‘To the point where he left thousands of wounded behind to fall into the hands of the Union army because the wagons that might have carried them were used to move goods instead.’
Thats absurd in the extreme. He suspected he would be fighting for the very life of the ANV before he could recross the Potomac, knew the river was rising due to the rains, and knew he had to get the hell out of enemy territory after the disaster we call Picketts Charge.
He also knew the medical treatment his troops would receive if they were left behind would exceed what his own doctors could provide, given they exhausted their medical supplies over the course of the campaign.
Finally, the length of the trains carrying everything - including thousands of wounded, stretched for about 17 miles under the command of Imboden as I recall. With Stewarts horse’s ‘blown’ from his ill advised ride, they couldn’t provide security for those trains. There are literally dozens upon dozens of accounts of that nightmare ride to the Potomac over bad roads, the cries of the wounded with every bounce clearly heard to one and all.
At that point in the war the two sides were still routinely paroling/exchanging prisoners. Lee knew he had to get his men healthy quickly, knew he would ‘get them back in exchange’ and as such his decision was well founded.
To suggest he left his own wounded in favor of ‘supplies’ is ridiculous, completely inaccurate, and ill informed as to ‘how things worked’ in that era.
If that were true then why devote the troops to getting those wagons of supplies confiscated from the civilian population of Pennsylvania? Lee made sure that the wagons were well underway and guarded before pulling back from Gettysburg. And in the process he left tens of thousands of wounded behind. A calculated decision on his part.
He also knew the medical treatment his troops would receive if they were left behind would exceed what his own doctors could provide, given they exhausted their medical supplies over the course of the campaign.
Lee took his wounded with him after Antietam, he didn't after Gettysburg. The reason is obvious.
To suggest he left his own wounded in favor of ‘supplies’ is ridiculous, completely inaccurate, and ill informed as to ‘how things worked’ in that era.
I suppose that this is another one of those subjects where you know the data involved intimately. Even more than men like Kent Brown who wrote whole books on the subject.