The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-06

lSoAOHolS I. M. X. fIdlCOtLb SenQ3 VI
the following paper from Lieutenant
Colonel Robert NJ. stribling. Thi
paper was originally printed in TIL
Hichmond Times OF Juno 8, 1897. bu
Is OF especial interest In connection
with the present controversy regard
Ing tho battle OF Gettysburg. st pre-
sents. In the words OF Colonel Tai
colt. some very Intelligent statement.
OF the causes that contributed to thu
failure of tho campaign."--Ed.l
/ think II Is now general conceded
that II the Gettysburg campaign tat
been successful 1t would have secured
the Independence OF tho Confcderacy
The failure to accomplish this, or any
result favorable to tho Contsderacy, h Of
centred upon 1t tho most minute
scrutiny. and yct I have not seer
writton anywhere what appears to ne
70 DO some OF tho clear deductions
rom the records. propose to out
llno some OF these deductions.
General Leo having transferred hi.
army from in front OF Fredericksburg
70 tne Lower Valley without single
z !nIshap. ana having captured there all
the artillery. and either captured or
Z dlsperscd all the Union troops occupy
Ing 1t. during which time General
hooker had conformed the movements
OF tho Army OF tho Potoyac to his.
Witnout attempting to disconcert his
pans, and that army was then in the
counties OF Loudoun and Fairfax (be-
t"een him and tho capital). on tho
"a day OF June. 1863, ordered Lieu
tenant.6eneral Ewell to move HIS
corps TO tho limo OF tho Susauchanna,
one division to cross over tho NOM.
tain and pass through Get.ysburc IN
york. Pa. with Wow OF indicatinr =
movement upon Baltimore. as no
writes IN his first report u. soD: "In
osder 10 retain II tthe Union army on
.he cas-. side OF tho mountains, after
~ should enter Maryland. ana I'M.
leave open our COMMUNICATIVE y,.t,
the Potomac through Hagerstown ana
v, nli1iamsport. General Ewoil had been
instructed to send division eastward
from Chambersburg to cross the Sou,h
Mountain. ~ - va
Early's division was detached ror
this service and proceeded an sar
east AS York" Ewell, with tho 81 har
two divisions was directed to proceed
north. up the Valley, through Cham-
nersburs to Harrisburg. which place
General Ewell says in his report. he
was ordered to capture.
orders TO Stuart First Error.
Longstrcct and Hill crossed the po.
tomac on the 2sth. and reached Cham
hersburE on tho evening OF the e7.h.
me same day Ewcll with two di-
visions reached Carlisle. and Early
With the other. the neighborhood OF
YORK. Tho Infantry was now admir-
ably arranged for an advance upon
Harrisburg. and from there. upon
Philadelphia and Nav York, With
nothing In that direction 10 oppose it
but hastily gathered militia. The
army had found In the country oc-
.cupied. abundant supplies OF subsis-
tcnce and forage. as well as horses
and other quartormaster supplies.
Unfortunately. General Lee had.
before leaving Virginia given his con-
sent that stuart with three brigadcs |
OF his cavalry, should pass around
iii rear OF Hooker's army and cross /
the Potomac between 1t and WASH
ington. whilst the other two brigades
were left to guard the mountain pass
cs in Virginia, and observe the moye-
mcnts OF Rockers army. with orders
10 make reports directly TO Generai|
Leo or Longstreet. Nothing, was heard
from either division until Stuart re-
ported at Gettysburg in tho afternoon
of Puly 2. and Robertson ON tho Cd.
The consequences OF that error were
soon apparent, for TO 1t was due the
fact that General Lee nssumea tho |.
aggressive against Mead's army and
1t in position as will an
pear,
! On the 2sth General Lee. thinking
from not hearing from the cavalry
that Hooker had not left Virginia. L
writes (P. 307): Preparations were
now made to advance upon HARRIS Il
burg: but on the night Of the 2Sth In 4
'ornation was received from scoutl
nat the Federal army. having crossed |!
he Potomac, was advancing north
ward. and that the head OF the col 1,
INN had reached the South Mountain. |,
As our communications with the Po-
omac We're menaced, It. was resolved Ii
% prevent his further progress In II
hat direction by concentrating our B
'rmy on the cast side Of the noun i
aims. Accordingly, Longstreet ana j,
I'LL were directed to proceed from
ham bersburg to G. ttysburg, to which
'olnt General EWcll was also instruct
d to march from Carlisle"
The Advance Arrested.
Again, In his later ana moro care i
ully considered report. after the re-
orts from all the different parts Of ,
he army had boon received by him, !
10 writes (p. 316) /: THE advance upon 4
Harrisburg was arrested by intelli-
,enco from q. scout on tho night OF \
he 2Sth, TO the effoct. that the army of t
;eneral Hooker had crossed the po- 8
omac, and was approaching the South {
fountain, In tho absence of the cav y
Try It was impossible to ascertain !
is Intentions; hut to deter him from
dvancing further west and intor- y
epting our communications with Yir-
inia, It waa determined to concen-
rate the army east OF tho mountaina.,'' 7
Acting under ths impression pro- .
uced by the scouts Information, that =
le Union army was moving vest 9
ard towards Hagerstown, on tho line 3
t his communications with. Virgin !
Lfstt must have been q great sur
rise to him. when his leading diYla- =
MS approached Gettysburg, to find !,
,cade's advance was there ahead OF 4
Inn. =
IT had evidently been General Iee IS
Ian to operate west Of tho South =,
range, and Keep General HI,
eade east OF 1t, as tho sending q,
arly east of 1t to Threaten Baltimore 4,
early Indicates. 1f the Union army q,
'ossed over in spite of his s,
2 Spreyent ~, lie relied upons tho fact te