infomanpa
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2017
- Location
- Pennsylvania
I am having great difficulty understanding how troops for both sides could see enough to be effective in battle. At Gettysburg, in early July, 1863 the sun would have set around 7:35 PM, local time. On July 2, a battle raged on Culps Hill, but it probably didn't begin until about an hour after sundown. Now, I don't know about you, but when I try to do anything outdoors, in the woods, an hour after sundown, I can hardly see anything! Granted, the moon was almost full that night, BUT it didn't rise until the beginning of the engagement, so it would not have been a factor in illuminating the ground. In addition, keep in mind that Culps Hill was wooded, and trees very effectively block out most night time illumination from the sky. And I haven't even mentioned the growing clouds of smoke from the rifle fire.
I can only conclude that the soldiers fired blindly into the area where they saw musket bursts of flame. What are your thoughts on this?
I can only conclude that the soldiers fired blindly into the area where they saw musket bursts of flame. What are your thoughts on this?