What If…The Conclusion
It’s been a couple of weeks, and we’re wrapping up the “What If” Blog Series. Thanks for playing along (or tolerating) our explorations! If you loved the “what ifs,” rest assured this is not the last time ECW authors will ask these types of questions.
If you’d like to view the entire series, here’s the collection:
What If…John Pope Had Invaded Canada? (Cecily Nelson Zander)
A What If Case Study – Dunkirk 1940 (Chris Kolakowski)
What If there were What-Ifs on ECW’s YouTube page?
What If…John Pelham Survived Kelly’s Ford? (Sarah Kay Bierle)
What If Stonewall Jackson had not been shot?—The ECW Version (Chris Mackowski)
What if…Garibaldi Had Commanded the Union Army? (David T. Dixon)
What If…Zachary Taylor Was Alive During the Civil War? (Frank Jastrzembski)
What If…USCT Led The Attack at the Battle of the Crater? (Steward Henderson)
What If…George Thomas Had Marched Through Snake Creek Gap? (Steve Davis)
What If…First Bull Run Was Fought with Experienced Armies? (Sarah Kay Bierle)
What if . . .General R. E. Lee wore blue? (JoAnna M. McDonald)
What If…Civil War “Epics” Hadn’t Been Filmed? (Sarah Kay Bierle)
What If…James Longstreet Had Been At The North Anna? (Chris Mackowski)
What if…Joseph Lane of Oregon had become President in 1861? (Max Longley)
What If. . .Vicksburg Had Fallen in July ’62? (Dwight Hughes)
Please do an entry for “What if the pontoons had gotten to Fredericksburg on time and the AOP had crossed with minimal, if any resistance?” Truly, do others think Burnside would have gotten to Richmond? Would Lee have intercepted them en route? Would they have clashed at Richmond?
The fight most likely would have been along the North Anna River, a position Lee had already been eyeing. In fact, he’d even sent part of his army in that direction before being ordered by Davis to consolidate along the Rappahannock instead.
I explore this a fair amount in my “Decisions at Fredericksburg” book if you want in-the-weeds discussion.
Thank you!