Much ink has been uised through the years discussing how the Army of Northern Virginia would have fared if its best infantry General had not been killed. This discussion raises several issues, because had Jackson been alive, the disposition of forces would certainly have been different. For purposes of this discussion, let us assume the following.

1) Heth makes contact with Buford's cavalry in the early morning hours of July 1, when and where he actually did.
2) Jackson is in position to act immediately on hearing report of the action. II Army would approach from the North, as Ewell and Early did in the actual fighting. We may assume that any opportunity to seize the high ground would be acted on immediately.
3) Lee and the main army are as and where they were at the time of the first shots. This would bring them to left flank of the cinflict in mid-afternoon.
4) Longstreet would not arrive until nightfall, as he did not.
5) Meade arrives at about the same time as Lee, with two Corps.

What are your thoughts?

J

lee keep much tighter control on his forces without jackson, jackson would of rold over the union cav. and their would of not been a battle of gettysburg

the north was basically fighting with both hands behind it's back. They could of used more factories to produce more weapons, but we didn't. we had very superior numbers and we should of rolled over the south. The north really needed a southern general or at least one that knew tatics other than i can trade 2 for 1. our attack was basically a three pronged one. block off the ocean trade, cut the confederacy in half by securing the mississippi, and i forgot the third one but i think it's take over Richmond.

The South still loses; the Lord still would've deserted them.

Don't blame me, it's Lee's theory.

I think the biggest question (aside from troop dispositions which you've covered, onejayhawk) is that of "which Stonewall would have been present at Gettysburg?" Would he have been the agressive, take charge Jackson of the Valley and Chancellorsville? Or would he have been the "7 Days Jackson" muddling around, getting lost and arriving late and out of position?
Certainly had he lived through Chancellorsville, Jackson would have been at a high point leading one to believe he might have been at his best. But would he, like Longstreet, have questioned the appropriateness of a second invasion of the North at that point in time? If so, Jackson might not have contributed much to the ultimate outcome at Gettysburg.

He certainly could not have been more late or out of position than Ewell turned out to be when he never took the high ground of Culp's hill. The whole battle turned on that one failure. By morning of the second day, the right Union flank was impregnable, so all the reinforcements could deploy toward their point of first arrival on the field, ie the Round Tops.

Even with that high ground, the battle still is not won, but there is a real chance to bag the whole Army of the Potomac. With Jackson tying down Lee's right flank, and in position to send infiltrators into the hills to the east, Meade's interior communications are much more problematic.

J

Originally posted by ChrTh
The South still loses; the Lord still would've deserted them.

Don't blame me, it's Lee's theory.

That's interesting, where did you find that?

Not being sarcastic.

R.III

I had heard that also. It sounds very much like Lee in any event.

J

I beleive it, I'm just intrigued to know where, when and why he said it.