I am enjoying this well written book a friend told me about, by Tom Carhart "Lost Triumph - Lee's Real Plan at Gettysburg-and Why It Failed". Carhart comes up with a bold new thesis about July 3, 1863 when Pickett made his disastrous charge uphill across an open field against the array of Union forces.
Carhart suggests that Pickett's frontal assault was to be combined with a rear attach by the great Jeb Stuart and his cavalry (a' la Napoleon). The problem came because Stuart, according to Carhart, was held at bay by a force half the size of his own, led by a young and yet unproven general, George Armstrong Custer! (Yes, the one and the same as in "Custer's last stand")!
Carhart does a fine job of providing us with plenty of background to substantiate his hypothesis. I am sure his theory will be debated by scholars and history buffs, but it would certainly make sense to think Lee had another plan in mind altogether, when he sent Pickett and his brave men to the slaughter, across that field and up that hill to the "High Water Mark".
Hope you historians will give us some comments on this! Also, click on the link above and order the book if you don't have it. Its a fascinating read. Thanks to my buddy for telling me about it.
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