MilitaryForums.co.uk

Herc and Wholley raised the question of shoes and that got me thinking about what Lee was doing in the North. So to start the ball rolling:

Was Lee's strategy in invading the North a reasonable one considering the circumstances?

Should he have been thinking of more than resupply, as Longstreet apparently wanted to do?

To what extent did these differences in vision or understanding of the Confederate Army strategy between the senior commanders of the Army, affect the outcome at Gettysburg?

I'd be interested in your thoughts.

uh..."for want of a nail, a shoe was lost... for want of...etc". Shoes, madam... are HISTORICAL!

Margrave`s younger brother was a famous shoemaker in those days, was he not?

buford wrote:Herc and Wholley raised the question of shoes and that got me thinking about what Lee was doing in the North. So to start the ball rolling:

Was Lee's strategy in invading the North a reasonable one considering the circumstances?

Should he have been thinking of more than resupply, as Longstreet apparently wanted to do?

To what extent did these differences in vision or understanding of the Confederate Army strategy between the senior commanders of the Army, affect the outcome at Gettysburg?

I'd be interested in your thoughts.

joking aside, it was the only thing Lee had left which was at all viable, I think. Several of Lee's generals did not have the foresight nor the conviction that Lee had. If they had had... well, as always...IF...

Yes but for me it is the 'how' that is the problem. Why was one corps all the way up near Harrisburg? What was it going to do when it got there? Why was the cavalry off on a lark? It seems that the execution was poor and that there was no overall 'vision' and only very loose control over disparate elements for what was probably a sound but high risk strategy.

Buford,
I'll answer the cavalry question as best I can.
J.E.B.Stuart had taken his cavalry and cavalry artillery off on a large scale raid to the right flank and rear of Meades army"Just to get his name in the papers"I'll have to look up which of Lee's subordinates made that quote.Had Lee cavalry available,to do their job ie scouting ahead and to the flanks, G'nl Buford would not have been able to hold his ground.
Reynolds would have been ordered to withdraw by Meade(thus saving his life)And lee would have got his shoes..
Seems to me A.P.Hill also exceeded his orders by extending the lines of communication between One Corp and the rest of the ANV.
That however is conjecture on my part.
Wholley.

HerkyMerc wrote:"for want of a nail, a shoe was lost... for want of...etc"

How about, "for want of a shoe, a toenail was lost?"

wholley wrote:Buford,
I'll answer the cavalry question as best I can.
J.E.B.Stuart had taken his cavalry and cavalry artillery off on a large scale raid to the right flank and rear of Meades army"Just to get his name in the papers"I'll have to look up which of Lee's subordinates made that quote.Had Lee cavalry available,to do their job ie scouting ahead and to the flanks, G'nl Buford would not have been able to hold his ground.
Reynolds would have been ordered to withdraw by Meade(thus saving his life)And lee would have got his shoes..
Seems to me A.P.Hill also exceeded his orders by extending the lines of communication between One Corp and the rest of the ANV.
That however is conjecture on my part.
Wholley.

I agree, but doesn't that all point to poor command and control by Lee, and underscore the lack of an overall strategic plan? I actually think Longstreet had the right idea. Get between Meade and Washington, wait for Meade to attack him (probably committing indiscretions because the politicians would be screaming at him to do something) and destroy the larger union force in detail. But for some reason, I am not sure why Lee would not buy this. Perhaps he thought too risky without Jackson.

snyder wrote:

HerkyMerc wrote:"for want of a nail, a shoe was lost... for want of...etc"

How about, "for want of a shoe, a toenail was lost?"

Guys, guys can't a girl get serious once in a while?

buford wrote:

snyder wrote:

HerkyMerc wrote:"for want of a nail, a shoe was lost... for want of...etc"

How about, "for want of a shoe, a toenail was lost?"

Guys, guys can't a girl get serious once in a while?

Sorry, Buford... I guess I DID get off on the 'wrong foot' there...

HerkyMerc wrote:

buford wrote:

snyder wrote: How about, "for want of a shoe, a toenail was lost?"

Guys, guys can't a girl get serious once in a while?

Sorry, Buford... I guess I DID get off on the 'wrong foot' there...

Right! That does it! (Where is it?....looks around....aha...bucket...not water....filled with a goodly supply of Herky's cliches and bad puns....tiptoe up behind Hercy....tips bucket over head.....running away....rubs hands together....that should do it!...all gone now)

buford wrote:

HerkyMerc wrote:

buford wrote: Guys, guys can't a girl get serious once in a while?

Sorry, Buford... I guess I DID get off on the 'wrong foot' there...

Right! That does it! (Where is it?....looks around....aha...bucket...not water....filled with a goodly supply of Herky's cliches and bad puns....tiptoe up behind Hercy....tips bucket over head.....running away....rubs hands together....that should do it!...all gone now)

Thanks...Lovely!...I feel all refreshed, somewhat doused, ...I'll be quiet now...

For want of a goat, the mohair sweater was lost

Guys, guys can't a girl get serious once in a while?

... For want of Sirius, there was a dark spot in the night sky... ........................ .. ................... . . .................

For want of a mohair sweater, the goat had to sell her booties.