"PICKETT'S CHARGE"

[larry_cockerham]

Seems to me Nathan B. Forrest could have helped out here. If all officers took Forrest's position of LEADING his troops, much of the silly nonsense of walking in lines would have been abandoned. The Cherokees and Creeks tried to tell 'em for years.

[nbforrest]

From what I've read there wasn't really an en echelon attack on purpose, but rather Pickett's division making a rather awkward left oblique to close up on Pettigrew.

[larry_cockerham]

I've often tried to imagine the thoughts or lack of such that were in the heads of those men, knowing that they were about to embark on a most perilous journey from which they were not likely to return. The strength necessary to proceed with what was paramount to suicide is very difficult to fathom.

[VS on the belt plate]

Fighting in linear lines was pretty much the way to do attack your opponets in war..probably since before Alexander's time.

THAT time honored tradition changed forever because of the American Civil War. (Well morons were still doing it in France in 1914...but I digress.)

Pickett's Brigade commanders DID lead their troops. Not sure Forrest would have made much difference...and HE probably would have been down.


Pickett as a division commander should not go forward in that situation and he did not.





VS

[memphis]

Read E.B. Long's the Civil War Day by Day. Look at the terrific appendices he has. One of them lists the deaths of General Officers in both Armies. The Union army suffered 45 generals KIA and the Confederacy suffered 77 Generals killed in action. Because of the Southern Generals propensity to be in the thickest of the fight, they died more often thus reducing the possibility of Confederate victories as the war dragged on.

Brigadiers led the troops, Major Generals and up stayed back to observe and coordinate.

If I were to have one criticism of General Pickett, it would be the Shad Bake affair near the time of Five Forks.

[VS on the belt plate]

Good Info Thanks

Yes....the infamous shad bake. Has anyone been to a modern shad bake?

Weird little fish. Tasty as I recall.

VS..etc

[Robert B. Condon]

Before I have to check myself into the local nervous hospital will someone assure me I am not delusional. In the movie when Longstreet draws the plan of attack in the dirt he indicates Trimble on the left of Pickett with Pettigrew in support to the rear of Trimble. In Virginia we were always taught that it was Garnett and Kemper in the front line of Pickett with Armistead in support with Pettigrew's Division to the left of Pickett with Trimble (Lane's and Scales' Brigades) in support to the right rear of Pettigrew. (Supposedly, the main reason for the collapse of Pettigrew's left being no second line to the rear of his left.) I cannot believe that a film with the technical advisers it must have had would have made such a blatant error nor am I arrogant enough to believe that I would be the only one to catch it. So, should I check in?

[memphis]

Kemper's Brigade was on the extreme right. the 11th Va.was the next to the last regiment in line on the right flank.

[nbforrest]

I don't remember what the scene says, but yes Trimble's two brigades were in the rear of Pettigrew, offset a bit.

[mobile_96]

Robert-(I cannot believe that a film with the technical advisers it must have had would have made such a blatant error)
Maybe you should check to see how the lines were described as being formed in the book, as the movie is developed from the book, not Coddington or Pfanz, or any of the Park Guides.
IIRC, the book is based more on the interplay between the main figures, with only a "vague and very general" idea of the battle events.
Chuck in IL.