Foto Friday 3/8

[ARW]

It's time for a little Trench Warfare. These are from the Muelshoe Salient at Spotsylvania.

 

[JOHN42768]

Thanks for the post

 

[1stMN]

When I think trenches, I think Petersburg...precursor to WWI!

 

[Pat Young]

It's time for a little Trench Warfare. These are from the Muelshoe Salient at Spotsylvania.


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I was there four years ago for the anniversary. Thanks for the photos.

 

[bankerpapaw]

Lord, just think of the blood spilled there.

 

[Northern Light]

It's time for a little Trench Warfare. These are from the Muelshoe Salient at Spotsylvania.


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When we went to Spottsylvania and saw the sign for trenches, I was puzzled as they seemed so small, unlike the trenches of the First World War. I imagine when you were lying behind them, they were plenty big enough though.

 

[Jimklag]

Cold Harbor

 

[Jimklag]

Fort Stevens in Washington

 

[Jimklag]

Spotsylvania

 

[Jimklag]

The Wilderness

 

[Jimklag]

Petersburg

 

[Jimklag]

Fort McAllister - Savannah, GA

 

[mt155]

Fort Donelson

Approach to Ft. Garrott at Vicksburg

 

[James N.]

When we went to Spottsylvania and saw the sign for trenches, I was puzzled as they seemed so small, unlike the trenches of the First World War. I imagine when you were lying behind them, they were plenty big enough though.

What you're seeing in these photos of Spotsylvania and the other places is all that remains after a century-and-a-half; although most trench lines in the Civil War weren't as well-developed as those in WWI they were a lot larger and deeper than they appear today. My photos show the reconstructed Petersburg trenches from the TV miniseries The North and The South, Part II constructed for the film on a ranch outside Natchez, Mississippi and give a reasonable idea of what the trenches at Petersburg looked like during the war. Note in the photo above the massive Confederate Fort Mahone on the horizon covering the entire cleared space.

Above, Union troops before the assault; notice here the log facings of the works at right.

Above, the assault of April 2, 1865 on Fort Mahone as seen from inside the Federal works.

Above and below, Union artillery gun positions, which should have been more protected than this shows. Note how the inside of the works are here lined with planed or milled lumber to prevent the trenches from collapsing.

Notice below the wicker baskets filled with earth called gabions piled up between the gun emplacements as traverses to protect adjoining crews in case of an explosion within the works.

Below, a bomb-proof powder magazine behind the lines in which to store ammunition where it hopefully wouldn't be blown up by stray shells!

 

[Jimklag]

When we went to Spottsylvania and saw the sign for trenches, I was puzzled as they seemed so small, unlike the trenches of the First World War. I imagine when you were lying behind them, they were plenty big enough though.

In 1864, the trenches were generally dug about waist deep, or maybe a couple inches deeper, with logs piled on top to make them come up to about chin height. What you see today is what's left after 150 years where farmers have worked and wind/rain have eroded the soldiers' work.

 

[ARW]

At the Wilderness

 

[luinrina]

These photos show the reconstructed Petersburg trenches from the TV miniseries The North and The South, Part II

James, can I assume from these photos that you were in the series too? I suppose I'll have to watch the Petersburg episode again to find you!

 

[jackt62]

VI Corps Breakthrough at Petersburg lines, April 2, 1865

 

[James N.]

James, can I assume from these photos that you were in the series too? I suppose I'll have to watch the Petersburg episode again to find you!

Don't bother - I wouldn't want to wish the ordeal of watching that tripe on any of the regular members of this forum! Besides, you'd never see me anyway, as I was only one of the extras in the deep background; anything else wound up on the proverbial cutting room floor.

 

[Cavalry Charger]

I'm wondering about the other defenses at the works. When you see the measures taken to defend their positions (not just dirt, but deadly looking wooden 'spears' embedded in the ground) at times they look impregnable to me. I'd say not a few injuries occurred because of these, but how on earth did they overrun them?