Did ‘Baldy’ Ewell Lose Gettysburg? - July ‘97 America’s Civil War Feature

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The two sides then resumed their original positions, content to continue the battle by exchanging artillery fire. During the clash, Archer was captured and taken to the rear, where he was warmly greeted by Maj. Gen. Abner Doubleday, an old friend from prewar days, who had just taken command of I Corps after Reynolds had been killed by a sniper.

“Archer!” Doubleday exclaimed on seeing him. “I am glad to see you.”

“Well, I am not glad to see you,” Archer snarled, “not by a damned sight, Doubleday!”

When the I Corps’ remaining divisions, led by Brig. Gens. John C. Robinson and Thomas Rowley, arrived at Gettysburg at 11 a.m., the latter’s two brigades pushed ahead to reinforce Wadsworth; Robinson’s brigades were held in reserve in Gettysburg to face the enemy’s II Corps, reported to be approaching from the north.

Ewell, with only Maj. Gen. Robert E. Rodes’ division in hand, arrived at Gettysburg at about noon. As he came out of the woods that crowned Oak Hill, Ewell saw the exposed Union flank below him and knew he had an unparalleled opportunity to rout the enemy.

After giving Rodes orders to deploy his 8,125 soldiers for battle, Ewell sent Major Campbell Brown, his stepson and principal aide, to find Lee and tell him that Ewell meant to join the fray. Brown found Lee on Herr Ridge, where both he and Hill had come after hearing the bark of muskets and bellow of cannons. Lee sent Campbell back to Ewell with an astounding order: “Do not charge; I want to avoid a general engagement.”

Had Stonewall Jackson sent Ewell those instructions, he would have meekly complied without question. Jackson, who had died in May, never granted his subordinates any discretion. Lee, however, was a different type of commander, one who expected his leaders to use their own judgment. He had, for example, told Ewell to bypass Winchester while heading through the Shenandoah Valley to Pennsylvania. When Ewell saw that he could rout the Yankees occupying the small village, he decided to disobey Lee’s orders, attacked the enemy and won a decisive victory over the Northern defenders. Lee did not reprove Ewell for disregarding his instructions at Winchester. Now Ewell saw a similar chance for glory at Gettysburg, and he again elected to flout Lee’s directive.

Brown advised that now was not the time to disobey Lee. He described Lee as seething with anger, “showing a querulous impatience…I never saw before.” Lee’s ire was the result of cavalry head Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart’s disregarding his instructions. “He’s gone off around the Federal Army,” Lee groused, “failing to keep in constant communication with me.”

Despite Brown’s warning that Lee was in no mood to see his orders ignored, Ewell could not pass up the opportunity to assault the open Union flank. The enemy troops were so vulnerable that they could be quickly routed, which would not be a “general engagement,” Ewell reasoned. He decided to gamble his rank and career by proceeding with a charge. In giving the written order to his division commanders, Rodes and Maj. Gen. Jubal Early, Ewell stressed that, after driving the enemy from the ground, they must break off their engagement. This point was also verbally emphasized by the messengers dispatched to both Rodes and Early.

Before he could launch his attack, Rodes had to switch from column into battle formation. He moved Brig. Gen. Junius Daniel’s brigade west to flank the Federals along McPherson’s Ridge; Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson’s men would slip behind the Union forces on the hill to take the enemy from the rear. Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Edward A. O’Neal’s troops would come down Oak Ridge, where they would be in a position to block a Union retreat. Brigadier General George Doles would guard Rodes’ left flank; Brig. Gen. Stephen Ramseur’s brigade would be his reserve.

As the Confederates filed into position, the Federals hastened to meet the enemy threat. Brigadier Generals Gabriel Paul and Henry Baxter rushed their troops, 2,600 men in all, out of Gettysburg and into a line facing northwest along Oak Ridge.

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