This is the second in my series of week-long blog posts called Countdown to Gettysburg“. They are written from the perspective of someone who lived at that time and as if the internet existed in 1863.
The introduction to the series is here.
Previous Posts:
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(See Update Below)
As I posted here, George Meade was indeed named Commander of the Army of the Potomac. Pity the poor soul! My source at the War Department telegraph office said Meade was none too happy with the assignment saying he “was in ignorance of the exact condition of the troops‗his own—or “the position of the enemy.â€
No matter. General Halleck was able to tell him plenty. And I’m sure “Old Brains” was burning up the wires between Washington and Meade’s headquarters just outside of Frederick, Maryland with all sorts of useless advice that, if he’s smart, Old Hawknose will ignore.
Halleck is a goose. This is the man who almost cashiered General Grant, a man proving to be the best field general in the Union Army, for what he called “insubordination.” Actually, Grant couldn’t stomach the man any more than the rest of us. Why Abe finds Old Brains useful is beyond me. He’s a good administrator, true. But I was able to get a look at some of the messages he sent to McClellan when Little Mac was on the Peninsula last year and let me tell you, the gentleman is a buffoon. His orders were vague and contradictory simultaneously telling Little Mac to advance quickly but to be careful.
Sometimes I wonder whose side these West Pointers are on.
Meanwhile, it seems the Johnny Rebs are infesting the state of Pennsylvania. The Harrisburg papers say that Reb General Early is in York! That’s just a hop, skip, and a jump from Harrisburg. “Old Jube” for the moment is just sitting in York waiting. But waiting for what? Will General Rodes, whose division has been in Chambersburg for more than 48 hours swoop down on Harrisburg from the west while Early hits the city from the south? There’s also word that Reb General Edward Johnson (how many “General Johnson’s” do the Rebs have!) who commands Stonewall Jackson’s old outfit is headed toward Carlysle. Here’s a map showing how spread out the Rebs are.
(CLICK TO ENLARGE)
Early’s division is pretty isolated way over in York. I wonder why? By now all our boys are on the east side of South Mountain. Lee must not know this, otherwise he wouldn’t be so danged spread out. He’s got his divisions wandering all over most of southern Pennsylvania and if Meade can get a move on, he can catch the Rebs before they can concentrate somewhere.
It appears to me that our boys are in pretty good shape. We’re pretty bunched together what with 5 Corps double timing it down the dusty Maryland roads on the eastern foothills of South Mountain while the Rebs are spread out from the Susquehanna river in the east to South Mountain in the west. The rest of Lee’s army must be between Chambersburg and Carlisle. But what about Stuart and his murdering cavalry? The last we heard from him he was actually spotted in the Shenandoah Valley at Front Royale. But that was two days ago. He could be halfway to Washington and we’d never know it.
Are our boys racing into a trap? Bobby Lee must have some stratagem up his sleeve otherwise I can’t for the life of me figure why he doesn’t realize the danger he’s in. Meade is 48 hours away from defeating his army in detail and there Early sits with 20,000 men in York, more than 25 miles from his closest relief.
Has Lee blundered?
Keep pushing boys…keep pushing.
UPDATE
My source at Pinkerton’s says that A.P. Hill and Longstreet are east of Chambersburg enroute to Gettysburg and General Meade has ordered Sickles’ III Corps to join Reynolds’ I Corps and Howard’s XI Corps outside of Emmitsburg. I’m not sure where our cavalry is at the moment which is nothing new. Both Generals Buford and Kilpatrick are out there somewhere. Maybe if we get lucky they’ll blunder into Jeb Stuart and then we’ll see what our boys are made of.
Looks like Bobby Lee has finally discovered that Meade is close on his heels and is now turning to fight. And all the roads – north, south, east, and west – converge on some town called Gettysburg.
Never heard of it. All I got when I googled “Gettysburg” was some Lutheran Theological Seminary.
9:36 am
Jubal Early was not in command of “Jackson’s old outfit”. He was a division commander. General Ed Johnson had Jackson’s old brigade in his division. Dick Ewell commanded most of Jackson’s former Corps.
9:43 am
You’re right. I will make the correction.
11:17 am
What’s the turnaround time when you Google via Telegraph?
11:20 am
Arthur:
Good question. Depends whether it’s lunchtime at Google headquarters or not.
2:16 pm
My favorite story of the Gettysburg campaign concerned “Old Jube” Early who when on the march in Pennsylvania detoured his division to take in the iron works owned by anti Southern Congressman Thaddeus Stevens. Early when told by the foreman there that the iron works were not making money anyway and therefore it made no sense in burning them said “That’s not the way Yankees do business!” and torched them anyway.
5:27 pm
Wasn’t aware of the anticipation in both North and South of the coming battle. Interesting. Gettysburg is one of my favorite places, was tempted to stop by this weekend but imagine it’s crowded with tourists. Lovely place.
5:41 pm
Kate:
Once Lee was reported moving up the Shenendoah Valley everyone knew it was an invasion of the north. That was the route taken by Lee in September of 1862 as well as Stonewall Jackson’s route when he raided in the summer of ‘62.
Everyone also knew that there would be a battle. Some thought it would be closer to Harrisburg, PA but, as you’ll see over the next few days, Lee was forced into the battle much earlier than he would have wished.
Joel:
That’s a great anecdote. Those works were in York as I recall – a city Early almost burned to the ground.
8:01 pm
Gettysblogging
Rick Moran is blogging a day by day historical account of the battle of Gettysburg in honor of its anniversary. Americana at its finest. Give it a read.
10:16 am
Rick:
Irascible Old Jube also nearly captured Washington D.C. the next year during his Valley Campaign.
11:44 am
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11:06 am
[...] PUNDIT VINCE AUT MORIRE VODKAPUNDIT WALLO WORLD WIDE AWAKES WIZBANG WUZZADEM ZERO POINT BLOG JULY 1, 1863 ESCAPING THE LEGAL AND MORAL QUAGMIRE OF GUANTANAMO JUNE 30, 1863 HAMDAN HANGOVER HAMDAN COULD HAVEBEEN AVOIDED JUNE 29, 1863 ON THE BRINK? NOT HARDLY KERRY WANTS US TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ FASTER THAN THE ENEMY SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS MOST OF TEXAS GERRYMANDER JUNE 28, 1863 IMMIGRATION BILL JUST WON’T DIE LET’S TORCH THE FLAG BURNING AMENDMENT MAKING THE WORLD SAFE FOR TERRORISTS COUNTDOWN TO GETTYSBURG JUNE 27, 1863 FOR THE LEFT, IT’S A RACE TO SEE WHO SURRENDERS FIRST: US OR THEM “WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION” BY BILL KELLER THE BATTLE OF GREASY GRASS CREEK THE FLIM FLAM MEN VICTORY IS IN SIGHT BEYOND THE PALE THE “NEW MEDIA” STARTING TO LOOK OLD DEMOCRATS GO OUT WITH A WHIMPER ON IRAQ THE COUNCIL HAS SPOKEN TEAM USA JUST NOT READY FOR THE BIG TIME “24″ (65) ABLE DANGER (10) Bird Flu (5) Blogging (88) Books (7) CARNIVAL OF THE CLUELESS (66) CHICAGO BEARS (9) CIA VS. THE WHITE HOUSE (24) Cindy Sheehan (12) Ethics (62) General (283) Government (45) History (58) IMMIGRATION REFORM (11) Iran (26) IRAQI RECONCILIATION (1) KATRINA (26) Katrina Timeline (4) Marvin Moonbat (14) Media (88) Middle East (24) Moonbats (48) NET NEUTRALITY (2) Open House (1) Politics (214) Science (15) Space (13) Supreme Court (23) UNITED NATIONS (1) War on Terror (127) WATCHER’S COUNCIL (48) WHITE SOX (1) Wide Awakes Radio (1) WORLD CUP (8) WORLD POLITICS (42) WORLD SERIES (14) Admin Login Register Valid XHTML XFN One Response to “JULY 1, 1863” [...]
9:55 am
[...] June 27, 1863 June 28, 1863 June 29, 1863 June 30, 1863 [...]
11:00 am
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9:07 am
Well seems like most reporters you have overlooked a little piece of information, Lee has ordered his Army to make for the Susquehanna River, General Early has sent Gen’l Gordon with 2,500 infantry, cavarly and artillery to Wrightsville to take the mile and a quarter bridge which is being guarded by the 27th Pa Emergency Infantry and 4 companies of 20th Emergency reg’t , a hospital has been set up in Columbia, Gen’l Couch has ordered that if Col. Frick fails to defend the bridge, he has orders to burn it.