Question(s) for the learned Gettysburg members.

bdtex

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Since the 1st,4th and 5th TX Inf Regiments are the only ones I know of that ever served in the ANV and I'm a lifelong TX resident,I'm naturally interested in the Devil's Den and LRT. In the Confederate assaults on those 2 positions,why were Law's and Robertson's Brigades split up with half of each brigade attacking both positions? Was that a common practice in major ACW engagements? Was it considered a temporary detachment? Just seems like doing that would instantly create communication and coordination problems.
 
Since the 1st,4th and 5th TX Inf Regiments are the only ones I know of that ever served in the ANV and I'm a lifelong TX resident,I'm naturally interested in the Devil's Den and LRT. In the Confederate assaults on those 2 positions,why were Law's and Robertson's Brigades split up with half of each brigade attacking both positions? Was that a common practice in major ACW engagements? Was it considered a temporary detachment? Just seems like doing that would instantly create communication and coordination problems.

It was accidental. Robertson had been ordered to hold his left on the Emmitsburg Road and his right on Law. Law began drifting further to the right so Robertson ordered the 4th and 5th Texas to stick with Law and the 3rd Arkansas and 1st Texas to continue forward as ordered. Law would later shift the 44th and 48th Alabama to the left to plug the gap that opened between the two brigades.

R
 
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You might be interested in this. It's kind of long, but full of good info about the Texans at Gettysburg. It covers your question about Laws' and Robertson's as well.

http://npshistory.com/series/symposia/gettysburg_seminars/9/essay6.pdf
Read it tonight. Good and some times graphic stuff. A soldier in the 5th TX Inf,whose memoir I recently read,was mentioned several times. Events and the terrain itself caused Robertson and Law's Brigades to get separated,split and later reformed. Thanks again for the link.
 
Maybe it is just close to Halloween... but I just read a blurb in 'Struggle for the Round Tops' by Penny and Laine. And it made me think about the sounds coming from the valley between Weeds Hill and Devils Den. Hazlett's gunners laying by their pieces wrote of the moans, cries and shrieks of the wounded drifting 'up from the valley'.
The moon, according to the accounts, was very bright that night. Lt. Rittenhouse envisioned spirits of those recently departed "flitting back and forth from LRT to Devils Den all night long"

Then Law wanted to realign the division in the Devils Den area...
"about 2am July 3 when Law ordered Col. Work to withdraw the 1st Texas and 3rd Ark. from the crest of Houck's Ridge. Speaking of the eerie nature of of the moonlit night, Work later described his feelings as they inched along.
"This weird rocky glen destitute of vegetation appeared as the habitation of witches, hobgoblins, ghosts and devils to the Texans passing through it in the night to join the 4th and 5th TX about a 1/4 mile distant."

I had read the book years ago... never really remembered reading that page.
 
Maybe it is just close to Halloween... but I just read a blurb in 'Struggle for the Round Tops' by Penny and Laine. And it made me think about the sounds coming from the valley between Weeds Hill and Devils Den. Hazlett's gunners laying by their pieces wrote of the moans, cries and shrieks of the wounded drifting 'up from the valley'.
The moon, according to the accounts, was very bright that night. Lt. Rittenhouse envisioned spirits of those recently departed "flitting back and forth from LRT to Devils Den all night long"

Then Law wanted to realign the division in the Devils Den area...
"about 2am July 3 when Law ordered Col. Work to withdraw the 1st Texas and 3rd Ark. from the crest of Houck's Ridge. Speaking of the eerie nature of of the moonlit night, Work later described his feelings as they inched along.
"This weird rocky glen destitute of vegetation appeared as the habitation of witches, hobgoblins, ghosts and devils to the Texans passing through it in the night to join the 4th and 5th TX about a 1/4 mile distant."

I had read the book years ago... never really remembered reading that page.

Considering the ferocity of the fight along Houck's Ridge and the Valley of Death, those reactions are very understandable.

R
 
I don't know how learned I am but I believe they split by mistake also they were looking to Devils den to be their main objection however I am in the belief that even if they had taken both on one they would not been able to hold either spot for too long they did not plan on it and without supplies little round top was meaningless to them.
 
Read it tonight. Good and some times graphic stuff. A soldier in the 5th TX Inf,whose memoir I recently read,was mentioned several times. Events and the terrain itself caused Robertson and Law's Brigades to get separated,split and later reformed. Thanks again for the link.

Would that be Val C. Giles' Rags and Hope? If not, you should definitely check that one out! This deviation in the advance was shown in some very good maps in a recent thread here, but unfortunately I don't remember the title.
 
Would that be Val C. Giles' Rags and Hope?
It was this one:

51WQ0V9NG7L._SX304_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
 
I've read that one too, but don't own a copy and it was now eons ago. Get Giles' book too - you'll love it. He was from Waco (if I remember right) and was I think in Co. E of the 4th and served throughout the war, being wounded at Gaines' Mill and maybe elsewhere. I own that one but it's also been a long time since I read it other than just looking back at excerpts.
 
Since the 1st,4th and 5th TX Inf Regiments are the only ones I know of that ever served in the ANV and I'm a lifelong TX resident,I'm naturally interested in the Devil's Den and LRT. In the Confederate assaults on those 2 positions,why were Law's and Robertson's Brigades split up with half of each brigade attacking both positions? Was that a common practice in major ACW engagements? Was it considered a temporary detachment? Just seems like doing that would instantly create communication and coordination problems.
Am I incorrect in my continous support of Longstreet ,that the army should have not fought there?I being a believer in the War Horse,why Lee did not hault to observe the over all battlefield?Even Meade consider the opinions of his generals.As has been observed ,the North with their control of the high ground could observe the movement of troop and had a excellent communication system .It did not matter what Southern divisions or corps where doing Mead and his command could counter those moves thanks to men with flags.The trouble was that Lee was a victim of over confidence in his army? Quote Faud , a oversized Ego.His victories in Virginia caused these fellings in him. But Pa was not going to be Va.Lee and his army were invading the North .This was both a politcal and military BIG mistake.No longer were whe the Defenders of a way of life . We now were the evil Invaders.Whatever the reason Lee gave to himself and the Confederate government,what he did was to void any chance we had of no longer justifing our cause by not staying on the defence,Maryland was a border state not Northern ground. What this cost weremen and resources that the Confedercey did not have.Now the just part of Northern industry would be coming down on the Confedercey.
 
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Am I incorrect in my continous support of Longstreet ,that the army should have not fought there? Being a defensive minded as Longstreet ,was Lee's failure not to take time to really observe what forces he was facing?The issue really was not what division or corp was doing what,the issue was that Lee did not remember ,Chanclorville(sorry for the spelling).He was very fortunate that Meade did not use his reserves to move on him after the Charge.Lee chief mistake was his failure of over confidence in his Army to respond as it had in Virginia ,Pa. was not Va.Victory somestimes it seems tend to make one prone to over estamate.
I haven't read enough about Gettysburg to engage in informed discussion on that. That seems to me also to fall in the "What if....?" category and I stay away from those. I have a long way to go learning what actually did happen.
 
Am I incorrect in my continous support of Longstreet ,that the army should have not fought there?I being a believer in the War Horse,why Lee did not hault to observe the over all battlefield?Even Meade consider the opinions of his generals.As has been observed ,the North with their control of the high ground could observe the movement of troop and had a excellent communication system .It did not matter what Southern divisions or corps where doing Mead and his command could counter those moves thanks to men with flags.The trouble was that Lee was a victim of over confidence in his army? Quote Faud , a oversized Ego.His victories in Virginia caused these fellings in him. But Pa was not going to be Va.Lee and his army were invading the North .This was both a politcal and military BIG mistake.No longer were whe the Defenders of a way of life . We now were the evil Invaders.Whatever the reason Lee gave to himself and the Confederate government,what he did was to void any chance we had of no longer justifing our cause by not staying on the defence,Maryland was a border state not Northern ground. What this cost weremen and resources that the Confedercey did not have.Now the just part of Northern industry would be coming down on the Confedercey.

Believing that Lee should not have fought at Gettysburg is based on hindsight. Based on what he knew at the time, Lee made rational decisions. Was Lee overestimating his army? Possibly, but history had shown that his men were capable of some incredible things. In addition, at Gettysburg, his army was as strong as it would be during his tenure as commander so there may have been good reason for his beliefs.

Ryan
 
Am I incorrect in my continous support of Longstreet ,that the army should have not fought there?I being a believer in the War Horse,why Lee did not hault to observe the over all battlefield?Even Meade consider the opinions of his generals.As has been observed ,the North with their control of the high ground could observe the movement of troop and had a excellent communication system .It did not matter what Southern divisions or corps where doing Mead and his command could counter those moves thanks to men with flags.The trouble was that Lee was a victim of over confidence in his army? Quote Faud , a oversized Ego.His victories in Virginia caused these fellings in him. But Pa was not going to be Va.Lee and his army were invading the North .This was both a politcal and military BIG mistake.No longer were whe the Defenders of a way of life . We now were the evil Invaders.Whatever the reason Lee gave to himself and the Confederate government,what he did was to void any chance we had of no longer justifing our cause by not staying on the defence,Maryland was a border state not Northern ground. What this cost weremen and resources that the Confedercey did not have.Now the just part of Northern industry would be coming down on the Confedercey.
actually it was not such a big loss lee would keep the North out of Virginia for another nine months and feed is man for six months two out of three not bad and certainly not a total loss.
 
It was accidental. Robertson had been ordered to hold his left on the Emmitsburg Road and his right on Law. Law began drifting further to the right so Robertson ordered the 4th and 5th Texas to stick with Law and the 3rd Arkansas and 1st Texas to continue forward as ordered. Law would later shift the 44th and 48th Alabama to the left to plug the gap that opened between the two brigades.

R
This^^^^
 
If some texas troops hadn't been committed could devil's den and the ridge have been taken?
Can lrt be taken if houck's ridge isnt't? And the ridge by extension the wheatfield?
were the texans his reserves, arguably his best, sent in at pivotal points only to cone up a regiment short?
 
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