Frederick | 10 Aug 2020 5:55 a.m. PST |
Gettysburg as a offensive battle – whoever was the defender at Gettysburg had a huge advantage, which as I recall Longstreet grasped right away |
Big Red | 10 Aug 2020 6:05 a.m. PST |
I was conflicted over whether to pick, Antietam or Sharpsburg. |
Deucey | 10 Aug 2020 6:15 a.m. PST |
Other – Firing on Fort Sumpter |
ZULUPAUL | 10 Aug 2020 6:27 a.m. PST |
Nashville, had low probability of success and opened the way for the final destruction of the south. +1 Deucy |
Mserafin | 10 Aug 2020 7:58 a.m. PST |
Big Red - It depends on where one's loyalties lie. |
Shagnasty | 10 Aug 2020 8:41 a.m. PST |
I think Deucey is right but I voted for Sharpsburg. Back to a river, outnumbered 3 to 1, what could go wrong? |
Big Red | 10 Aug 2020 8:48 a.m. PST |
Mark, shouldn't the choice then read Sharpsburg/Antietam? |
ColCampbell | 10 Aug 2020 9:55 a.m. PST |
Other – Chattanooga. The utter defeat of the Confederate Army of Tennessee opened the way into the heartland of the deep South for the Union armies. Jim |
John the Greater | 10 Aug 2020 10:21 a.m. PST |
I went with Chancellorsville. Dividing his army TWICE in the face of being enormously outnumbered. That took real nerve. Of course, the plan works best when the Union commander is Hooker. |
ScottWashburn | 10 Aug 2020 4:11 p.m. PST |
The question was about the CONFEDERACY's biggest gamble. I would consider that to mean the riskiest strategic decision versus tactical decisions made on the battlefield. Lee's decision to split his army at Chancellorsville, or stand and fight at Antietam, were certainly risky, but he and he alone was making those decisions on the spot and the Confederate government had no say in the matter. In that light, the biggest risk was the offensive campaign which led to Gettysburg. Lee proposed it, Davis approved it, and it went ahead--to disaster. |
robert piepenbrink | 10 Aug 2020 5:56 p.m. PST |
Deucey's right: Fort Sumter. Not a large battle, but an unnecessary one, and VERY high risk/high reward. Myself, I think the risk was disproportionate to the reward. |
RAOldham1812 | 11 Aug 2020 9:46 a.m. PST |
The choice for Antietam or Sharpsburg should only read Sharpsburg since that is the name of the Confederate battle. I know, splitting hairs here. |
snurl1 | 15 Aug 2020 1:27 a.m. PST |
I agree- Antietam and Sharpsburg should be the same thing. |