Mule Train Charge/ Gettysburg Day 1

EJ Zander

Sergeant Major
Joined
Aug 23, 2011
Location
Gettysburg, PA
A painting by Don Stivers:
serviceontime.jpg


Thought this appropriate for the forum. I attached the link to a description of the mule teams delivery of much needed ammunition on Day 1.Its a great read.it also has a map of the path they took.
What makes this delivery something special is that it was done while under heavy fire and with mules no less. Mules do not like gun fire not to mention being driven out into the middle of a battle. The teams were kept at full throttle during their delivery only slowing to unload.
Their route was a big arc and took them from where they crested the rise at the Lutheran Seminary out on to the field. They made an arc towards Chambersburg Pike coming back towards town on the Pike.
The teams and drivers were subject to artillery fire. On wagon lost its rear axle . One mule had two of his legs taken off. The teams were pursued back towards town. Atleast one drivers assistant firing on the pursuers out the back the wagon.
I can only imagine what the drivers must have been thinking when they crested Seiminary Ridge and the whole view of the battlefield unfolded before them. Taking into account their knowledge of their mules dislike for that environment and the fact that once they went forward, considerable firepower would be brought upon them as their foe knew what their purpose was.
Exciting stuff.
Heres the link:
http://unionreenactor.com/Gburg assets/MuleTrainHerdegen.pdf
 

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Thought this appropriate for the forum. I attached the link to a description of the mule teams delivery of much needed ammunition on Day 1.Its a great read.it also has a map of the path they took.
What makes this delivery something special is that it was done while under heavy fire and with mules no less. Mules do not like gun fire not to mention being driven out into the middle of a battle. The teams were kept at full throttle during their delivery only slowing to unload.
Their route was a big arc and took them from where they crested the rise at the Lutheran Seminary out on to the field. They made an arc towards Chambersburg Pike coming back towards town on the Pike.
The teams and drivers were subject to artillery fire. On wagon lost its rear axle . One mule had two of his legs taken off. The teams were pursued back towards town. Atleast one drivers assistant firing on the pursuers out the back the wagon.
I can only imagine what the drivers must have been thinking when they crested Seiminary Ridge and the whole view of the battlefield unfolded before them. Taking into account their knowledge of their mules dislike for that environment and the fact that once they went forward, considerable firepower would be brought upon them as their foe knew what their purpose was.
Exciting stuff.
Heres the link:
http://unionreenactor.com/Gburg assets/MuleTrainHerdegen.pdf

An a painting by Don Stivers:
View attachment 136483
Interesting! Thanks for posting.
 
I am not sure when the program started but before some animals went to the AoP front they had their eardrums blown out. Wonder if some of these mules weren't some.
 
I am not sure when the program started but before some animals went to the AoP front they had their eardrums blown out. Wonder if some of these mules weren't some.
I think Hooker introduced mules before Chancellorsville but found that it did not work very well. I had not heard about the eardrums before, very interesting information.
 
Hooker tried to seperate the mules from the train. Sherman tried something similar on his expidition to Meridian, Ms. Each ultimately ended up with massive trains. Sherman's in '64 to Atlanta had nominally more than Grant in '64 to Richmond. Distance i guess.
The efficiency of deafening transport animals solves problems. Sadly. I suspect many were artillery animals who had a shortened life span anyway.
 
Great painting, excellent story, but one (perhaps dumb?) question: isn't the guy swinging a sledge hammer at the case of ammunition asking for a fiery death? A crowbar would have sufficed, perhaps, but would reduce the drama of the painting.
 
Great painting, excellent story, but one (perhaps dumb?) question: isn't the guy swinging a sledge hammer at the case of ammunition asking for a fiery death? A crowbar would have sufficed, perhaps, but would reduce the drama of the painting.

He's using the back end of an ax to break open the ammo crates. An ax against wood doesn't create too many sparks. :wink:

Ryan
 
Something i read many years ago. It was nothing but a sentence, and it was done with pistols with blanks iirc. It has always stuck with me. I have been thru so many scenarios in my mind of when/where/why and on who as in which horses. Cav?? Future teamsters? Anyway, i digress..
 
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