Taking the Stone Wall

[repman66]

I agree …. If anything it would have hindered the AoP even more. The buildings left standing were much more useful anyways. There are multiple instances (Warren's brigade in particular) where regiments used the shelter of buildings to hide from Confederate artillery…..Either Alfred Davenport or Tom Southwick…both of the 5th NY (sorry I know I'm citing them ALOT here!) cited Confederate Minnie balls wounding men in the ranks….the 5th remained east of the mill race



A Confederate ….. let me go back and get the exact wording of the account for you (give me an hour or so) (but it only talks about the wounding of his friend…so don't to get to excited over it)….. rebel sharpshooters are certainly present, especially in the opening attacks…..the men of Kimball's brigade mention the sharpshooters frequently…and enemy skirmishers.. the 5th NY accounts are much later in the day so I would need to examine if any of those dispositions changed.

The batteries went into action no more than 400-600 yards from the stone wall. They were hit by rifle fire from the stone wall. Considering the ground and thousands of rounds being fired and men being hit all the way down in the town ……. The buildings were cleared before the assault began there were no confederates (sans prisoners) in the town.

 

[67th Tigers]

The batteries went into action no more than 400-600 yards from the stone wall. They were hit by rifle fire from the stone wall. Considering the ground and thousands of rounds being fired and men being hit all the way down in the town ……. The buildings were cleared before the assault began there were no confederates (sans prisoners) in the town.

They were 1,000 yards or more from the enemy, per the battery commanders. Their casualties were:

1. Battery E, 4th Arty (Horse) - 3 KIA, 10 WIA (120 rounds expended), explicitly from arty
2. Battery A, 1st RI - 2 WIA (737 rounds expended)
3. Battery D, 1st NY Bn - 7 WIA (613 WIA) at 1,000 to 1,100 yds range
4. Battery C, 1st RI - 1 KIA (similar range to D/1st NY)
5. Battery B, 1st RI - 16 WIA at 150-200 yards from the enemy position
6. Battery G, 1st NY - 1 KIA and 5 WIA at 600 yards from the enemy position

Serials 1-4 were more than 1,000 yards from the stone wall, and the Dickenson gives the cause of his heavy casualties as the enemy artillery.

Serials 5 and 6 were advanced closer. Hazard's battery (ser. 5) advanced to the front with the infantry in an attempt to blast a hole through the enemy position, and was there for 45 minutes. Despite heavy casualties (16 WIA), the rate of casualties is thus about 1 man per 3 minutes. Even at less than 200 yards, the gunners were not simply shot down by riflemen.

Frank's battery were further back, and were not driven off. They maintained themselves in a position 600 yds from the enemy infantry several hours, with only 6 casualties.

Clearly, the gunners were not mowed down by long-range rifle fire...