Leadership Questions

I'm back from the east and made it with little problem. I made all connections like clock work. Traveling always stresses me because the first casualty of travel is the plan.

I'm now going to state my feelings about the discussions of leadership. Bobby Lee didn't get where he was at by not having effective leadership skills - including communication. I think the mission had been laid out and there was no going back (hail mary play). If Longstreet knew this - than he should have redirected his suggestions to accommodate the goal. I highly doubt that Bobby Lee had not listen to his other officers comments regarding the decision - although he probably realized they were stuck in group think.

I think health for many of the southern leaders was an issue and Bobby Lee and J. Davis knew it. Lee was on the long road to heart failure, A. P. Hill had all kinds of sicknesses and Ewell was worst and had lost a leg. With what we learned about Gettysburg after the battle - health and economic conditions in eastern Virginia must have been miserable.

The mounting southern casualties probably weighed heavy on Davis and Lee. My opinion is that the desire to have that one battle that ended the war was the driving force in all the decisions. Once the plan die with the major engagement at Gettysburg - Lee felt that God had selected the place for the fight - not who would win - that was up to his boys.

Lee thought God selected the site -but I think that Meade was the beneficiary of decisions made by Buford, Reynolds, Howard and Hancock. Once Buford forced Heth to fight to get to Gettysburg - the north had the advantage and the south failed to grab several chances to get the advantage back. Buford made the decision and Reynolds, Howard and Hancock made decisions to protect the ground and the opportunity was now Meade's.