“I blame Jeb Stuart”
He left Lee blind. Many have stated that Jeb Stuart’s failures there led to the loss. Being realistic, Stuart did: 1) Leave Lee Blind prior to the battle. 2) not disrupt or take the Union Right and lost or left the field to Union Calvary. 3)Did not successfully flank the Union to draw away troops from the heights or re-enforcements. This is true, but probably inconsequential.
Lee didn’t have to fight at Gettysburg, he could have moved and forced the battle on ground of his choosing. Lee didn’t have to order Pickett’s charge on the third day of battle. Lee, even if Pickett’s charge had been successful, lacked the resources to ever take Washington D.C. at the time. So those decisions by Lee made Stuart’s actions inconsequential by the time Pickett’s charge was ordered.
Longstreet knew it, he suffered from not wanting to pass the order to Pickett to charge that day. Pickett’s quote “Sir, I have no Division” sums up the giant waste of men for goal, even if achieved, would not had led to a Confederate Victory. Nearly the same moment the Gettysburg battle was progressing, Grant was nearing completion of his successful siege on Vicksburg. Gettysburg, in my mind, was never as consequential as Grant taking Vicksburg. From then on, the south was split by the Mississippi river, and soon to be split again after the Fall of Atlanta and march to the sea.
In the end, the Western armies of the Union, and Western Generals, really decided the war. The rural troops were the difference makers.
Agreed. I think Chattanooga was the most decisive battle of the war. Not only was it a brilliant victory but it convinced Lincoln to give Grant command of the entire Northern forces.
Not so sure about blaming Stuart for leaving Lee “blind.” Stuart did not take all of the ANV cavalry brigades on his flanking march around the AoP. He took about 1/3rd of the cavalry force leaving the rest to screen the ANV’s line of march. Lee could have taken interest in which brigades that Stuart took with him, or he could have used the remaining cavalry units more aggressively. Lee did neither.
Correct, the West east MORE important.