The second day at Gettysburg was full of close calls. The AotP had two supply routes running into Gettysburg; the Taneytown road and the Baltimore pike, and as the attack developed that day, Hill's Corps had a 2-1 superiority around Cemetery Hill, against Howard's Corps. The ANV was within striking distance of both the AotP's lines of retreat, and losing one would compel the army to retreat along the other.
Even if the AotP escapes encirclement north of Westminster, I doubt Meade will stay in command; with Reynolds dead, my guess for a successor would be Hancock, but he could be politically complicated, being a democrat under a republican president.
Even if the AotP escapes encirclement north of Westminster, I doubt Meade will stay in command; with Reynolds dead, my guess for a successor would be Hancock, but he could be politically complicated, being a democrat under a republican president.