About this episode

Ralph Siegel answers listener questions about various aspects of the Battle of Gettysburg, including tactical decisions and historical controversies.

As we've always said, Gettysburg history is fascinating. Today, LBG Ralph Siegel has decided to tak your questions about ANYTHING you've wanted to know about the Battle of Gettysburg. That's right, it's an open-ended Ask A Gettysburg Guide, reminiscent of the early days when we didn't do one topic per show. Because viewers were allowed to ask anything, Ralph addresses several highly specific tactical decisions and long-standing controversies: 1. Dan Sickles and the July 2nd Vanguard: A listener question sparks a debate over Major General Daniel Sickles' controversial decision to move his Third Corps out of line and forward into the Peach Orchard and Wheatfield. Ralph dissects whether this move unauthorizedly broke Meade's line or accidentally acted as a critical speedbump that blunted the Confederate assault. The Culps Hill vs. Cemetery Hill Logistics: The stream touches on the desperate fighting on the Union right flank on the night of July 2nd, analyzing how close the Confederates actually came to cutting off the Baltimore Pike—the Union army's lifeline. Lee's Aggression vs. Longstreet's Caution: Ralph tackles the evergreen debate over the July 3rd strategy. He weighs Robert E…

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