The Law of Timing by John C. Maxwell

Author:John C. Maxwell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Harpercollins Leadership
Published: 2010-04-03T00:00:00+00:00

THE CRUCIBLE OF WAR DISPLAYS

THE LAW OF TIMING

When the stakes are high, the consequences of the Law of Timing are dramatic and immediate. That is certainly true in war. In any major battle, the critical importance of timing becomes evident. The Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War is a prime example.

When Confederate General Robert E. Lee took the Army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania in late June of 1863, he had three goals: (1) draw the Union army out of Virginia, (2) resupply his troops using Pennsylvania’s resources, and (3) bring the fighting to the heart of enemy territory, thereby prodding the Union army into hasty and unwanted action. It was the third year of the war, and both the Union and the Confederacy were growing weary of the conflict. Lee hoped his actions would bring an end to the conflict. Several days prior to the battle, Lee told General Trimble,

Our army is in good spirits, not overfatigued, and can be concentrated on any one point in twenty-four hours or less. I have not yet heard that the enemy have crossed the Potomac, and am waiting to hear from General Stuart. When they hear where we are, they will make forced marches . . . They will come up . . . broken down from hunger and hard marching, strung out on a long line and much demoralized, when they come into Pennsylvania. I shall throw an overwhelming force on their advance, crush it, follow up the success, drive one corps back on another, and by successive repulses and surprises, before they can concentrate, create a panic and virtually destroy the army.8

Lee was trying to seize the opportunity for overwhelming victory. He didn’t know until the morning of July 1 that the Union army had already moved north. By then some of its forces were already engaging Confederate troops on the Chambersburg Road west of Gettysburg. That development disrupted Lee’s strategy and ruined his timing. Lee’s first instinct was to hold back and wait for his army’s full strength to assemble before forcing a major engagement. But always conscious of the importance of timing, he recognized when his troops had a sudden advantage. As Lee watched from a nearby ridge, he saw that Federal troops were being routed and retreating. There was still a chance to take action that could lead to victory.

Confederate forces could attack and seize the high ground of Cemetery Hill, defended only by a few Union infantry reserves and artillery. If they could capture and control that position, Lee reasoned, they would control the whole area. It would be the key to a Confederate victory and possibly bring an end to the war.

In position to take that hill was Confederate General R. S. Ewell. It was still early in the day, and if Ewell moved forward, he could take it. But instead of pressing his advantage when the time was ripe and engaging the enemy, Ewell simply watched. He let the opportunity slip away, and the Confederates didn’t take Cemetery Hill.

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