The Angle (High Water Mark)

[sgtcsa]

Mary,
Your remark about more Virginians being at G-burg than Virginia speaks volumes, does it not? It just shows how much the Southern States believed in their ancestors, and what they fought for. I strongly believe that, that belief was not anchored in slavery. I am a native of Virginia, but living in Washington State, yet my love for the old Home State, has never diminished. I feel a kinship to those who fought for Virginia, and the South as a whole, that I just cannot explain.

It draws me closer to my ancestors with each passing year, and as I visit those battlefields, and walk that hollowed ground in which they shed their blood, I even find myself sheding a tear or two, in deep respect and in loving memory of those who went before. I have been to Gettysburg only once, but I have to say, in all honesty, that it was a very moving experience. I do plan to visit again, sometime in the near future.

Regards,
SgtCSA

[johan_steele]

Originally Posted by VS on the belt plate

....

P.S. I have seen a recent show on the History Channel that found that CS artillery failed because.....the contractors that made the fuses for the shell was different than before,and the timing was different. No one told the artillery people though.

Therefore adjustment were not made and shells exploded too early..or too late.

This was an issue w/ both sides throughout the War. Upton mentions switching to Roundshot when he discovered that many of his fuses for shells were defective. When he ran out of roundshot he used his shells like roundshot..

Some question the effectiveness of roundshot, there is an account in this forum of an Alabama soldier at Gettysburg... he was left w/ no doubt about it. Plus add the image of a roundshot bouncing toward you, nothing con stop it, if it hits comrades will be maimed or killed. Unlike a hail of minnies you can actually watch it approaching, thinking about it for a second or two... If that isn't a touch unnerving.

[whitworth]

The Confederates produced terrible artillery ammunition throughout the war. It's the story of The Confederate States. Logistically, they were totally unprepared for war at its start; totally unprepared for war at its end.

In J.B. Jones, "A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate State Capital", he noted on November 8, 1863...
"And information from the Western army indicates that only one shell in twenty, furnished by Col. Gorgas will explode."

The United States had much better ammunition, especially the percussion artillery ammunition.

[maryingettysburg]

Originally Posted by sgtcsa

Mary,
Your remark about more Virginians being at G-burg than Virginia speaks volumes

Yes, it certainly does...even to a native of Gettysburg with a deep and abiding love for her state, and the army that fought to defend it. I am awed by the wonderful respect and lasting devotion Virginians have for those that died here nearly a century and a half ago. If I may quote J.L. Chamberlain from a speech he gave at the dedication of the monument since, it applies in this case also I am sure

..."we come here, friends, not for things that die, but for things that cannot die..."

[manofdreds]

I would like to piggyback on the recent inputs by saying that I've visited GNP many times during all times of the year and as an Afro-American I can't help but admire the devotion displayed by the many descendants of gettysburg/civil war veterans. A question that hopefully will get a couple of responses. During my infancy in studying the Gettysburg campaign, I really thought that Pickett's Division were the only Virginians there. LOL. To learn that there were other VA brigades: Mahone, Brockenbrough, Jones, Walker (Stonewall), Smith! Do you think the much glorified "Pickett's charge" overshadowed the other Virginian brigades in the ANV. Or was the performance of the other "Virginians" subpar in comparison to the Virginians that participated in the charge.

[scone]

Mary sorry for the late reply to your reply to my post.. I had the chance to Visit Gettysburg about 5 years ago in late July.. I didnt get to cover the field Like I would have like to due to lack of time... But do Hope I can get back some day soon.

regards, Steven

[mobile_96]

{Fred says:
Do you think the much glorified "Pickett's charge" overshadowed the other Virginian brigades in the ANV. Or was the performance of the other "Virginians" subpar in comparison to the Virginians that participated in the charge.}
Are you refering to units in the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble-Charge vs. the other 2 days.
Or the Virginians in Picketts division vs the Virginians in Pettigrew's division (Trimble had NC troops in his division, excepting some Virg. batteries, which were used in the cannonaide.
And welcome to the group as I apparently missed your into earlier. Also, How long have you been associated with the 3rdUSCT.
Chuck in IL.

[scone]

Fred I am not sure why Picketts men seem to over shadow the rest in the battle.

Even the so call Pickett's charge was made up by men other than Pickett's yet his name is given to it.

Part of the way history was written & passed down I guess.

Steven

[manofdreds]

Sorry for the delay in responding to you all. Actually i just came back from Gettys burg and the reenactment. Enjoyed immensely!!! To quickly answer your question chuck, i've only been associated with the 3rd usct for 2 years. so I'm still wet behind the ears with the whole reenacting thing. I still don't have my rifle musket. Hopefully Santa will be good to me. Getting back to my point about the Virginians and Gettys burg. I was really trying to make the point that it seemed, in my early readings, that Pickett's Virginians were some sort of elite group. I mean it could've been the way the movie portrayed them. Upon further reading and studying I've read that indeed the other virginian's didn't fair that well during the three battle as well.