WI it was practical for Ewell?

Edward IX

Banned
What if either Lee leaves off the words "if practicable" and orders Ewell to attack on day one of Gettysburg ? Does he take the ground? Does Meade fall back to Pipe Creek?
 
What if either Lee leaves off the words "if practicable" and orders Ewell to attack on day one of Gettysburg ? Does he take the ground? Does Meade fall back to Pipe Creek?
Then the 1st Day at Gettysburg ends in a more optimistic note for the Union. The fact is that the Southern assault lost its momentum after the Federal lines were crushed. A.P. Hill's Corps was a spent unit (aside from R.H. Anderson but more on that later) and the pursuit of the XI Corps left Ewell's Corps thoroughly disorganized by the need to corral Union prisoners lost in Gettysburg and getting lost themselves in the maze that was Gettysburg. Heavy casualties, fatigue, and the need to guard thousands of prisoners reduced Ewell's ranks severely. Rodes' division was a wreck after its battle with Robinson's division (I Corps) near Oak Hill, and only Dole's and possibly Ramseur's brigade was ready for action, having suffered few casualties. Of Jubal Early's division, only Avery's 2000 man brigade was available, Gordon needed a resupply of ammunition, Hays' men were busy guarding and capturing Union prisoners in Gettysburg while William Smith's soldiers were posted to guard the corps' flank. In any given time, Ewell could muster 4000-6000 men (the latter is assuming Gordon and Smith or Hays were freed up).

Against the assembled force stood about just less than 7,000 infantrymen on Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill before the XII Corps arrived. Behind them on Cemetery Ridge was more Union forces, bringing the Union forces to about 12,000 troops. The Federal's trump card was in artillery, about 43 guns from the I and XI Corps' batteries were in place to fire on their attackers. At about 5:00 p.m. 800 men who had been on guard duty at Emmitsburg rejoined their friends. Shortly afterwards Stannard's large Vermont brigade (2,100 men) marched in and the XII and III Corps were close by.

So in short, Ewell can't take Cemetery Hill or Culp's Hill, or at least on his own. Only if Lee consented to throw everything for Cemetery Hill could the Federal position on the hills and ridge be removed. Lee had kept Thomas' 1200 man brigade (Pender's Division) and R.H. Anderson's entire division (6745 man force) in reserve. However, Lee was not quite certain of the whereabouts of the Army of the Potomac. Stuart's reports were either captured or never forwarded to Lee from Richmond, leaving Lee unaware as to the rest of the AotP's movements. It made sense to keep a powerful reserve on hand until more information could ascertained or Longstreet's Corps showed up.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
If Ewell had attacked Cemetery Hill, he likely would have been repulsed. There were fresh Union troops, ready and waiting, backed up by lots of artillery. Culp's Hill was another story. It was not occupied in strength by the Union until later in the evening and the first Confederate reconnaissance found nobody there at all. It took too long for the Southerners to realize the importance of the hill, however, and (as pointed out in the above post) Ewell's corps was battered and exhausted by their successful fighting over the previous few hours.

For some reason, the "What Ifs" on this point always point to Cemetery Hill, when they should point to Culp's Hill.
 
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