I think Col Best has the best Idea....(no pun intended)
The ANV and Longstreet in particular were Great at fighting defensivly....
I believe Meade most likely would've done the same thing that Lee had tried the Day before....Only Meade would have MORE troops then Lee started with and would've had a significantly harder time coordinating it all and Lee would've subsequently Mauled the Army of the Potomac...So you have Day 3 Mauling the ANV and then Day 4 Mauling the AotP.....So you're left with Day 5...1 of 3 things would likely happen....#1 Lee and/or Meade would've tried to move to put some distance between the armies to allow them to recover....#2 We see a Stone's River Day 2 type Scenerio, wherein both armies basically Skirmish a bit, but nothing really significant basically both armies resting, Hancocks "nothing will happen today, everyone is too tired" becomes reality on Day 5.....or #3..Lee and/or Meade sense that since the other Army was Mauled on Day 3 or 4 they are open for attack again...If it's Lee, he will most likely be more observant to Longstreets suggestions, and Mauls the AotP again.forcing Meade to fall back towards Washington..If it's Meade...He has Troops who've had a full day of no action or seen no action at all..and he will Maul the ANV....Either way the battle wouldn't last beyond 6 Days before Lee takes Pete's advice and moves around Meade and heads towards Washington....Meade won't move, he has too many Politicians pushing him forward...Lee knew what he was talking about on that subject..
Lt. Jason Fitch
commanding, 4th Bde
1st Div IX Corps
Army of the Ohio
" At the end of forty-three minutes of a desperate and unequal contest, I found the enemy completely around my flanks. To prevent a useless destruction of life, or entire capture of my regiment, I gave the order to retire. I was Honored to be forced to repeat it, and even then the brave fellow complied reluctantly -- many refused" -- Colonel Bernard Mullen, commanding 35th Indiana Infantry, 1st Irish....Report of the Actions of the 35th on the Last Day at Stone's River
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