During a recent holiday excursion across several states, my wife and I visited the National Battlefield Park at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  One who is interested in such things cannot help being overwhelmed by the events of this key battle during the American Civil War —155 years ago in July.  It may be an understatement to suggest that this battle was a disaster on many levels, all of which tend to demonstrate that General Robert E. Lee was not a great field commander of the Southern cause.  This is not an undue criticism —particularly in view of the human carnage suffered by the Army of Northern Virginia and the ultimate failure of General Lee to achieve his objectives, which were, at best, if not vague, unattainable.

Much has already been written about the Battle of Gettysburg by those far more qualified than I, so it is not my intent to describe it…