Was there an opportunity for the confederates to win during any day of Gettysburgh ? How could the South
have won ??
If Lee had more troops, the South might have won.
http://www.sovereignty.org.uk/siteinfo/newsround/iflee.html
Joanne, kudos to you! A very good question. :) A good way of answering your question Joanne, would be to ask this question...which defeat did the South suffer that was worse and more far reaching than any other defeat? Now most people would say Gettysburg. It's true Lee was forced to withdraw and his army had many casualties. But he didn't lose his army!!! The South lost an entire army at Vicksburg. They also lost the last part of the Mississippi River that they controlled, they lost all the Texas cattle and gold which was now completely shut off from them. They lost any hope of future re-inforcements from Texs, Louisiana, and or Arkansas. For all these reasons, Vicksburg was a far worse defeat for the South than Gettysburg. But it didn't have to happen!!! The South could have won the Civil War simply by guaranteeing that Vicksburg would have held! How? By moving all civilian non-combatants to another Southern city...and moving in more food, water, and munitions to hold the fortress until November 1864 Presidential election. But the gallant but foolish Southern men were chilvalrous to a fault. They couldn't stand the tears of Southern women. So the women,old men and children stayed and helped eat the food supplies down to nothing and the starving Southern men were forced to surrender. Had Vicksburg held, it is a certainty that Grant would never had been transferred to Virginia since Lincoln only transferred successful Generals. It is also likely that Lincoln would have been defeated in the 1864 election. Why? Because there had been serious draft riots in New York City, the North was becoming very weary of large numbers of dead Northern soldiers being brougt North to be buried and with Vicksburg holding out the military news wouldn't have been as good as the North had hoped for. The Democratic Party in the North would have been embolden because of all these things and launched a strong attack on Lincoln's re-election attempt. A "Democrat Peace Candidate" would have seemed very attractive to many Northeners. All these things if the Southern Men could have told their women that they (the women) were going whether tey wanted to or not because Vicksburg needed to be held!
Oh Boy ! This is really confusing me now ! Was trying to read up on this..many many sites..will continue to do so, including your listed site...Thank you so much to you and Raymond on this one ! Don't know if I could really understand this to write up on it...dont want to write about the wrong info...I may pick another question to work on instead of this...I was readinging up on that one too and am getting nowhere...Ill send you it please help so I on the right track...maybe its not as complicated as this one :)
Joanne, Raymond has a lot of excellent information, but it doesn't answer your question.
Lee could have won the Gettysburg battle if he'd had more troops.
Yes, there were several opportunities for the Confederates to win during the Battle of Gettysburg, which took place from July 1 to July 3, 1863. In order to understand how the Confederates could have won, let's examine some of the key moments and strategies that were critical to the outcome of the battle.
1. Day 1: On July 1, 1863, the battle started with Confederate forces engaging Union troops on the outskirts of Gettysburg. Initially, the Confederates had the advantage and pushed the Union forces back. However, due to miscommunication and delays in their advance, the Confederates were unable to fully exploit their advantage and failed to pursue the retreating Union troops vigorously. This gave the Union time to consolidate their forces and establish defensive positions on Cemetery Hill and other high ground.
To win on Day 1, the Confederates could have capitalized on their early success by aggressively pursuing the retreating Union troops. By pressing their advantage and capturing Cemetery Hill and other key positions, the Confederates could have controlled the high ground, giving them a significant advantage over the Union forces.
2. Day 2: On July 2, 1863, the Confederates launched a series of attacks on the Union's flanks. One of the most notable assaults was General Robert E. Lee's attempt to break the Union line known as "Pickett's Charge." This attack, though valiant, was repulsed with heavy casualties. Additionally, the Confederate attacks on the Union flanks were poorly coordinated and lacked the necessary support, resulting in individual Confederate brigades being overwhelmed and forced to retreat.
To win on Day 2, the Confederates needed better coordination between their attacking forces. They could have concentrated their assaults on weaker points in the Union line and followed up with timely reinforcements. Additionally, effective communication and support would have been crucial to sustain the momentum of their attacks.
3. Day 3: On July 3, 1863, General Lee ordered a massive artillery bombardment followed by another assault on the Union center, which came to be known as "Pickett's Charge." The Confederates made some initial progress, but they ultimately faced heavy casualties and were unable to break through the Union defenses. The Union line held, resulting in Confederate retreat.
To win on Day 3, the Confederates needed better reconnaissance and intelligence about the strength and positioning of the Union forces. They also needed a more effective artillery barrage to soften the Union defenses before launching the main assault. Furthermore, if General George Pickett's division had received better support from neighboring Confederate units during their assault, it might have increased their chances of success.
In conclusion, for the Confederates to have won at Gettysburg, they would have needed to seize the initiative on Day 1 by aggressively pursuing the retreating Union forces. They would have also needed better coordination and support for their attacks on Day 2. And on Day 3, they needed improved reconnaissance, a stronger artillery barrage, and better support for Pickett's Charge. These strategic and tactical adjustments could have potentially altered the outcome of the battle in favor of the Confederates.