The Army of the Potomac outnumbered Lee’s army by some 30,000 troops, but Lee had overcome even greater odds in previous battles. Meade’s army was divided into six corps headed by generals Reynolds, Hancock, Sickles, Sykes, Sedgwick, Howard, and Slocum. Late in June, President Lincoln sacked “fighting” Joe Hooker, who was defeated at Chancellorsville, and replaced him with Gen. Stuart’s failure to remain in daily communication with Lee (Stuart’s cavalry was the “eyes and ears” of Lee’s army) would prove costly when the armies met at Gettysburg. When Lee heard of Jackson’s death, he remarked, “I know not how to replace him.” Foote again writes of Lee, “Always in his mind was the missing Jackson.” Lee hoped to position his army between the Army of the Potomac and Washington, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and on ground of his own choosing force the Union Army to attack him as they did at Fredericksburg in December 1862. Hill, all good commanders but none of whom had Jackson’s daring. Now his corps commanders were James Longstreet, Richard Ewell, and A.P.

Lee had reorganized the Army of Northern Virginia in the wake of Stonewall Jackson’s death at Chancellorsville. Foote writes of Lee, “He would march without delay into Pennsylvania, deep in Washington’s rear, where a victory might well prove decisive, not only in his year-long contest with the Army of the Potomac, in which he had never lost a major battle, but also in the war.” When Lee outlined his bold plan to President Jefferson Davis and his Cabinet, all but one member supported the invasion of the North. Lee’s fateful plan to move north into Pennsylvania, following his great victory over the Union Army at Chancellorsville in May 1863. Foote begins his Gettysburg narrative with Confederate Gen.

Shelby foote stars in their courses