Keith,

I'm not talking about the entire Union force on the first day, I'm talking about the failure of leadership and the disparity in numbers on the Union right/Confederate left flank. Barlow's Division (2,459) was basically on a low knoll, out in the open facing the combined forces of Early (5,460), augmented by Doles' brigade (1,323) for a total of 6,783 men. Most historians believe the route of the Union line began with the simultaneous collapse of Barlow's and Robinson's divisions. BTW, Robinson's division was on the immediate left flank of the 11th Corps. Schurz (3,079) was not heavily engaged until Robinson and Barlow collapsed. He then was facing all of Rodes' and Early's divisions. Von Steinwehr (2,775) was held in reserve on Cemetery Hill and did not get in the fray until called up after the collapse of both Barlow's and Schurz's division. I'm not talking about the total number of men on the battlefield. I'm talking about "getting there first with the most men". In the case of the Union right flank/Confederate left flank at Gettysburg on the first day, the Union troops were poorly led, poorly positioned and in the individual division level engagements were outnumbered.

Jim