Did either side ever employ "Reverse Slope" Tactics?

[Luke Freet]

For a war being fought with slightly updated Napoleonic-era tactics, I am curious why I rarely ever read about units utilizing reverse slopes like Wellington was known to use in the Peninsular War. I'm guessing my readings aren't 100% and I may have missed a battle or two where one side or the other did just that. I imagine it would have been much more useful for the Confederates, who generally had poorer artillery compared to the Union and lacked a lot of entrenching equipment. This may be colored by my readings on the Army of Tennessee, who were worse off than their Virginian counterparts, but from what I had read, it seems they suffered heavily during the Atlanta Campaign from Union artillery, which often drove them out of positions as often as flanking maneuvers did.

 

[gjpratt]

Off the top of my head I can think of a couple of purely tactical uses of a reverse slope position. Streight positioned his line on the reverse slope of a slight ridge at his first stand against Forrest at Day's Gap. And at Cross Keys, the 8th NY Infantry met disaster from the reverse slope positioning of Trimble's brigade. I am sure there are many other examples that occurred at tactical levels during bigger engagements. Like the 12th and 16th KY and 8th TN in reserve in the swale behind the cotton gin at Franklin.

 

[RedRover]

The positioning to troops on reverse slopes was standard. If it wasn't mentioned very often, it was likely because it was common and unworthy of comment. Skirmish lines, etc. could form forward in "rifle pits" or behind fences, etc.

This was just as with Wellington's modes, as at Waterloo in 1815...

Just so in the 1860s.


McClellan at Malvern Hill...

Lee's reserves on the reverse slope at Fredericksburg... (from Gen. A.L. Long of his staff)...

Meade at Gettysburg...

General Early, post-war, quotes Gen. A.L. Long, late of General Lee's staff regarding the failure to secure the Cemetery Hill on July 1...

From Long's letter...

General Hunt, the Union artillery commander, regarding Meade's infantry on the reverse slope during the great bombardment preceding Pickett's charge on the 3rd of July...

Prior to Pickett's attack, his own troops were positioned on the reverse slopes about Seminary ridge for cover.

From the US Army and Navy Journal, 1864...

Hickenlooper's battery at Shiloh suffered for not employing the reverse slope in the customary manner was rather ill considered...

In the heavily wooded and uneven country in northern Georgia during the Atlanta campaign, both sides made use of the reverse slopes generally... and the cover of the hollows. Gen. Sherman wrote home of the Battle of Atlanta, July 22nd..

At Kennessaw, Johnston's army was formed on reverse slopes, viz. covered by the high ground.

In the attack, some of McCooks' fourteenth corps after its advance, made some of the taken ground as reverse slope for cover.

But there were distinctions developing from Wellington's time. From Henry Schaw, in 1870, an observation that newer pattern rifled artillery made "reverse slope" positions almost as dangerous as the summit... and would have rendered Wellington's reverse slope cover at Waterloo a dangerous space...

For example, from the Battle of Dewetsdorp, South Africa, in 1900, the Boer rifled shells struck largely upon the British reserves covered by the reverse slopes...

 

[uaskme]

Thomas at Chickamauga around Kelly Field on the 20th.

 

[JerryD]

I'd think the Sunken Road at Antietam would be a good example of utilizing a reverse slope.

 

[Mississippian1861]

Harker's Brigade on Sept 20th at Chickamauga, Stone's Brigade on July 1st at Gettysburg.

 

[tony_gunter]

Reverse slope was used by both sides at Port Gibson and Champion Hill, but I don't remember anyone finding it remarkable enough to really mention it.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Just to clarify: what does "reserve slope tactics" mean in this context?

Deploying your line of battle slightly behind the military crest, such that the infantry can see and shoot over the crest while receiving partial cover against enemy fire?

Or hiding your forces on the reverse slope, entirely out of sight, to deceive the enemy about your numbers?

 

[Sheltowee]

Perhaps not the reverse slope in discussion- but certainly related.

Photo is of Churchill's draw at Richmond, Ky. Showing a stream ravine located in the second line of trees.

Thomas Churchill used the reverse slope of this ravine/ draw to conceal the movement of his division of Texans.

They popped up on the Federal right flank- and the rout was on.

 

[uaskme]

Just to clarify: what does "reserve slope tactics" mean in this context?

Deploying your line of battle slightly behind the military crest, such that the infantry can see and shoot over the crest while receiving partial cover against enemy fire?

Or hiding your forces on the reverse slope, entirely out of sight, to deceive the enemy about your numbers?

Probably both.

Wood's Division on the 20th at Chickamauga was in a reverse slope defense before he moved. Geographical crest was too close to the tree line opposite the State Road. Which would have allowed the Confederates to mass and possibly overrun them.

Don't think any of this was unusual.

 

[67th Tigers]

Just to clarify: what does "reserve slope tactics" mean in this context?

Deploying your line of battle slightly behind the military crest, such that the infantry can see and shoot over the crest while receiving partial cover against enemy fire?

Or hiding your forces on the reverse slope, entirely out of sight, to deceive the enemy about your numbers?

Wellington deployed his infantry on the reverse slope to keep them out of the enemy artillery fire. Batteries and skirmishers would be deployed forward to engage the enemy. If the French went to assault them as the enemy assaulting column climbed the ridge, once they screened their own guns, the British or allied infantry would move forward, deliver one volley at close range, and then charge with the bayonet. It was important not to get carried away with the charge, but to reform and return to the reverse.

I highly recommend https://www.amazon.com/Forward-into-Battle-Fighting-Waterloo/dp/0891414711?tag=civilwartalkc-20

 

[RedRover]

Just to clarify: what does "reserve slope tactics" mean in this context?

Deploying your line of battle slightly behind the military crest, such that the infantry can see and shoot over the crest while receiving partial cover against enemy fire?

Or hiding your forces on the reverse slope, entirely out of sight, to deceive the enemy about your numbers?

In the Napoleonic wars, Wellington would mask his strength by placing a large reserve on the reverse of the slopes. For example, when the French attacked, say in columns of attack, (sometimes very large) they wouldn't know exactly when to deploy into line of battle, and the troops on the reverse slope would counterattack or open fire into them and break them up before they could do so...
It was generally understood troops in column of attack could not deploy into line simultaneous to being raked with fire without confusion.

Forming reserves, composed even of much of one's strength, on the reverse slope, was something of a means of ambushing attacking columns advancing onto the summit from the forward slopes.

Perfected in the Spanish campaigns by Wellington, and employed at Waterloo... Sir John William Fortescue, put it simply...

The Battle of Busaco, Portugal in 1810 was a case in point...

Pickett's charge at Gettysburg was similar. The Union infantry, largely on the reverse slope of Cemetery Ridge, fired in onto the head of the massive assault column as it came over the angle and copse of trees, and once recoiled counterattacked...

Regarding the "military crest" etc. this regarded defensive lines on a piece of high ground relative to their fire. The "military crest" so-called, being a point on the "forward slope" (rather than the reverse slope on the other side of the summit) where their fire could potentially sweep the foot of the forward slope, without allowing too much of a "defilade" to the enemy to form/reform in relative safety preparatory to a final assault.
From 1914:

Pickett's charge was preceded by a heavy artillery fire upon the forward slopes and summit of Cemetery Ridge, and advanced behind a strong line of skirmishers, clearing some of the Union artillery and skirmishers, etc., from the "military crest" or forward slopes of cemetery ridge so that the advancing forces were able to find defilade in front of the angle and copse of trees to form into the massive assault column to advance over the summit...

When Webb says "several lines of battle" this is described by others as a large "column of regiments"... as illustrated by Col. Hall's map of the attack (the large formation into column of regiments "many ranks deep" highlighted)...

But they met Meade's infantry formed on the reverse slope... which lines closed upon the head and flanks of the massive attack column... and repulsed it with fire and counterattack.


At Missionary ridge, the Confederate rifle pits with skirmishers were at the foot of the ridge, and the main lines on the natural rather than the military crest... which allowed the Union attack to close upon them boldly with comparatively few casualties, and rush over them...

But Bragg had no large reserve on the reverse slope (being stretched thin) so Bragg relied wholly upon holding the summit...

...but once the Union army reached the summit through Bragg's broken lines, they found only his flying forces down and off the ridge.

 

[DixieRifles]

Just to clarify: what does "reserve slope tactics" mean in this context?

Deploying your line of battle slightly behind the military crest, such that the infantry can see and shoot over the crest while receiving partial cover against enemy fire?

Or hiding your forces on the reverse slope, entirely out of sight, to deceive the enemy about your numbers?

Good question. We need to clarify the terms.
I am familiar reading about Wellington's infantry being placed on the reverse slope and I understood this to mean he wanted to avoid casualties from long range Artillery.
If there was only a threat from infantry fire or attack, I assumed he wanted his troops in place so they can return fire and make counter movements.
Also the reverse slope could be used to conceal your movements or preparations to go on the offense.
I dont see this the same as an active defensive position created by rifle pits or earthworks.

 

[Will Carry]

At Stones River, Bragg ordered an attack late in the afternoon January 2 to chase Beatty's division back across Stones River. He ordered his men to chase the Yankees off the hill then get down on the reverse slope and prepared for the counterattack. Once they beat off the counterattack it would be dark and Bragg planned on bringing to bear as much artillery as he could through the night, to give Old Rosey a morning surprise. Those Southern boys chased Beatty's men off the hill, but did not stop. They kept going and entered the kill zone of Union artillery. They were slaughtered; the Union counterattack recaptured the hill before dark. This could have been one of Braxton Braggs big victories had the sun come up with Rosecrans looking down the barrels of Confederate cannon. Rhea is the expert on that battle.

 

[uaskme]

Good question. We need to clarify the terms.
I am familiar reading about Wellington's infantry being placed on the reverse slope and I understood this to mean he wanted to avoid casualties from long range Artillery.
If there was only a threat from infantry fire or attack, I assumed he wanted his troops in place so they can return fire and make counter movements.
Also the reverse slope could be used to conceal your movements or preparations to go on the offense.
I dont see this the same as an active defensive position created by rifle pits or earthworks.

Had both. Reverse slope and fortifications or rifle pits. For defense.

Evening of the 19th at Chickamauga, Confederates went into a reverse slope defense. Next morning, they attacked. Has a lot to do with the terrain. At Chickamauga it was a series of short rises and falling into another rise.

 

[gary]

Upton's Attack at the Mule Shoe. They were exposed when they first advanced. Then his men entered a dip in the ground that hid them and allowed them to approach the Confederate lines unseen. The Confederates got only one volley off before Upton's men overran them. Walk the ground and you'll see it yourself.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

I'd think the Sunken Road at Antietam would be a good example of utilizing a reverse slope.

Particularly Kimball's brigade on the reverse slope of the ridge overlooking the Sunken Road. I would also point to Greene's two brigades on the Dunker Church plateau in repelling Kershaw's and Manning's attacks, and later Irwin's brigade using the same reverse slope mainly for cover from artillery fire in the afternoon.

 

[Old Soldier]

I think the question was more around using the reserve slope deliberately to prevent an advance or the taking of prepared positions - as Wellington did at Waterloo, behind La Haye Sainte and Hougoumont. rather than using it just as shelter from fire. His troops were in formation and ready to go, not 'just' sheltering. A quick search produced:

Wellington used a reverse slope defense at Waterloo to shield his troops from the devastating, direct-fire French artillery and to hide the true strength and position of his army from Napoleon. By positioning his men behind the Mont Saint-Jean ridge, Wellington neutralized the French advantage in cannons, prevented the enemy from gauging his line, and forced them to crest the hill to engage, at which point they were met with sudden, concentrated musket volleys. (my emphasis)

IOW - he hid a large number of his troops from direct observation while the enemy attacked prepared defensive positions. They were in the open, in formation and they were ready to go. Some of these accounts describe basically accidents of routing an advance rather than a deliberate positioning.

**Trouble is, you cannot even see that ground now as there is a motorway - the 'Brussels Ring' (RO) running through the British and Alied positions as well as suburbs of Braine-Alleud!

 

[67th Tigers]

**Trouble is, you cannot even see that ground now as there is a motorway - the 'Brussels Ring' (RO) running through the British and Alied positions as well as suburbs of Braine-Alleud!

When Wellington visited Waterloo a few years later to see the memorial mound, he was horrified that the ridge had been leveled to provide the earth for it!

 

[milhistbuff1]

For a war being fought with slightly updated Napoleonic-era tactics, I am curious why I rarely ever read about units utilizing reverse slopes like Wellington was known to use in the Peninsular War. I'm guessing my readings aren't 100% and I may have missed a battle or two where one side or the other did just that. I imagine it would have been much more useful for the Confederates, who generally had poorer artillery compared to the Union and lacked a lot of entrenching equipment. This may be colored by my readings on the Army of Tennessee, who were worse off than their Virginian counterparts, but from what I had read, it seems they suffered heavily during the Atlanta Campaign from Union artillery, which often drove them out of positions as often as flanking maneuvers did.

Late to this but JW Hunt's Rappahannock book mentions it being used by Upton's attacking force taking Early's entrenchments on the north bank.