Mistakes Of The First Day

1. Lee not having enough information of the Union force, due to Jeb Stuart's cavalry not being in position and not reporting in for 7 days, assumes that the main body of the entire Union force lies ahead of him. He is not aware that only two brigades of Buford's cavalry are the only force in front of him and he hesitates to commit his force to the battle, which was started by accident from General Heth's brigade being too far forward, until late in the day when the Union line had already been reinforced by General Reynolds' infantry.

2. General Ewell did not attack Cemetery Hill as he was ordered to do, leaving an escape route for the Union to retreat to and fortify.

3. General Meade hesitates in Maryland, thinking that Lee would attack him at Big Pipe creek, near the state line. He waits until late in the day to march his main force north to Gettysburg. By the time they arrived, the day's battle was over and the Confederate force had been greatly strengthened. Only by shear luck did the Union force hold off the Confederate attack, because Lee did not engage early in the day, and Reynolds' force had come up in time to help Buford's division.

Had Lee attacked with his main force early in the day, and Ewell attacked Cemetery Hill, the Confederate side probably would have won the day and taken Gettysburg, creating a huge problem for General Meade's force in Maryland, possibly opening a road to Washington, D.C.