I've always thought that this period of time post battle to the river crossing needs to be a movie or a mini series. I found this part of the battle to be just as interesting as Gettysburg itself. Thanks guys.
APPRECIATE YOU ECW!!! Just a thought....it would be wonderful to create an 'electric map' that disects Lee's Retreat from Gettysburg to Falling Water. The retreat is complicated and the 'electric map' would be nice to break the parts down. Just Say'in.
Just follow the dead horses and you can track the Federal movements scampering after Lee post G. If Lee had used some of the same post G strategy/planning/approaches during the main battle he might have fared better. It's interesting how the initial timidity of Meade really allowed the great escape. Thanks for sharing.
Lincoln had his heart set on cutting Lee off via the South Moutain passes. The logistics would have been routed through Frederick and/or Harper's Ferry, via the B&O and the Canal, or through Northern VA, down the Alexandria & Orange, which the AOP eventually did. This eventually required use of the Western MD to evacuate part of the wounded to Baltimore and Washington, only after the AOP was resupplied through the line to Westminster, including support for the hospitals set up in Gettysburg. How could he possibly have gotten ahead of Lee? Fortunately, the rains held the ANV above the Potomac and Lee, for the first time, built field fortifications to protect his access from Williamsport. The combatants dug the fortifications themselves somehow. How many shovels did they have, and how many slaves?
With all the books this guy writes. At some point in time you have to wonder if Mr. Gottfried isn't actually three inteligent children in a trench coat.