HeftyLefty04
Private
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2019
While the popular narrative of the engagements on July 2nd focuses almost solely on the action at the left end of the Federal fishhook (Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, Devil's Den, and Little Round Top), the action on the right end of the hook that took place during and after nightfall was undoubtedly just as consequential to the eventual outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg as the more famous "Longstreet vs. the III, V, and VI Corps" saga that unfolded on the left end earlier in the day.
There are numerous reasons why this inequity in historical attention might exist, the most obvious, in my opinion, being the wealth of primary sources left behind by men such as III Corps commander General Daniel Sickles, 20th Maine regimental commander Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and Confederate First Corps commander General James Longstreet. These men and others wrote about their experiences extensively, giving posterity a detailed blueprint of what happened on the southern end of the battlefield on July 2nd. On the other hand, we see far fewer primary sources coming from many of the major figures who fought on the right end of the fishhook atop Culp's Hill such as XII Corps commander General Henry Slocum, 137th New York regimental commander Colonel David Ireland, and Confederate Second Corps commander General Dick Ewell. I do believe that the disparity in available primary sources certainly contributed to the respective storylines of The Killer Angels and Gettysburg, which have defined the events at the left end of the Federal line as popular history's summary of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863.
With that being said, it is amazing just how similar the experiences of the 20th Maine (left flank of the Federal line) and the 137th New York (right flank of the Federal line) were on July 2nd. Early in the evening, the 20th Maine repelled the 15th Alabama and preserved the position of the Federal left via a downhill bayonet charge. Hours later, around 10 PM, the 137th New York preserved the position of the Federal right via two downhill bayonet charges that repelled the 10th and 23rd Virginia regiments (see maps showing the respective positions of the 20th Maine and 137th New York below; both maps sourced from Wikimedia).
As far as my research has brought me, I see incredible similarities in the experiences of the 20th Maine and 137th New York on July 2nd. Both regiments played pivotal, consequential roles at Gettysburg by successfully guarding the two flanks of the Federal line. Yet, the memory of the 20th Maine's gallant actions atop Little Round Top continues to thrive while the memory of the 137th New York's similar actions atop Culp's Hill is distant to nearly everyone who is not a dedicated Civil War buff or scholar.
Any further insights about the historiographical inequity between the Union's left and right flanks on July 2nd or the comparison between the 20th Maine and the 137th New York would be greatly appreciated!
There are numerous reasons why this inequity in historical attention might exist, the most obvious, in my opinion, being the wealth of primary sources left behind by men such as III Corps commander General Daniel Sickles, 20th Maine regimental commander Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and Confederate First Corps commander General James Longstreet. These men and others wrote about their experiences extensively, giving posterity a detailed blueprint of what happened on the southern end of the battlefield on July 2nd. On the other hand, we see far fewer primary sources coming from many of the major figures who fought on the right end of the fishhook atop Culp's Hill such as XII Corps commander General Henry Slocum, 137th New York regimental commander Colonel David Ireland, and Confederate Second Corps commander General Dick Ewell. I do believe that the disparity in available primary sources certainly contributed to the respective storylines of The Killer Angels and Gettysburg, which have defined the events at the left end of the Federal line as popular history's summary of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863.
With that being said, it is amazing just how similar the experiences of the 20th Maine (left flank of the Federal line) and the 137th New York (right flank of the Federal line) were on July 2nd. Early in the evening, the 20th Maine repelled the 15th Alabama and preserved the position of the Federal left via a downhill bayonet charge. Hours later, around 10 PM, the 137th New York preserved the position of the Federal right via two downhill bayonet charges that repelled the 10th and 23rd Virginia regiments (see maps showing the respective positions of the 20th Maine and 137th New York below; both maps sourced from Wikimedia).
As far as my research has brought me, I see incredible similarities in the experiences of the 20th Maine and 137th New York on July 2nd. Both regiments played pivotal, consequential roles at Gettysburg by successfully guarding the two flanks of the Federal line. Yet, the memory of the 20th Maine's gallant actions atop Little Round Top continues to thrive while the memory of the 137th New York's similar actions atop Culp's Hill is distant to nearly everyone who is not a dedicated Civil War buff or scholar.
Any further insights about the historiographical inequity between the Union's left and right flanks on July 2nd or the comparison between the 20th Maine and the 137th New York would be greatly appreciated!