re: The Greatest what-if in American history: Sherman vs Stonewall

I have no clue where the shoe story started but it's one of those things 5th grade social studies teachers say.

quote:

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The Shoe Factory® of Gettysburg

Myth: The Battle of Gettysburg was fought over a shipment of shoes housed at the Gettysburg Shoe Factory.

Fact: Not only was there not a shoe factory in Gettysburg in 1863, but the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac did not engage in three days of battle to gain control of a mythical shipment of shoes—even though both sides were in need of them, especially the Confederates. Fannie Buehler, wife of Gettysburg postmaster described Confederate General John Gordon's infantry as it marched into town. They were "dirty, …hatless, shoeless, and footsore." Additionally, when Confederate General Jubal Early marched his troops into the town for the first time on June 26 (on his way to Hanover Junction and York), he ordered the town to hand over 1,000 pairs of shoes and 500 hats, or as an alternative $10,000 cash. Gettysburg authorities knew they couldn't fill Early's bill and instead offered to open their stores to him. Early's inspection of the town's shops yielded him little in way of supplies (especially shoes) except for a hefty supply of horseshoes and nails. Source: Coddington, Edwin The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command, 1968 Charles Schribner Sons.

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They also like to say it was an accidental meeting of the armies but that's wrong too.

In truth the Confederates were under orders by Lee to be as little damaging to the populace as they scrounged supplies. They'd pay even, with Confederate coin. And a few towns were given the choice of supplies or money under the threat of destruction even with Lee's orders otherwise.


And both sides knew the other was there. I don't think the Confederates knew meade replaced Hooker. But the general movements were discussed in both camps of where to give battle. Iirc correctly Longstreet wanted to wait for the Union to come upon a prepared position 2 days or so to the west. But that's war.