Brigade deployments at Gettysburg

[Cavalier]

It appears to me that by the time of Gettysburg, when advancing into battle, the AoP was usually deploying their brigades in two lines. Two or three regiments in the first line, supported by the balance of the brigade in the second line. Whereas the AoNV seems to have deployed their brigades in a single line of regiments, with the supporting second line being another brigade deployed similarly.

I know this was not always done in either army but it seems to have been very common, at least at Gettysburg.

If correct was there a formal protocol dictating this in either army?

John

 

[infomanpa]

It appears to me that by the time of Gettysburg, when advancing into battle, the AoP was usually deploying their brigades in two lines. Two or three regiments in the first line, supported by the balance of the brigade in the second line. Whereas the AoNV seems to have deployed their brigades in a single line of regiments, with the supporting second line being another brigade deployed similarly.

I know this was not always done in either army but it seems to have been very common, at least at Gettysburg.

If correct was there a formal protocol dictating this in either army?

John

I've always assumed that historical protocol was to have a unit in reserve in the second line.

 

[Coonewah Creek]

It appears to me that by the time of Gettysburg, when advancing into battle, the AoP was usually deploying their brigades in two lines. Two or three regiments in the first line, supported by the balance of the brigade in the second line. Whereas the AoNV seems to have deployed their brigades in a single line of regiments, with the supporting second line being another brigade deployed similarly.

I know this was not always done in either army but it seems to have been very common, at least at Gettysburg.

If correct was there a formal protocol dictating this in either army?

John

I would assume that preferably a brigade commander would always like to have reserve regiments in a second line, but then again, it would depend how much "frontage" his brigade was expected to occupy. At around 2 ft of frontage per man, if a division-level or larger attack on a broad front were called for, there may have been a need for all regiments to deploy abreast. This would increase the brigade commander's command and control difficulty versus a second line if he operated from the interior of the "box" created with say two up and two back as it would minimize the communication distance between him and his regimental commanders. If he decided to lead from the front, I'm not sure it would matter nearly as much.

 

[Cavalier]

@infomanpa and @Coonewah Creek Well the Confederates seem to deploy their brigades almost habitually in single lines supported by another brigade similarly deployed behind them. the union however does not seem to be as rigid in their deployments. I was just wondering if there was some policy regarding this, in either army.

But I do understand the requirements of frontage that had to be met. In any case thanks for your replies.

John