In remembrance of the Battle of Gettysburg (Jul 1-3)

[No2W2004]

What if Lee's attack succeeded? What would have happened?

My thoughts are that it would have widened the split between Republicans and Democrats, and further demoralized the public, it would have led to England recognizing the Confederacy and supplying badly needed materials, and eventually, would have led to Lincoln's defeat in the general election. Then Pres. McClellan would have ended the Civil War with the United States split in two. The CSA, recognizing the need to become self sufficient, would move away from agrarian society and become more industrialized, and with the move, slavery would have been abolished. There would have been no "reconstruction" to cause the years of hatred and resentment that in my opinion helped fuel racism.

It would have been tragic to have our country split, and of course,
there is always the likelyhood of a reconciliation once economic realities set in, but it is good to notice that this one point in time the men who fought and died so brutally provided Lincoln the victory he badly needed to hold the Union together.

[dbt]

1. I am a Craine, I'm a fighting man and I fight for Chamberlain

'Cause he stood right with us when the Johnnies came
Like a banshee on the wind.
The smoke filled half of Gettysburg and the air smelled just like death,
For many a good boy died there, sure, and many a mother wept.

"Dixie Land," Steve Earle.

Wasn't this the first war to have the survivors envying the grateful dead?

:freak:
dbt