Union Preparations for Pickett's Charge

[@ctafrance]

Thanks for this video. I think I now understand why Meade went to the length of having the assembled generals have their say on what to do, since he was outranked by more than one of the generals whom he was commanding. It would make sense for him to add the weight of a sort of consensus to any decision he wanted to take. I would go further and suggest that maybe Meade already knew what he WANTED to do, which was to sit and wait for Lee to make the attack which Meade expected, on the center of the line, which Meade felt he could win, knowing how badly Union armies had been slaughtered when they were foolish enough to attack entrenched positions over open ground. Meade may have called the council together as a means of shoring up the decision he wanted to make anyway. I also did not realize the extent to which Meade assigned junior men in positions of authority over senior men (which was his own position). Earlier readings on Gettysburg and Meade had never really focused on this issue. I had not seen Meade as being a particularly venturesome general, even if he was less excessively cautious than his predecessor. But his making so many such appointments, at such an absolutely critical moment, showed real leadership in the face of convention. The Union success at Gettysburg may well have owed a great deal to this leadership on his part.

[@krismurphy7711]

A Good Leader LISTENS FIRST....gathers all the info avail BEFORE making a decision.

[@nicholasmarshall3191]

My family and I moved from the UK to Centerville VA in 1978, when I was 12. Not long after, we dicovered the Bull Run battlefields, only a few miles from our home. I recall a sense of awe as I looked over the area of battle, and the cannons lined up there. That sense of awe returned to me, as I listened to this video. Thank you.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

I'm so happy to hear that.

[@nora22000]

Please make the journey to Gettysburg and take the guided tour. Awe-inspiring.

[@Snuffy03]

We Virginians call the battle Manassas. Not Bull Run. Tsk,tsk. You as an adoptive Virginian should know that.

[@eddielongo7770]

Thr plains of Manassas is the right term.

[@m.a.h.lifecrafting5960]

Love your videos. I could probably listen to you talk about paint drying and still be just as captivated. It's relaxing and exciting at the same time.

[@wmschooley1234]

Dr. Wilder: It wasn’t just the council of war that led to General Meade remaining at Gettysburg on 3 July 1863. Intelligence reports also played a role in Meade’s decision to remain in place. Meade knew and exploited the fact that he had an almost 100% accurate ANV’s Order of Battle. Meade knew from the reports of Col. George Sharpe and the Bureau of Military Information that Lee’s ANV had been badly mauled in the first two days of the battle. Sharpe's assistant, John Babcock, was an expert in Order of Battle, and had developed detailed charts revealing enemy troop strength. He reported that, "prisoners have been taken today, [July 2] and last evening, [July 1] from every brigade in Lee's Army excepting the four brigades of Picketts Division. Every division has been represented except Picketts from which wehave not had a prisoner. They are from nearly one hundred different regiments." Sharpe used this information to present a clear accurate picture of Lee's remaining forces. Meade knew that the ANV had only four fresh brigades out of 37. Lee only had approximately 5,000 fresh troops to put into the fight on 3 July 1863. Source: NPS youtube "Colonel Sharpe and the Bureau of Military Information - Campfire Talk with NPS Ranger Angie Atkinson" Respectfully, W.S.

[@hvymettle]

Meade also had correspondence from Jefferson to Lee captured by Ulric Dahlgren informing Lee that he would be receiving no additional reinforcements, which confirmed the picture the BMI had pieced together, that Pickett's Division was the only uncommitted force Lee had.

[@wmschooley1234]

@@hvymettle I've read that in several secondary sources but have never been able to find confirmation in the Official Reports. Do you have an OR cite you could share? Respectfully WS

[@SundiataWTF]

This is fantastic. I've never seen anything on KZbin that goes into this level of detail short of Dan Carlin. The "You are there" nature of the reading of the memoir is very effective. I will definitely be back.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Thank you so much! I've got many more videos like it. Please check them out.

[@cyberherbalist]

I don't know if it was historically accurate in this instance, but in the film Gettysburg, Lee concludes to attack the Union center _because_ of his failed flank attacks. Lee felt that his attacks there would have caused the flanks to be reinforced to the detriment of the center and so a center attack would have a better chance of success. At 9:00 of this video, Meade says to Gen. Gibbon that an attack on his center is what Meade was expecting. Clearly Lee was not as good a mind-reader as Meade.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Check out my video entitled Why did Lee order Pickett's Charge. I think you will get your answer.

[@richpontone1]

As I understand, George Custer was given command of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade and did what he always does and said “Charge”. He did this against JEB Stuart who was the best Calvary Commander of the Civil War. Stuart, who had always won his battles, was stunned by these Union Calvary charges, and he and his forces left the field. It was his job to be “Robert R. Lee’s Eyes and Ears” in spotting the Enemy’s strong and weak points and he failed to do this in this battle. He went back to Lee who made no secret of his strong disapproval of Stuart’s failure to reconnoiter the battle field. As a result, Lee had to gamble and guess, and he lost, Pickett’s division of infantry and the battle of Gettysburg.. What also helped was that the Union commander of cannon “played possum” where the Confederates thought that they had destroyed them after an intense cannon fire. When Pickett started his charge, the Union cannons waited until they were 100 yards away and then fired three salvos of cannon balls and canister fire which mowed them like Wheat in the field.

[@groussac]

Thanks Wilder. I had heard of General Gibbon, but your video using his own words makes him come to life. Too many generals & too many memoirs, but delving into a few ever so often before reclaiming my own life gives me a better feel for the time. Your videos are a big help, giving us a visual along with the narrative.

[@jameshepburn4631]

General Gibbon, along with Terry and Crook, became one of the leading Generals in the Indian Wars against the plains Indians after the War Between The States.

[@williamashbless7904]

Gibbon was a hell of a soldier he forged a brigade of midwestern farm boys into the most celebrated union brigade of the war. The dreaded ‘black hat boys’ that Lee’s troops at Gettysburg ran into.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Yes he did. Thank you so much for watching.

[@lurking0death]

Robert E. Lee had the misfortune to run into the two best units in the Union Army on day one of the battle. Buford's fine Federal cavalry and the "Black Hat Brigade" (the iron brigade). Lee won day one but Buford's cavalry and the Black Hats made him pay dearly for it. This would hurt Lee on days two and three.

[@dougreid2351]

Terrific video! Narration of General Gibbons account of the council and all was fascinating. It pulled back the curtains. Thanks so much. DOUG out

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Thank you so much!

[@nathanappleby5342]

Good video! The war council clearly made a smart decision to stay and fight as the Union cause was counting on it! More importantly, by choosing to stay on defense and waiting for Lee to attack, they made their chances better of inflicting more casualties on the attacking Rebels. Just as the Rebels slaughtered many Federals in frontal assaults at Fredericksburg, the Federals could use that tactic on the Confederates and inflict mass death on them and resulted in the destruction of three Rebel divisions.

[@jimplummer4879]

definitely

[@stemerri6020]

If Custer had not rallied and led three separate charges against Jeb Stuart, Pickett’s Charge could have turned out very differently. He was the Real Hero at Gettysburg who saved the day.

[@bluey_fan968]

@@stemerri6020I mean don’t know about that 1st Minnesota also played an important part perhaps as big as Custers brigade

[@ohauss]

​@@stemerri6020Pickett's charge was always frivolous. Without having certitude that the Union guns were disabled, the losses would have always been unsustainable. One of the big differences was that the Union regularly could afford even its losses, whereas the CSA could barely afford even its victories, losing so many men in then that they were effectively bleeding out.

[@krismurphy7711]

FASCINATING!!!!!!!! Never have heard such a Commentary on a War Council during the Civil War. The One Surprise was the comment from the Chief of Engineers....that he didn't like the layout. I THOUGHT THE UNION HAD THE HIGH GROUND AND EXCELLENT POSITIONS??? The fact that the Union could sit tight, strengthening their defenses and had the luxury of WAITING for Rebel Attack(s) made their positions far superior than the Army of Northern VA's options.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Please check out my other videos.

[@krismurphy7711]

Subscribed and awaiting Notice!! I will review your others...lots of content. Kudos/Congrats@@HistoryGoneWilder

[@lukebertrichardson7799]

Hancock's ride behind his lines during (toward the end) Alexander's barrage was a brave and important part of the battle, because he rode between the cannon and the line, he recognized the terrible shape his artillery support was in.... having taken 28 - 35% casualties (does not sound like much - but think out of the about 100 men only 48 directly serve the guns - 30% leaves only 18 to directly serve the cannon,) Hancock had the batteries replaced with units that had not suffered such casualties. Greatly changing the fire power of his supporting guns...maybe not a total game changer but definitely a major factor..... having six guns in support is much better than 2 to 3 half - to 60% crewed guns. The number used is if you were able to get the casson crew to come forward and serve gun.

[@timmylee41]

You really share a interesting insight on the build up of Picketts charge. Amazing research, thank you.

[@slimpickins9482]

That was wonderful. Thank you.

[@steveschlackman4503]

Another great letter and you do a great job of reading the letters.

[@gerardcoyle2587]

Thanks. One thing I've always felt isn't given enough attention is the degree to which this was an actual civil war, with significant numbers of people from the northern states fighting for the Confederacy, and vice-versa. I suspect the main reason is that because the states were geographically distinct entities, people see the war more like a war between countries rather than a civil war fought within one country. So it was very interesting to hear about someone from a Confederate state fighting for the Union.

[@TheLAGopher]

Not enough attention has been given to the degree of Unionist/Nationalist sentiment among many southerners during the Civil War. Over 200,000 southerner white men served the union cause,while every southern state except South Carolina, produced Infantry regiments for the Union Army. This is on top of the southern white men already enlisted in the US Army at the outbreak of the Civil War. Those men could not resign as an Officier could, but only a handful of enlisted men and NCOs deserted the US Army to fight for the south. The number of Southern born Officers who supported the Union cause has often been ignored or understated in both Union and Confederate accounts of the war. General George Thomas "The Rock of Chickamauga" would be the most famous example of a Union General who had he been of Yankee descent, would be widely celibrated as among the best Union commanders.

[@gerardcoyle2587]

@@TheLAGopher Actually, I think it's both ways, there were people from the northern states fighting for the Confederacy (I think they were called Copperheads). There's also the civilian population, there was a considerable portion of the population in the northern states that was pro-confederate and at least a similar proportion of the population in the southern states that was actually pro-union. Both governments were worried about this and took measures to curb what they saw as disloyal elements of their own populations.

[@kidmohair8151]

I do so enjoy hearing the words of the participants in these events. they make clear just how like us, these men (and women, when they are given voice) were.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

I'm so glad to hear that.

[@michaelhenry8890]

The idea that this is free, gives me hope for the world yet. God bless and thank you from all of us.

[@kenehlears7716]

Meade fought a damn smart battle.he made no mistake that Lee could take advantage of.he knew where Lee.would attack on the third day.i don't understand why so many people cant give him his just dues

[@robrussell5329]

True what you say, but Meade had interior lines and Lee attacked peacemeal on Day 2, and again on Day 3. Meade was able to plug the gaps where and when necessary. Lee allowed himself to think that Day 1 was a Confederate victory. It was but only due to superior numbers on the field in the afternoon fighting. Lee had no such advantage on Days 2 and 3. Yet he still attacked.

[@kenehlears7716]

@@robrussell5329 I think what impressed me the most about Meade was how he handled Sickles blunder on day two.he sent Hancock there and then made sure Winn had the troops to control the situation.Meade also took troops off culps hill to help with the round tops but he knew Pap Williams could that position with what he had.the second was some damn fine generating by Meade

[@miguelservetus9534]

@@robrussell5329 Interesting and helpful perspective. How much, do you think, were the interior lines a result of Meade’s foresight or was it serendipitous?

[@kubanpanzer]

@@kenehlears7716pap Greene 👍

[@johngibbons2858]

Thank you very much for this rendition of events.

[@REM1956]

Excellent video. I was not aware of this from the hand of Gibbon. It had a fly on the wall feel to it, and full of interesting detail. Thanks

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Thank you so much for watching and supporting the channel.

[@Sighhhh]

Love your videos! The topic of this video is very unique. I also love that you discuss the civil war without any bias, unlike countless other channels.

[@terryl7874]

I use to subscribe The Civil War magazine. I have learned more listening to your videos. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic!

[@avenaoat]

Hunt took back the artillery in secure place and when Alaxander stopped the artillery barrage, Hunt brought the almost intact union artillery agains Logstreet's divisions.

[@aaronjohnson2850]

I would never try to tell you what to do but you should do a deep dive in the two

[@RebHawkins54]

Great job Dr Wilder. I don’t think Meade gets the credit h deserves. He was what they needed at that moment.

[@davidbowman4259]

I've always been fasciated by the actions of the 8th Ohio, Stannard's Vermonters, and the Pennsylvania and Massachusetts troops at the Angle and Copse of Trees. Heroic regiments all ...

[@scottmartinson2524]

Thank you for informing that is very lightly anywhere else.

[@matthewrussell9417]

Your narration is excellent! Very humane and engaging. Thanks!

[@missmissy2490]

Great! Thank you.

[@aaronjohnson2850]

John Gibbon and john Gordon would be a great deep dive

[@aaronfleming9426]

Simply fantastic, thank you!

[@jeffreyolive8375]

Due to BMI, Meade and staff knew that Lee only had 4 fresh brigades of his total 37 left for day 3. 15000 troops with the Union (having recent corp arrivals) 58000 fresh troops. Col. Sharpe men had noted all prisoners taken to this point and map out the Confederate order of battle for Day’s 1 and two. They knew which brigades and their commanding officers where available for day 3.

[@zam6877]

Letters. The maelstrom of Letters provides this kind of intimacy to these historic events

[@gettysburgbrian]

Epic video great work and fantastic ending

[@edward6902]

meade calling his cadre of corps commanders together that night and letting them do the talking and letting them ask questions and giving their opinions weight and making two strategy decisions (they give battle where they were here, they expect action towards their middle) seems crucial what did lee do with his commanders that night? is there ax record to suggest that they discussed their dispositions for the next day?

[@martinbroverman7955]

Real simple: the UNION OCCUPIED THE " HIGH" GROUND AND ALSO LONGSTREET'S APATHY

[@RDeanOdell]

Great content! Even better title wording, I had no choice but to click & watch.

[@jackshaftoe1715]

I'd say they rubbed their collective hands together, as they licked their chops.🥳

[@althesmith]

It seems to be a sore point in many Neo-Confederates view of the war that so many, and many of the best, officers in the Union forces were Southerners. It makes the "North against South" view a joke.

[@georgejasper8794]

Man, I LOVE your summaries of what actually happened.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Thank you so much! I greatly appreciate the support.

[@kokomo9764]

The only preparation they needed was to load their rifles.

[@cathode6252]

I wish i could speak with the eloquence they did in those days. Or at least write in that manner.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Me too

[@Northman1963]

Lee was foolish and desperate at that point. He disregarded the advice of his generals and committed his army to an obvious slaughter. He relied solely on his artillery breaking the north's defense. A foolish gamble that he lost. Not to mention the poor souls shot to pieces in his blunder.

[@jnjtiger]

Gibbon later commanded one of the three groups sent to bring Sioux back to the reservation in 1876. Gibbon, Crook, and Terry were the three commanders leading the campaign. George Custer reported to Terry, who instead of riding with cavalry, preferred to travel by riverboat. Few realize Custer was not in command of entire operation, and not even in command of 7th Cavalry. Overall commander remained back at 7th Cavalry HQ.

[@RakkasanRakkasan]

Please please please do one of your remarkable videos on general Gibbon. The one thing that I have heard about him is that he was called Hancock's cold eyed killer.

[@miguelservetus9534]

Thank you for this well presented and informative video. This covers a vital but often overlooked part of history. My GGGF was a private in Company E, PA 69th at the Angle. I don’t know if I would have found the courage they did. He survived. Previously wounded and captured at Antietam, shot again at Spotsylvania.

[@ryanh2479]

My 3xGF was a Corporal in CO H 153rd PA inf. He was captured at cemetery ridge on Jul 2nd. Luckily, he was paroled and was never had to endure a POW camp. He also fought at Chancellorsville.

[@miguelservetus9534]

@@ryanh2479 That is so meaningful. Hope you get the chance to visit the locations. Gettysburg is hallowed but Antietam really hit me hard. Standing in the Woods, imagining 2000 casualties in 20 minutes. Can’t describe. Hoping all the descendants live in peace. Stay well.

[@ryanh2479]

@@miguelservetus9534 been to both ... it is a humbling experience

[@ferdinandsiegel4470]

Pickett's charger was a mistake on Lee's part. What defense? They hid behind a wall which was broken by Pickett's charge but Lee didn't follow with a second wave.

[@johnzajac9849]

Regarding 'inaccurate' rebel artillery fire, Earl Hess writes that, during the extremely close fighting at the 'Copse of Trees' and the 'Angle', rebel shells exploded among the Union troops battling the rebels.

[@timhand3380]

Stannard's men really hurt as their flanking fire on the extreme right of the formation as it obliqued to it's objective. A skirmisher detachment really needed to be sent to cover this open right of the advancing column.

[@outpostraven]

Great video

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Thank you so much!

[@OldHickoryAndyJackson]

It was hot, Gibbon probably said lay down boys until I call you

[@bprid135]

Man, you do the best stufff 👏

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Thank you so much!

[@Valhalla6257]

Lee left blind by Stuart and made decisions that would not have been made if Stuart had communicated the situation along with Longstreet delaying his attack until mid afternoon instead of early morning on the 3rd

[@francisebbecke2727]

Glad Mead got his chicken.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

It's a great little story

[@edwardloomis887]

OK, so the moment the words "was a North Carolinian" came out of the mouth of our narrator describing John Gibbon, my spider sense exploded. Gibbon was born in *Philadelphia.* The only reason he grew up in North Carolina was his father worked for the U.S. Mint in Philly and was sent to Charlotte because at the time there was a branch of the mint because gold was discovered and mined there. I suspect that as far as Gibbon was concerned, Pennsylvania was the land of his birth just as it was for other Union commanders like the recently deceased John Reynolds (Lancaster, PA).

[@AdamBechtol]

NIce.

[@jwhite146]

always overlooking the fact the Unicn Sixth corps had as many men as the total of Pickett

[@leivabernie]

Wow just wow As told by them

[@tomhirons7475]

one of the most foolish charges of military history.

[@snotnosewilly99]

Pickett's charge was a total gamble by Lee. Lee hoped the Union troops would break and run away. The Union troops didn't run and the charge failed. The only hope was that the Union troops would run. It was a big gamble by Lee and it failed, but it was his only real option for a victory.

[@stephennewton2223]

A general is supposed to know what is possible. If that was his only chance of victory, then, he should move on to fight another day. His army was in a terrible position. His corps on his left was to far away and , probably, should have been recalled.

[@FuzzyWuzzy75]

It's been said by many historians and even officers who served under or against Robert E. Lee that Lee had an uncanny ability to get inside his opponent's head and know what he was thinking. It's been said that Lee often knew what his opponent was going to do before his opponent knew what he was going to do. General George Meade managed to reverse that on Lee like no other had before or after him. I know the criticism of Meade, for 160 years, that he was not as aggressive as he should have been after Pickett's charge at Gettysburg. Perhaps this criticism is justifiable? But he got the job done at Gettysburg. He whipped "The Old Grey Fox". General Meade does not get the credit he deserves in my view.

[@jaybennett236]

Grant saw his value and used Meade successfully thereafter.

[@deirdre108]

Lincoln losing his mind over Meade not going after Lee on July 4 indicates more the deficiencies of a CIC with no military experience than it does Meade's leadership ability.

[@jaywinters2483]

I love them too.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Thank you

[@Gitarzan66]

They sent in the 20th Maine.

[@gordonagress4112]

Interesting that the Union generals were all agreed of the strength of their position, which somehow the "genius" Lee decided to try anyway. Surely this says something about his judgment that day.

[@groussac]

You gotta wonder why. Frustrated with his generals? Trying to win a lost cause on one roll of the dice? Simply tired of the whole affair and wanting to get it over with? Worn out with constant campaigning and the heat of summer? Reminds me of my days at the track, trying to make up the day's losses with a bet on the mediocre offerings of the last race of the day. Supposedly he won all of his battles prior to Gettysburg, but if you run the numbers, he lost the war of attrition. No dummy, I'm sure he ran the numbers. He knew...

[@anathardayaldar]

July is official national gettysburg month! lol

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Yes it is

[@josepherhardt164]

Q: How did the Union prepare for Pickett's Charge? A: They put a freeze on his credit.

[@aaronjohnson718]

Also why on the third didnt the anv put many batteries of artilary in the city of gettysburg durring the bombardment before picketts charge to enfelie the union lines and cause much more damage

[@jim2376]

"Red mist." Marching into cannister. And dying to preserve slavery.

[@philiphales2109]

Thank you for sharing Gibbon’s account of the Army of the Potomac’s Council of War on July 2, 1863. What is your source: I should like to read it?

[@wmschooley1234]

Not 100% certain but I think this might be from Personal Recollections of the Civil War. John Gibbon. You might also do a word search in the Official Reports using “Gibbon” as your search term. Bill Hyde’s book “The Union Generals Speak The Meade Hearings on the Battle of Gettysburg” has a chapter on General John Gibbon’s testimony before the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War.Hope this is of some help to you. Respectfully, W.S.

[@philiphales2109]

@@wmschooley1234 Roger that: thank you.

[@barrymcclaughry9229]

Read Gibbons account of Picketts charge in a letter to his brother. He never survived the war

[@DrewM91105]

This is very good. Instead of the usual rah-rah Civil War nonsense, this uses primary sources to tell the story interestingly. I teach history, and this is the way it's done.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the kind words.

[@jagsdomain203]

I love the video but where's the rest of it I'd like to know the was Paul Harvey would say is the rest of the story

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

That comes out next Tuesday at 7pm. Stay tuned. Longstreet's episode releases Friday at 7pm est. It covers Longstreet at Antietam.

[@avenaoat]

The Union artillery was better than the Confederacy's. From Fort Pulasky April 10-11, 1862, through New Orleans with Farragut in 1862 to Battle of Stones River. Little Mc had good choice to find General Hunt for the Army of the Potomac.

[@kevindecoteau3186]

Johnson. Pickett and Pettigrew

[@joelmartin2549]

Didn’t Reynolds’s die on July 1?

[@dustylover100]

Is this Doubleday the same guy that was for so long was considered the father of baseball? It's no longer the case, but I'm curious.

[@bdickinson6751]

Yep

[@CAROLUSPRIMA]

If you don’t mind where did this come from? I don’t think Gibbon wrote a memoir. Could be that series, maybe Battles and Leaders or something like that? I’ve heard about a series of articles including Grant’s account of Shiloh but I’ve never seen them.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

Gibbon did write a memoir and that's where it came from. It's rare and I had to order it through interlibrary loan in order to present it on the channel.

[@CAROLUSPRIMA]

@@HistoryGoneWilder Well, I’ve learned something. Thanks. I’ll have to see if I can hunt that one down. Sounds very interesting.

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

@@CAROLUSPRIMA glad I could help.

[@libbygarrett7158]

Rooster Stew! Hahahaha

[@michaelclairforet5031]

The music is distracting.

[@aaronjohnson718]

I know that it is all in hindsight but why the anv even considered continuing the attack on the east side of gettysburg instead of keeping west of the creek and shifting to the west and south

[@HistoryGoneWilder]

I've got a video coming out in a couple of weeks that explains that.

[@SKF358]

Just have more guys with more guns.

[@bdickinson6751]

Not necessarily. There are a lot of cases where that's been disproven.

[@rawfoodwriter]

So basically the Northerners just got lucky. Good call.

[@MallSecurity]

They pretty much called out Lee's predictable attack before he even made it; it was right out of the textbook and foolish (See Longstreet's comments on it as well). Meade was probably not better than Lee but he certainly 'out-general'ed him at Gettysburg, which was probably Lee's worst battle of the war.

[@USGrant-rr2by]

So basically just another Lost Causer pushing Lost Cause propaganda. Got it.

[@Sodbusterrod]

Luck is preparation meeting opportunity. Meade did a better job of concentrating his forces than Lee, and especially on the 2nd and 3rd days of the battle getting support to the point of attack. Lee, after learning Meade was commanding the Army of the Potomac, thought Meade would not make many mistakes. Lee was prophetic.

[@edwardgiovannelli5191]

Just imagine if we had PRESIDENT DONALD J TRUMP back then! He would have avoided this terrible war with masterful negotiations and The South would never have been forced defend herself from the marauding northerners.

[@stevehartman1730]

July 3 was a debuckle. Lee should have turned to the right from there to DC he would have the high ground. He could have even surrounded DC n forced Union surrender. That fence broke up Pickets charge 2 parts didnt advance and 2 other parts dridnt engage. lees cannons overshot union batteries. Jeb Stewart was turned back as he attacked the Union rear by Custers cavelry. Custers cavalry was outmanned 10 to 1.Picket temporarily broke thru the union line but the other 4 parts that didnt engage werent there to reinforce so they were turned back. I worked n Gettysburg and it IS haunted. Lee wanted the war to end there but he could have secured the victory a little later if he would have veered East towards Frederick n DC.

[@TheLAGopher]

DC was the best guarded city on the planet in the summer of 1863. Had Lee surrounded Washington, he would have been squashed between the massive fortifications full of fresh troops ( many would only finally see action when Grant used them as reenforcements for the AotP in the Overland Campaign) and the AotP cutting off his lines of communication with Virginia. Lee should have turned right, headed for DC forcing the AotP to pursue him. Than found a defensible position and hope that Lincoln would push Meade into another Fredrickburg style assault. The hope would be that would leave the Union army so mauled, that Lee could make for Philadelphia or Baltimore, and capture a major northern city to trigger British recognition of the Confederate cause. London could call for a ceasefire and the opening of negotiations they would mediate.

[@TimothySuehr-n1b]

The first

[@jeffreylc]

Gibbon was not a North Carolinian. He was born in Pennsylvania and moved with his family to North Carolina at 11 when his Father was hired at the U.S. Mint.

[@rikk319]

And I was born on a U.S. military base in West Germany, moved all over the world, what does that make me? You are where you identify as. If he claimed to be a North Carolinian, it's because he preferred that place as his home. Good thing you can freely move around the United States and choose your own home, hm?

[@TheLAGopher]

His state when appointed to West Point was North Carolina.

[@battles423]

The racist confederate soldiers were to cocky. God was never on their side.

[@jasonleetaiwan]

Racist Union soldiers too. Everyone was racist.

[@timwilson3124]

Lee lost on all three days. The last day he lost stupidly. At times I sometimes get the gut feeling he did it on purpose because his regret in not defending his country.

[@timwilson3124]

I believe Longstreet should have been the commander that day. He took the heat for Lees fuck up and was treated wrongfully afterwards