do this under protest". Hah!!! Off he goes...and the next time we saw Gen. Heth, he's lying flat on his back, seriously wounded. His words to Gen. Longstreet, before he faded into unconsciousness, were:You should have let me take my boys out around that hill...worst ground I ever saw"...

[@SoulKiller7Eternal]

@@ronaldshank7589 No...the last thing he is saying is "you should've gone to the right."

[@rc59191]

Hood was definitely my favorite out of Longstreets generals and other officers. Makes me sad what happened to him between losing his arm and leg.

[@joshuadesautels]

"They don't even need GUNS to defend that! All they need to do is roll rocks down on you!"

[@firingallcylinders2949]

I love this scene, but I wonder why they chose this actor for Hood. He does a great job, but Hood was a young man during the Civil War not in his 50s or 60s like portrayed here. He only lived to be 48. It probably had to do with finding men looking very similar.

[@sparks1504]

I do this under protest

[@condorc72]

Longstreet should have ordered it anyway and taken the flack later....at this point LRT was not occupied

[@dclark142002]

His attack WAS ordered against the left rear of the Union army as it was then deployed (in the Peach Orchard forward of the round tops). The goal of the assault was the ground just north of LRT from whence the Union position could be rolled up. LRT became an issue because it was identified as a brilliant position to place cannon to fire into the FLANK of the advancing CSA attack. This then forced regiments from the attack to DIVERT to the right to attempt to prevent the Federals from using the hill as a means to halt the attack NORTH of Little Round Top, not WEST of it. The whole 'go to the right' debate is a red herring. The context of the day did not demand it, the ground is EVEN WORSE if you go further to the right...and the road network will not allow resupply or reinforcement of such an attack.

[@scottphipps2278]

john john How can you order any attack across a field a mile wide no cover and no artillery and blue coats have have the high ground. This attack was not a 2020 hind sight this was a straight ahead suicide mission on a grand scale.

[@bryguysays2948]

@@scottphipps2278 It wasn't the year 2020 either...

[@dantanna3161]

Longstreet should have taken command of the army over lee because of gen lees lack of judgement in this battle.

[@michaelmckeever4843]

There is certainly a reason why he was Lee's chief lieutenant: he saw, more than many in his generation, that the weapons far outpaced the tactics of the time. I could easily see a 1) General Longstreet; 2) *1st Corps* John Bell Hood; *2nd Corps* Ewell and *3rd Corps* A.P. Hill.

[@scottaznavourian5791]

Lee was physically ill and mentally exausted.....but if longstreet tried to remove him from command...the soldiers might have revolted. Like armstead said on night one....they revered lee

[@kennethhamby9811]

Chuck Jones Lee had Richmond ‘s backing . Longstreet was not an attack gen. ,he preferred defense

[@kennethhamby9811]

Chuck Jones , choosing one’s ground to fight on was Longstreet’s style.

[@tonyocch1]

Awful mistake . Lee did a terrible job with this Battle

[@Wisdomisgood448]

Agreed. He should have unengaged by the end of the first day and reposition his forces around behind. Longstreet suggested it and was adament about it. He was correct as well. If Lee's army had redeployed and found ground of their choosing than they could have played a defensive battle which they excelled at and would have surely won I believe. Lee had some 70,000 men and they were well equipped - the best army he ever had up to that point and could have taken on the Union army in a prolonged engagement. If he won at Gettysburg, he could have pushed all the way into Washington because the string of forts protecting it were either under manned or not manned at all. Probably would have two nations today if that were the case.

[@manilajohn0182]

Stuart was following Lee's orders- to "...obtain information and provisions" and "...to obtain all the supplies that you can for the use of the army".

[@MasterofBlitz]

Problem was Stuart was engaged with Federal Forces then did nothing for a day or two. Lee attacked blind and half the blame is on Stuart who should have rushed in ASAP.

[@manilajohn0182]

Cavalry forces cannot simultaneously gather information and provisions. The first requires mobility- something which the carrying out of the second impedes. Lee gave his cavalry commander two objectives with a force which could accomplish only one. When it is remembered that supplying Lee's army was one of the three underlying reasons for the campaign ( along with taking pressure off of Vicksburg and taking the war in the east out of Virginia), then it's not hard to see why Stuart attached such importance to the gaining of supplies. The mistake was Lee's.

[@nedmar423]

Yep. Thank you, Gen. Lee !

[@christopherweber9464]

Me going to work @ 1:14

[@bobbyricigliano2799]

This clip might portray Hood as overly cautious or unwilling to engage the enemy directly, but that is not the case. Hood led from the front and was brave to the point of being almost reckless. Before the end of the war, he was missing a leg and lost all use of one of his arms. He had to be strapped into the saddle to remain on horseback. His hastily planned attack on the Federal position at Franklin, TN in the final year of the war wrecked what remained of the Confederate Army in the west.

[@phillipbrown8346]

JOHN BELL HOOD...the BEST DIVISION COMMANDER THEY HAD...

[@charliebrown6590]

Yah!!! He said it with such anger....you can tell he knew he was fucked...

[@genes.3285]

The South would have been far better off if Longstreet had been in command of the Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg, not Lee. To attack on Days 2 and 3 was foolish.

[@bclaverenz1]

The lose of Confederate General Jackson was the true reason Lee failed at Gettysburg Jackson as a Corp commander on day 1 and you have a completely different outcome

[@cdjhyoung]

Lee fought in a manner to drain the most Union blood. He believed that support for the Union cause was weak in the north and that maximum blood shed would bring a political end to the war by the Union's refusal to further the fight. Trouble is, Lee underestimated Lincoln and his old subordinate Grant to be willing to absorb all these battle field deaths. Lee was great general. But in my view from 150 years after these battles, his biggest mistake was his inability to reformulate a different overall strategy for conducting the war after his version of 'Shock and Awe' failed to keep the northern armies out of the field.

[@ronaldshank7589]

Gen. Longstreet could've coordinated the attacks much better than Gen. Lee did. It's as if, with all of the mistakes he made during this Campaign, he'd been hit on the head with a rock, and was stumbling around, trying to regain his senses! He'd already been ill, as rumour has it, and at least one report stated that he may have, at some point, suffered a slight heart attack. That'll affect anybody's health and cognitive thinking capabilities.

[@ribonucleic]

They’d have been better off with Foghorn Leghorn for that matter.

[@ronaldshank7589]

@@ribonucleic Gen. Lee made more mistakes in that three-day period, than you can shake the proverbial stick at (so to speak)! So much went wrong... and yet, they very nearly won the Gettysburg Campaign the first day there! Had things been better coordinated, the Confederacy would won on the very first day! But-You know how it is, when Generals get into what at first appeared to be a minor scrap, then had the whole "Scrap" escalate into a major battle with nearly half of the Union Army! Believe me, too, that the Union Forces were still stinging from major defeats such as Fredericksburg in December of 1862, and Chancellorsville in May of 1863. They were fighting mad, and there was NO WAY that they were going to even consider losing to the Confederates again. No, sir!!! They were just waiting for the chance to whup up on the Confederate Forces...and here, they saw their chance! Three days later, the Confederate Forces had been defeated, and eventually, they started retreating back into Virginia.

[@jenifermills3321]

The understood gram marginally intend because area serendipitously wriggle about a rabid mandolin. xenophobic, frequent stopwatch

[@bernardscheidle5679]

Good ol Southern stubbornness, and stupidity, defeated the South at Gettysburg! "Stupid is as stupid does." -Forrest Gump's momma

[@kommando5562]

Tho this is Virginia campaign had Nathan Bedford forest who gump was named after been listened to they definitely would’ve won or prolonged the war a long time tbh. Which is insane because forest never went to West Point he legit just worked his way up when the war started and somehow tactically and strategically knew what was up. Dude had plans to cut off supplies and surround Sherman and tons of other plans that were ignored that would’ve changed the tide. Truly interesting to see this.

[@epeon7]

This bull headed attack mentality was, of course, Lee's downfall. His attack on Malvern Hill was almost an exact copy of Gettysburg, just smaller

[@christopherweber9464]

You really should study the battle more closely it is said by many historians if Longstreet had not attacked in echelon he would have rolled up the union Left flank ... There was a battery of Massachusetts artillery that was retreating by recoil that managed to hold off the last assault by Gen. Anderson

[@LordVader1094]

@@christopherweber9464 Those same historians have an express bias against Longstreet and want to blame him for losing the battle.

[@drmartin5062]

Lee expected initiative, Longstreet was not the man for it. He stumbled day 2 and 3 the most historians argue lost the battle. He didn't attack until 4 p m. when Lee expected dawn, at worst noon.

[@joonamikkonen_]

Time was the key the Army of Northern Virginia could gain better positions. There were no manning on those two Round Tops so if the dawn attack actually happened. Vincent’s Brigade would not get even close to the Round Tops since they were far from them. They still rushed to the Round Tops when it was close to 4Pm. Hood’s Division would have high ground, giving serious threat to Union flank while McLaw’s Division in support would be more than dangerous situation. Gettysburg would have been even bloodier for the Union on that very day. Longstreet was hesitating to attack because he had to get that one extra brigade when commencing the attack. Well, the history played differently. Longstreet had indeed defensive stratregy while Jackson was keen to offensive.

[@LordVader1094]

Those historians are very clearly bias, however.

[@michaelbarnett2527]

I think Ewell had the most responsibility on day 1 by not taking culps hill. Longstreet was slow on day 2, but a big part of that was when he realized his movement to the right was visible, so he took another route , which took longer. The third day’s blame falls more on Lee for ordering pickett’s charge. The battle was a draw up until then. I understand Lee’s actions to a point. He was on limited time , because of being in enemy territory. He felt that he had to act quickly and decisively. He would have done better to move around toward washington and let the yankees attack him, which is what Longstreet wanted.

[@stevepowell6503]

@@michaelbarnett2527 yes. Not to mention, he was told he was putting in a flank attack, and the spot he was told to go in was DEFINITELY not the Union flank.

[@tom4342]

My ancestor

[@ryadboulasbaa6335]

inpaindaily

[@Daniel-sh3os]

It was those damn wool uniforms. They would have made it across the open field on the third day if Pickett had just told his troops to ditch the wool.

[@SKY-jv9ue]

The Lord was NOT on the South side at all!

[@oldfritz4407]

Some say hood sucks bot you ganna be reasonable he arm was disabled he lost his children and lost a leg tell me if u are in the mood the be a general And boy he was a good division commander.

[@stevepowell6503]

Perfect example of the Peter Principle. He was one of the best division commanders on either side, but absolutely failed at higher levels.

[@petersampson5202]

GOD BLESS MY AWESOME FRIEND MOCTESUMA ESPARZA. I AM SO VERY PROUD OF YOU AND SO VERY HAPPY FOR YOU MR. ESPARZA. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH MY FRIEND.

[@ronrush11]

Cornpone 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@michaelhollingsworth9209]

I would take right of the hill and wouldn't listen to general Longstreet

[@oddersisadog]

Even if he succeeded in driving the Union off the right Flank and managed to turn their line. He would have been reprimanded if not shot for this offense. You don't just do what you please as a commander.

[@christophergraves6725]

@@oddersisadog Lee typically granted a lot of discretion to the commanders on the scene. Really, Longstreet had more discretion than what what he (played by Berenger) is letting on in this scene.

[@oddersisadog]

@@christophergraves6725 Kinda screwed him in more than a few ways, sure it allowed for experimental and fluid tactics. But look at his scouts for example. Lee had no eyes on the field at Gettysburg.

[@jaywinters2483]

This just proves that Lee was overrated: he would not listen to his inferiors normally listen to his conscience. He betrayed his country and worked for the furtherance of slavery.

[@badaboomrock]

General Lee fought for his country his country was the Confederate States of America which was the South that point they form their own country which is every citizen of this country's Duty in the event that they feel the government is not reflecting what they want done it's not to be taken lightly or it for transient stupidity but is our duty as a citizen two braids for my government winning cases we feel it is not representing us properly that is your right it is your Birthright guaranteed by the Constitution and by the Declaration of Independence it's Toda fide in the Tennessee state constitution the first gloss that the people are the superior and supreme arbiter of all matters state they have at all times the right and a duty to abolish and reform their government to fit their future needs this is a right that is guaranteed every citizen of this country and every state the federal government usurped the people's right and Authority would this war that would not been a war Lincoln not wanted Lincoln wanted a war because of war was the only way to dig the federal government out of debt lot of people don't look at that but that was what really what's going on Congress passed tariffs on the South but they knew would not be well taken which I knew would most likely cause the southern states like South Carolina to say I've had enough and withdrawal from the Union oh and to answer your other question before I get too far along and this will lengthy diatribe You Forget before the Civil War people held State allegiances because you were a citizen of the several state that is what your American citizenship was there was no US citizen you were a citizen of the several States and a citizen of your state but your state is where you got your citizenship and that was the closest Arbiter to defend your god-given unalienable rights because the states are what form the federal government and according to Maxim's law he created can never be greater than the Creator so how can in good conscience can the federal government exercise Authority that the states did not even possess to give it

[@BrooklynAvenue]

Lee was overrated. He was a relic from a dead era, he should have been replaced by someone who understood the times.

[@christophergraves6725]

Jay, Lee saw Virginia as his country. Most everyone else at the time, especially in the South, had this view as well of seeing their first loyalty is to their state and region. I think that. It's the principle of subsidiarity. The United States by its very definition is a collection of states that form the Federal government. That is what our federalist system is all about. Lee was not fighting for slavery, but for Virginia. If Virginia had remained in the Union, he would have been their commanding general. Now, was the South justified in leaving the Union at that time? I would argue not because Lincoln had done nothing at the time of secession to violate the social contract of the U.S. Constitution. He did so later in the manner in which he conducted the war.

[@isrisentoday]

Lee overrated? Just look at his Cold Harbor and Spotsylvania campaigns where he gave Grant bloody nose after bloody nose. Eventually, the South and Lee ran out of men, materiel and other resources. Even better, look at his earlier victories against McClellan, Pope, Burnside, Hooker. Lee was heavily outnumbered in all those encounters. One or two blunders do not unmake a great general. All beloved US generals of WW2 made significant blunders. Eisenhower, Patton, Macarthur and Bradley all made blunders costing the US Army in several thousand lives.

[@markcenci8000]

Looking at what the Federal govt is now, I wish they had gone to the right

[@georgeforgerty2875]

Damn we should have moved to right and we would not be having the problems today!!