Little Round Top-August 1863-T&N

Appears as if LRT has "flattened" over the years. 1863 is a steeper hill.

150 years of erosion perhaps.

It's an optical illusion caused by the camera angle and the surrounding landscape. If there has been any flattening, we are talking inches at best. The kind of rock that underlies the round tops erodes very slowly. You would not notice the difference in 150 years. If you examine many of Greg's before and after pictures involving rocks, you will see that the rocks remain almost unchanged.
 
thank you for the pictures. But no a serious question it may be blasphemy but can someone show me why little round top was so important. I always felt Cemetery Hill was the key. I am certainly not looking for an argument just faxed if someone can point out to me what made little round top such a do or die position thank you.

As Hazlett proved in getting his 4 Parrotts up Little Round Top before Hood's 4th Texas could reach the top....
artillery could be run up the eminence. If Strong Vincent, Paddy O'Rourke, Hazlett Stephen Weed, Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine don't save Round Top......the Rebs put Longstreet's Ist corps guns, (and the ones they captured in the
Peach Orchard and the Wheatfield) on LIttle round top. Those guns shoot straight down the flank on Cemetry Hill, which is then untenable .....all the way up to the angle.
 
As Hazlett proved in getting his 4 Parrotts up Little Round Top before Hood's 4th Texas could reach the top....
artillery could be run up the eminence. If Strong Vincent, Paddy O'Rourke, Hazlett Stephen Weed, Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine don't save Round Top......the Rebs put Longstreet's Ist corps guns, (and the ones they captured in the
Peach Orchard and the Wheatfield) on LIttle round top. Those guns shoot straight down the flank on Cemetry Hill, which is then untenable .....all the way up to the angle.

LRT isn't much of an artillery platform when trying to fire north. Hazlett's guns didn't fire at Pickett's men the next day much after they passed the Emmitsburg Road because they simply couldn't traverse far enough north. If Longstreet was able to hold LRT, a huge if by the way, his artillery wasn't going to be able to fire along Cemetery Ridge because of the lay of the ground on the hill.

Ryan
 
It's an optical illusion caused by the camera angle and the surrounding landscape. If there has been any flattening, we are talking inches at best. The kind of rock that underlies the round tops erodes very slowly. You would not notice the difference in 150 years. If you examine many of Greg's before and after pictures involving rocks, you will see that the rocks remain almost unchanged.
Thanks. Looking more closely,I think the Park road reduced the apparent steepness toward the top of LRT and the current tree growth obscures the current,visible, summit vs. the 1863 summit.
 
As Hazlett proved in getting his 4 Parrotts up Little Round Top before Hood's 4th Texas could reach the top....
artillery could be run up the eminence. If Strong Vincent, Paddy O'Rourke, Hazlett Stephen Weed, Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine don't save Round Top......the Rebs put Longstreet's Ist corps guns, (and the ones they captured in the
Peach Orchard and the Wheatfield) on LIttle round top. Those guns shoot straight down the flank on Cemetry Hill, which is then untenable .....all the way up to the angle.
like I said from the beginning looking for a honest discussion.. I had been on Little round top and I've never seen a direct line down cemetery Ridge if there is one please pointed out to me and I do appreciate it. where the trees from the right always there they look to me as if they could be a problem for the straight line and I do thank you for your remarks all the help appreciated.
 
like I said from the beginning looking for a honest discussion.. I had been on Little round top and I've never seen a direct line down cemetery Ridge if there is one please pointed out to me and I do appreciate it. where the trees from the right always there they look to me as if they could be a problem for the straight line and I do thank you for your remarks all the help appreciated.

If you look at my picture, it is taken from near the crest of LRT at the rocks where the Signal Corps plaque is located. The red arrow points to the Pennsylvania Monument which is on Cemetery Ridge. Beyond that on the horizon, to the right of the PA Monument, Cemetery Hill is visible. There's your direct line.
Capture.PNG
 
If you look at my picture, it is taken from near the crest of LRT at the rocks where the Signal Corps plaque is located. The red arrow points to the Pennsylvania Monument which is on Cemetery Ridge. Beyond that on the horizon, to the right of the PA Monument, Cemetery Hill is visible. There's your direct line.
View attachment 142858
thank you for the picture it gives me a clearer look do you think from where the 20th Maine was they would've had the same view..
 
If I understand your question correctly, the answer is not at all. The 20th was on the spur at the very left of the line. There is no line of sight from their position to this spot.
that's all I was thinking were they in position I appreciate the people on this page giving me feedback. Like I have said from the beginning not a argument but a discussion on tactical positions. And I thank you for your answer.
 
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