[atomicweeder]

There's another reason -- for which I share some blame (or at least my ancestors).

My great-grandfather and his brothers rode with the Confederate cavalry at Gettysburg. Normally the cavalry provides intelligence. But the Reb cavalry spotted Custer (already famous) and wanted to engage his cavalry.

So instead of gathering intelligence and reporting back to Lee, they skirmished for a couple of days with Custer, on some pointless glory chase.

As a result, Lee never got the intelligence reports that would have told him there were thousands of Union reinforcements available to plug any hole that Pickett punched in the Union line. Had he known, he never would have sent Pickett.

I think historians claim it was the first time that Lee ordered a major assault in battle without knowing where all the Union forces were.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Yeah, you’re right. Also, by the time Stuart’s men reached Gettysburg, they were all out of ammo, and that’s one of the reasons Custer whipped them so thoroughly on July 3.

[Eska]

My greatgrandfather was at Fair Oaks with Company C 103rd Pa Vol Inf. Interesting when I look at his discharge on the wall.

3 years after original enlistment, they made everybody reenlist, then after a few more battles, they were all captured and sent to Andersonville. Year later, Sherman sent them all up along the NC coast where they were supposed to reform into units; they didn't, all went awol. So after thhe war, there was talk about courtmartialing 4 companys but nothing come of it. I guess after being in 10-15 battles, year or so starving at Andersonville; they all said heck with war.

I have picts from 1921 family reunion, greatgrandfather center of pict. He had a beam fall on him while at andersonville, was all cripled up till he died. Would hear all kinds of stories about him. They couldn't let him out on the town. He blamed the blacks for his misfortune. Only one black family in his town, respectable people everybody said. Great grandfather would see them and go nuts, attack them with his cane, swearing, ect. Died in 1923, never got over the civil war.