American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Suppose Meade would have pursued Lee after Gettysburg vigorously enough to have permanently eliminated at least 75% of Lee's army. Since Vicksburg had already fallen, would the South have ended their rebellion?

I don't think the war would have ended at that moment, but I would say that within 6-12 months the CSA would have surrendered. And what would have happened, is that with 3-6 Months Richmond would have fallen since it would have had no army or leader to defend it. Lee would have almost certainly been relieved, or honor would have forced him to resign, and nothing would have stopped him this time. Historically, he did resign after Gettysburg, but such a massive defeat would have meant he would not have removed his resignation. But either way, Richmond and then Virginia would have fallen within a few months. I can't imagine the war continuing without Virginia.

Lt. Col. Richard Walker
I Corps
Army of the Mississippi
2nd Brigade, 3rd Division
"Defenders of Tennessee"

This assuming Meade's army COULD persue aggressively after such heavy fighting, high casualties, lost horses, lame horses, supply and logistical concerns for the pursuit, weather, etc.

Regards,

Lt. Gen. Alan Lynn
CSA Chief of Staff
3rd Bgde, 3rd Cav Div, II Corps, AoA

God Bless <><

I believe it most certainly would have sped things along considerably. As long as the Army of Northern Virginia lived as an effective fighting force, the Confederacy lived. With the ANV for all practical purposes eliminated, enormous Union assets would have been freed up for use in the West. With the Mississippi cut in two and one of its major field armies all but destroyed, the Confederacy would have been facing disaster.



BG Jon Hooper
2nd Div/Cavalry Corps/AoM

A Big What If, but if the assumption is that the ANV was badly crippled without the AoP being similarly crippled trying to do it then the South would not have had the manpower or the leadership (since they would have also been descimated by such a defeat) to resist through 1864. That is not to say that the South would give up. Not as long as Davis was president anyway.

I doubt Lee would have been replaced. They had no one to replace him with and Davis had complete confidence in Lee even in defeat. But the loss of two armies within weeks would have taken the fight out of the Confederacy. They would have rebuilt the Western and Eastern armies sufficient to keep the North from having a cake walk to Atlanta and Richmond but it would be only a slowing down.

LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
1/1/III AoM (CSA)