Retreat from Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, and the Pennsylvania Campaign (Civil War America)

In a groundbreaking, comprehensive history of the Army of Northern Virginia's retreat from Gettysburg in July 1863, Kent Masterson Brown draws on previously unused materials to chronicle the massive effort of General Robert E. Lee and his command as they sought to move people, equipment, and scavenged supplies through hostile territory and plan the army's next moves. More than fifty-seven miles of wagon and ambulance trains and tens of thousands of livestock accompanied the army back to Virginia. The movement of supplies and troops over the challenging terrain of mountain passes and in the adverse conditions of driving rain and muddy quagmires is described in depth, as are General George G. Meade's attempts to attack the trains along the South Mountain range and at Hagerstown and Williamsport, Maryland. Lee's deliberate pace, skillful use of terrain, and constant positioning of the army behind defenses so as to invite attack caused Union forces to delay their own movements at critical times. Brown concludes that even though the battle of Gettysburg was a defeat for the Army of Northern Virginia, Lee's successful retreat maintained the balance of power in the eastern theater and left his army with enough forage, stores, and fresh meat to ensure its continued existence as an effective force. Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Prologue: This Has Been a Sad Day for Us......Page 20 1. Take What Is Necessary for the Army......Page 31 2. The Flies and Vermin of the Dog Days......Page 60 3. We Must Now Return to Virginia......Page 86 4. All That Was Dear to Me Is Gone......Page 112 5. The Scene Was Wild and Desolating......Page 140 6. That Vast Procession of Misery......Page 164 7. An Awful Time Crossing South Mountain......Page 182 8. Use Your Sabres, Don’t Strike, but Thrust!......Page 207 9. The Cutting and Slashing Was Beyond Description......Page 231 10. Nowhere Is Safe......Page 253 11. By the Blessing of Providence, I Will Do It......Page 275 12. A Strong Line of Gopher Holes......Page 306 13. I Would Die before Being Taken Prisoner......Page 339 14. It Is Heart-Rending to Live among Such Scenes......Page 372 Epilogue: The Army Achieved a General Success......Page 403 Appendix: Order of Battle......Page 410 Notes......Page 436 Bibliography......Page 494 A......Page 524 B......Page 530 C......Page 532 D......Page 533 E......Page 534 G......Page 535 H......Page 536 J......Page 539 L......Page 540 M......Page 542 N......Page 544 P......Page 545 R......Page 546 S......Page 547 T......Page 549 V......Page 550 W......Page 551 Z......Page 553 In a groundbreaking, comprehensive history of the Army of Northern Virginia's retreat from Gettysburg in July 1863, Kent Masterson Brown draws on previously untapped sources to chronicle the massive effort of General Robert E. Lee and his command as they sought to move people, equipment, and scavenged supplies through hostile territory and plan the army's next moves. Brown reveals that even though the battle of Gettysburg was a defeat for the Army of Northern Virginia, Lee's successful retreat maintained the balance of power in the eastern theater and left his army with enough forage, stores, and fresh meat to ensure its continued existence as an effective force. Nordamerikanske borgerkrig. Bogen handler om tilbagetrækningen af den amerikanske sydstatshær-ført af general Lee-efter nederlaget til nordstatshæren-ført af general G.C. Meade-ved Gettysburg 1-3 juli 1863. Ved en hensigtsmæssig udnyttelse af terrænet førte Lee sydstatshæren og dens træn tilbage gennem fjendtligt område til terrænet syd for Potomacfloden, hvor hæren blev reorganiseret Brown emphasizes the careful planning by Robert E. Lee, as he sought to move people, equipment, and more than fifty-seven miles of wagons and ambulances back to Virginia after the Gettysburg battle. He credits Lee's deliberate pace, skillful use of hostile and challenging terrain, and constant positioning behind defenses. Recounts the Army of Northern Virginia's retreat from Gettysburg in July 1863 in a groundbreaking, comprehensive history that chronicles the desperate efforts of Lee and his officers to move people, equipment, and supplies through enemy territory. Kent Masterson Brown. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 475-503) And Index.