Staff work is one of the least studied aspects of the Civil War.  Army leadership is a collective activity.  At Gettysburg, Meade and Lee employed commanding machines — senior subordinate commanders and staff officers — to lead their armies.  Dr. Douglas Douds will analyze the differences between the “commanding machines” of Meade’s Army of the Potomac and Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia during the Battle of Gettysburg. He will compare their structure and processes, giving insights into the battle’s outcome.