The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-01

Miss Martha ID. Graves. pupil Of
the Gordonsville High School. was
awarded the medal offered by the
Orange County Chapter, ID C., for
the best essay on some subject relat-
ing to tho War Between the States.
The contest was open to pupils in ALI
tie srhoo:s In ma c.t,,,v. ana IN.
winning essay was selected from a
large number of excellent papers. Miss
Graves wrote on the subject why the
Confederates Failed at Gettysburg"
Miss Gravcs'n Essny.
Her essay in full wag as follows:
Nearly all great events are deter
mined oy several c,uses. ana this 3
especially true of the decisive battles
OF the world.
Waterloo is generally considered to
be won by the arrival on the field OF
Blucher's troops before Grouchy's.
pu' II Napoleon had possessed his
strength OF body and mind, az we'll
AS the so.diers of the Russian cam
palsn. the results might have been
different.
according TO our eminent authors
the battle OF Mechanicsvlle and the
cnain or engagements that concludes
win the storning OF Malvern Hill
would have resulted In the destruction
hg!ous absorption OF Jackson. that for
the time being clouded and paralyzed
ais military vision and genius Blu,
II scems more reasonable to believe
that his troops were unable to make
the quick marches among the swamps.
not woods and impossible streams that
marked the scene OF the Seven DAYS
Ugh. like they hal done IN the noun
tains and over the good roads of the
Valley.
When we come to the Battle Of
Gettysburg. however. We find so many
reasons for failure that the only won.
DIR !s that the Southern army was 50
nearly successful, and IL is a high tri-
butte TO the splendid condition and
superb bravery Of this army, as well
AS the military ability % It's leader.
that it was not annihilated While
historians differ a good deal there are
certain points on which most OF them
agree.
The first disadvantage, and prob
able cause OF failure. under which our
army labored. was It's separation from
It's cavalry. While IT is well estab-
lished that Stewart had discretionary
power. and did no; violate any positive
orders, We cannot believe that General
Lee expected him to wander off so far
on ra!ds in strange territory that he
OF the armies Was. If General Lee
had been posted-'by his eyes and ears
he would not have stumbled on
Meade at Gettysburg and been com
PEELED 90 hght a battle under such To-
cal disadvantages. We do not lose
sight Of the fact that a part Of the
cavalry was present under Early, but
1t does not seem TO have been effective
either before or during the battle.
There were several occasions when a
little more accurate Information nigh.
have decided the battle. IL the cavalry
had been present TO obtain IT. For IN :
stance, the first day o! the fght, when
General Hancock was rallying the re-
treating Federal corps with the as
sistance of Bufords cavalry, as QUO
iation Will illustrate-'Thc national
army was. however in great peril
The day VAS yet young. If Lee had
made vigorous attack with all the
forces at his command. IL is scarcely
possible that Hancock could have made
an effective resistance General Lee
made a mistake in not pressing this
advantage he had won. But he acted
TO the best Of his knowledge. The
attack was not made that afternoon,
he tells us. because the force OF the
enemy was not known. Here VIC see
the Northern cavalry under Buford
was called the good angel OF Gettys-
burg. But Stewart had not arrived to
Offset this advantage II the democrat
ICED forces OF the Federal army had
heen pursued then. Lee could have