The central position in attack: Gettysburg Day 1

[jonnymacbrown]

JULY 1, 1863: SOUTHERN STRATEGIC CONCEPTS.

It’s very important to keep certain concepts in mind on the first day. The Army of Northern Virginia (ANV) have strategic and positional advantage THE WHOLE FIRST DAY. Only on day one do the road networks work for you and it’s very important to use the roads in attack.

Heth’s Approach. There’s no hurry here. Advance slowly and methodically with the object to secure an artillery concentration on Herr’s ridge. Leave two rifled cannon to the rear with one or two regiments of Archer in case some fool Union cavalry commander want’s to ride. You must take every precaution to keep the Cashtown Road open! Archer should protect the left, Pettigrew in the center and with Brockenbraugh supported by Davis occupy the woods to the right. In the center on the road, set up lots of guns (the howatzer is good here) and make it impossible for any Union units to survive on McPhereson’s Ridge. Wait for Pender. Do not attack the Federales piece-meal here. Buford’s cavalry armed with carbines are, alone, almost a match for Heth’s whole division and when supported by Federal 1st Division, you are outnumbered and outgunned. Stay put on Herr’s Ridge and wait upon the rest of Confederate III Corps.

Pender. Behind Herr’s Ridge Pender should move south and, still on Herr’s and behind the stream take the best artillery locations. Some good ones are in those woods near where Doubleday comes on. You may get in a fight there. Just hold on, even give ground, and try to put some guns in place to cover the ground between McP’s and Seminary ridge. Resist the temptation to move north with elements of III Corps. Confederate II Corps will soon be coming from that direction. If you move Pender or Heth there, you lose leverage for the decisive attack. Wait for Anderson.

Rhodes: Ramsur & Iverson- with Daniel in reserve, should advance down the road they come on. There is no hurry as the attack must wait for Anderson. Lee’s big mistake at Gettysburg was never using Anderson. Get some guns, organize and attack only when Anderson comes on. O’Niell and Doles hold the center road they come on and support the left of the attack. Early is too weak to do anything alone. The fact that one division of XI Corps must cover the road against them is enough. Your attack should aim at taking the wood just north of the Railroad Cut. This wood is the key to the whole McPhereson’s Ridge position.

Anderson can come on like a panzer battalion. Just before Anderson comes, the position should look fairly stable. IT IS NOT. The Union player will feel good since his losses are light and he may even forget that he must hold and fight for McPhereson’s. He may then make a strategic mistake and pull back to the Seminary Ridge too soon. That can’t be held long. Anytime an opponent gives you key real estate free of charge, it’s usually a mistake. Just knowing the right way to take advantage of mistakes comes from experience. However the enemy chooses to fight here, THE PARAMOUNT PRINCIPLE IS A COORDINATED ASSAULT WITH THE WHOLE OF III CORPS, supported by Rodes, to take Cemetery Ridge on day one.

WHEN ANDERSON ENTERS THE EQUILIBRIUM IS ALTERED for the rest of Day One. Federal III Corps is too far away to help and XII Corps is far away to the east. THE CASHTOWN ROAD LEADS ANDERSON DIRECTLY AND RAPIDLY TO THE DECISIVE POINT! The situation is then SUDDENLY thrown out of balance and there’s nothing the Union player can do about it. Rodes, Heth, Pender and Anderson must be used remorselessly and relentlessly. You can shatter the union line, the CRUX being the wood at the RR cut. If the Union player has already fallen back to the Seminary Ridge, even better, as that position is less defensible. Melee your way savagely straight to Cemetery with everything you’ve got. Cemetery Hill is the objective. Take it, defend it and separate Federal XII and XI Corps from III Corps and I Corps. Expand the breach with the remainder of II Corps and I Corps in the morning. Your positional advantage should be too strong to overcome. Jonny