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My personal musings about anything that gets on my radar screen--heavily dominated by politics.

2008-07-02

This Day In History 

One hundred forty five years ago, elements of the Union Army under the command of General George Meade and the Confederate Army under the command of General Robert E. Lee engaged just to the south and west of a little town in southern Pennsylvania called Gettysburg. The Confederate forces were able to force the Union off of Seminary Ridge and onto the higher ground behind it, but the skirmishes were largely indecisive.

What WAS significant, and would prove to be nearly decisive, was a mistake: the absence from the Confederate forces of the Cavalry of General J.E.B. Stuart. Stuart was off pursuing a division that kept moving beyond his reach, while failing to present General Lee with necessary intelligence, not to mention the additional forces.

It turns out that even 145 years ago, the lack of intelligence becomes decisive in battle.

Sadly, our CIA failed to pick up on that little lesson the last few years.
Posted by: Michael / 7/02/2008 12:58:00 AM

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