James;
IMHO surprise would have been impossible on that field. I don't think you
can assault across a mile and a half of open ground with essentially a corps
of infantry and maintain any element of surprise. I also believe the
artillery barrage that preceded the attack was essential to the plan having
any chance of success, Part of the failure was that the barrage landing on
the back side of the ridge instead of along the top where the federal
infantry and artillery were dug in. I believe that Longstreet's failure to
properly coordinate the troops from his and A.P. Hill's corps killed any
chance of success that the assault may have had. Actually a better case could
be made that the attack should never have been ordered in the first place. If
you accept "that no 15,000 men ever arrayed for battle could take that
(Union) position" then the real fault lies with the commander who ordered the
attack -- General Robert E. Lee.
Claude P. Foster
Univ. North Texas