[MikefromOhio]

yeah the battle really illustrated to all that the Napoleonic school of warfare was completely and suicidally outdated.

All were heroes in their respective rights, but the guy who won the battle was Gen. John Buford. Had he not held the heights until Gen. Reynolds showed up on 1 July, the battle would have turned out very differently...

[THX 1138]

yeah the battle really illustrated to all that the Napoleonic school of warfare was completely and suicidally outdated.

True, but I've always been fascinated by how long it took for people to understand this. Fifty years after Gettysburg, the British suffered 60,000 casualties on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

[timpad]

but the guy who won the battle was Gen. John Buford

He certainly set the stage, and I happen to agree he is the unsung hero.

One of the great cavalry actions in American history. Buford, with his small screening force, arrived in Gettysburg, immediately recognized the danger and seized the high ground. He and his units held until relieved. Had he failed, Lee's army would have had a nearly invincible position when Reynolds arrived.

"The enemy knows the importance of this position and will strain every nerve to secure it, and if we are able to hold it, we will do well. - Union Brigadier General John Buford to Colonels Thomas Devin and William Gamble the night before the Battle of Gettysburg, 30 June 1863.

-from brotherswar.com

[johnny7]

Buford's decision to hold was critical... but the battle was decided by Ewells FAILURE to seize Cemetery Hill.

[B4Ranch]

In case folks want to encourage the Weare, N.H., selectmen
who have the power to take Judge Souter's house by eminent
domain so that it can be replaced by a higher-tax-paying hotel,
here are the Selectmen's addresses.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Board of Selectmen in general: office@weare.nh.gov

The Chair is Laura Buono: lbuono@weare.nh.gov

Vice-Chair is Leon Methot: lmethot@weare.nh.gov

Heleen Kurk: hkurk@weare.nh.gov

Joseph Fiala: jfiala@weare.nh.gov

Donna Osborne: dosborne@weare.nh.gov

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please send six polite but firm emails in honor of
The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776

[r9etb]

All were heroes in their respective rights, but the guy who won the battle was Gen. John Buford. Had he not held the heights until Gen. Reynolds showed up on 1 July, the battle would have turned out very differently...

Indeed. And had not Buford's cavalry had repeating rifles, they wouldn't have been able to hold off that many confederates with only a couple of brigades. As usual, the Civil War anticipated by 50 years the lessons learned by the Europeans in WWI.