Repulse of Robertson’s Brigade in the Rose Woods in the Opening Attack on July 2

Part of the answer has to do with Burling's presumed position and the fact that neither command acknowledges the close presence of the other. The other consideration is the subsequent location of what I think was the 115th Pennsylvania to the right rear of the 17th. There is also no need to invent another fence in that corner; presumably the rails were already down on the ground and employed to protect the refused right of the 17th. If the 17th was further eastward along the wall, I see no reason why Anderson's men could not have reached the western end of the wall and used its protection to pry the 17th loose from it.

Incidentally, I have made since made some changes to that base map to include adding a strip of woods along the east border of the Wheatfield and removing some woods in front of the Stony Hill to the SW corner of the Wheatfield, and changed some wood fence to stone wall, based on participant accounts.
 
Part of the answer has to do with Burling's presumed position and the fact that neither command acknowledges the close presence of the other. The other consideration is the subsequent location of what I think was the 115th Pennsylvania to the right rear of the 17th. There is also no need to invent another fence in that corner; presumably the rails were already down on the ground and employed to protect the refused right of the 17th. If the 17th was further eastward along the wall, I see no reason why Anderson's men could not have reached the western end of the wall and used its protection to pry the 17th loose from it.

Incidentally, I have made since made some changes to that base map to include adding a strip of woods along the east border of the Wheatfield and removing some woods in front of the Stony Hill to the SW corner of the Wheatfield, and changed some wood fence to stone wall, based on participant accounts.
I agree that there is doubt that woods existed between Stony Hill and Rose Woods.
 
I agree that there is doubt that woods existed between Stony Hill and Rose Woods.
There may have been some bushes and low growth through there, but extant accounts suggest the view was more or less unobstructed between the hill and the woods, although a patch of elders is described off the right flank of the 17th Maine. In addition, it was quite boggy ground along Rose Run, at least portions along where the 8th Georgia fought, a natural barrier that favored the Federal defenders.
 
There may have been some bushes and low growth through there, but extant accounts suggest the view was more or less unobstructed between the hill and the woods, although a patch of elders is described off the right flank of the 17th Maine. In addition, it was quite boggy ground along Rose Run, at least portions along where the 8th Georgia fought, a natural barrier that favored the Federal defenders.
Today, they have built culverts to handle the small rivulet that drains that area. I'm sure that before that was built, the area was pretty marshy.
 
There may have been some bushes and low growth through there, but extant accounts suggest the view was more or less unobstructed between the hill and the woods, although a patch of elders is described off the right flank of the 17th Maine. In addition, it was quite boggy ground along Rose Run, at least portions along where the 8th Georgia fought, a natural barrier that favored the Federal defenders.
While we are on the subject of woods in the area, I notice that your base map does not include the current day wooded area which extends another 100 yards north from Rose Woods, along the east wall of the Wheatfield. The oldest maps include these woods, but more modern ones do not. Evidently, the NPS decided to maintain the woods. What is your opinion?
 
While we are on the subject of woods in the area, I notice that your base map does not include the current day wooded area which extends another 100 yards north from Rose Woods, along the east wall of the Wheatfield. The oldest maps include these woods, but more modern ones do not. Evidently, the NPS decided to maintain the woods. What is your opinion?
My updated map adds that section of woods, which one participant described as the "point of woods." I also added a "narrow strip of woods" (as Lt. Minnigh of the 1st PA Reserves described it) extending northward from that point a short distance, which I think today is likely wider than existed during the battle.
 
Back
Top