The Swales Between the Ridges

[Gettysburg Greg]

As I have previously pointed out, as the long lines of Confederates crossed the open field between Seminary and Cemetery Ridges during Pickett's Charge, they appeared to disappear into the ground and then rise up again as they passed through a number of deep swales according to many of the Union soldiers watching the advance. On the previous evening, July 2nd, 1863, General Ambrose Wright's Brigade crossed the same open ground encountering the same swales. However, General Wright men utilized the swales to their advantage by reforming their lines in the relative safety at the bottom of the swale, then rushed over the next rise until again reforming in the next swale. Where Pickett's men remained steadfast in formation passing through the undulations, Wright's Brigade rushed helter-skelter from one depression to the next all the way across the field to the Emmitsburg Road. General Wright described this tactic in a letter written to his wife on July 7th, 1863.
"We rushed down the hillside and reaching the valley found it was broken by a series of small ridges and hollows, (swales) running parallel with the enemy's line on the mountain; (Cemetery Ridge) and in the first of these depressions or hollows our line paused for breath. Then we rushed over the next ridge into the succeeding hollow, and thus we worked our way across that terrible field for more than a mile, under the most furious fire of artillery I had ever seen."
Below is my photo of the fence line running towards Cemetery Ridge taken near the Virginia Monument where Wright's Georgians stepped off that clearly shows the swales passed through by both Pickett's men on July 3rd, and Wright's Brigade on July 2nd. I found it interesting picturing Pickett's men marching directly through the swales while Wright's men scurried across each rise to the relative safety of the next depression.

 

[reading48]

I have walked that field a few times, every time you come out of the depressions as you get closer the Union Cannon seem to get larger and more menacing looking.

 

[MRB1863]

Great illustration on how the terrain undulates!

 

[bdtex]

You can see the undulations in the fence.

 

[gjpratt]

I have walked that field a few times, every time you come out of the depressions as you get closer the Union Cannon seem to get larger and more menacing looking.

Ditto

 

[infomanpa]

As I have previously pointed out, as the long lines of Confederates crossed the open field between Seminary and Cemetery Ridges during Pickett's Charge, they appeared to disappear into the ground and then rise up again as they passed through a number of deep swales according to many of the Union soldiers watching the advance. On the previous evening, July 2nd, 1863, General Ambrose Wright's Brigade crossed the same open ground encountering the same swales. However, General Wright men utilized the swales to their advantage by reforming their lines in the relative safety at the bottom of the swale, then rushed over the next rise until again reforming in the next swale. Where Pickett's men remained steadfast in formation passing through the undulations, Wright's Brigade rushed helter-skelter from one depression to the next all the way across the field to the Emmitsburg Road. General Wright described this tactic in a letter written to his wife on July 7th, 1863.
"We rushed down the hillside and reaching the valley found it was broken by a series of small ridges and hollows, (swales) running parallel with the enemy's line on the mountain; (Cemetery Ridge) and in the first of these depressions or hollows our line paused for breath. Then we rushed over the next ridge into the succeeding hollow, and thus we worked our way across that terrible field for more than a mile, under the most furious fire of artillery I had ever seen."
Below is my photo of the fence line running towards Cemetery Ridge taken near the Virginia Monument where Wright's Georgians stepped off that clearly shows the swales passed through by both Pickett's men on July 3rd, and Wright's Brigade on July 2nd. I found it interesting picturing Pickett's men marching directly through the swales while Wright's men scurried across each rise to the relative safety of the next depression.

Great illustration on how the terrain undulates!

You can see the undulations in the fence.

Greg, are you aware that you began a thread on April 22 of this year with the exact same text and picture? I'm pointing that out only to get your response to several of us who had some concerns that this photo was modified or "enhanced."

Please begin reading at post #29, on the old thread

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/ho...en-seminary-and-cemetery-ridges.194674/page-2

 

[neyankee61]

The years the Army spent at Camp Colt running tanks over it certainly must have changed the terrain. Many of the swales we see today may have been deeper and more numerous.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

Greg, are you aware that you began a thread on April 22 of this year with the exact same text and picture? I'm pointing that out only to get your response to several of us who had some concerns that this photo was modified or "enhanced."

Please begin reading at post #29, on the old thread

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/ho...en-seminary-and-cemetery-ridges.194674/page-2

View attachment 451912

No problem, it looks obvious to me that my photo was taken looking right down the fence line, while the photo on the right is quite a bit to the right. No enhancement needed. Check out this then and now of mine looking from Cemetery Ridge. The photo is Tipton's 1882 pic and my modern photo-same swales.

 

[EJ Zander]

Wait did I just hear Greg drop the mic.

 

[Merlin1066]

Im always amazed at how deep those little valleys are when you walk across there. Then when you reach the top and look across where the Union lines were, my god, I cant even imagine what that could have been like for the Southern soldiers. It's not something you can experience from a book

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

Wait did I just hear Greg drop the mic.

I have no problem with questions or a contradictory opinion-however, I draw the line at accusations of purposely mis-leading or photoshopping an image for effect.

 

[EJ Zander]

I have no problem with questions or a contradictory opinion-however, I draw the line at accusations of purposely mis-leading or photoshopping an image for effect.

Totally agree. Always enjoy your content. Keep your foot on the throttle and please keep it comin.

 

[infomanpa]

I have no problem with questions or a contradictory opinion-however, I draw the line at accusations of purposely mis-leading or photoshopping an image for effect.

I want to make sure that it's clear that I did not mean to accuse you of purposely mis-leading. No offense intended. I enjoy your "then and now" posts. I wasn't sure where you got the image and wanted to clarify. I still believe that the picture in question has been modified based on the exaggerated undulations and a close examination of the apparent smearing of the adjacent areas around the fence line. My picture is only about 6 feet more to the left and I can't see how it would make that much of a difference in viewpoint.

 

[Dr. Stephen Law]

A similar phenomenon can be experienced walking in the footsteps of the poorly led attack of Iverson's Brigade. My April '22 photo here, on Forney's Field, looks east through the swale, to the swell of Oak Ridge where Baxter's men are preparing a devastating surprise volley.

 

[Gettysburg Greg]

I want to make sure that it's clear that I did not mean to accuse you of purposely mis-leading. No offense intended. I enjoy your "then and now" posts. I wasn't sure where you got the image and wanted to clarify. I still believe that the picture in question has been modified based on the exaggerated undulations and a close examination of the apparent smearing of the adjacent areas around the fence line. My picture is only about 6 feet more to the left and I can't see how it would make that much of a difference in viewpoint.

Thanks, but didn't take it that way-I appreciate any related questions and always try to respect any difference of opinion.

 

[121st PA Vols]

It gets dicey with photography, angles, distortion, shadows etc. But it clears up if you walk the field and see for yourself. The best photograph in the world can't top that.

 

[gjpratt]

It gets dicey with photography, angles, distortion, shadows etc. But it clears up if you walk the field and see for yourself. The best photograph in the world can't top that.

I was about to say the same thing. I have walked it and experienced those swales first hand.

 

[Gettysburg Guide #154]

The Tipton photograph from 1882 is important. A lot has happened on that field between the time of the attacks of Wright and Pickett/Pettigrew/Trimble and the present time. This ground was traversed by Railroad tracks; it hosted the encampment for the 1913 reunion; it became the site of Camp Colt. All of that leaves one to wonder to what degree the topography has changed. The Tipton photo provides some assurance that the changes have not been too severe, but I suspect that the swales were deeper than what we now experience, simply because many of those uses would have required somewhat of a leveling of the ground.

 

[infomanpa]

The Tipton photograph from 1882 is important. A lot has happened on that field between the time of the attacks of Wright and Pickett/Pettigrew/Trimble and the present time. This ground was traversed by Railroad tracks; it hosted the encampment for the 1913 reunion; it became the site of Camp Colt. All of that leaves one to wonder to what degree the topography has changed. The Tipton photo provides some assurance that the changes have not been too severe, but I suspect that the swales were deeper than what we now experience, simply because many of those uses would have required somewhat of a leveling of the ground.

That's been debated for a long time. Since we have topographic maps from Humphries/Warren created a few years after the battle, I wonder if anyone has done a comparison with today's maps and has done an analysis?

 

[neyankee61]

A few summers ago I hiked and it seemed to be a hike from the 12th NJ's position to the Bliss Barn site. After reaching the site I turned and looked back. It is a long way back to the Ridge. The boys were sticking their necks out a long way. Overall it appears that the farm was more important to the rebels and it was more of a nuisance to the Union troops. The attacking troops coming down from the Ridge may have use some swales for cover but i'm not sure of that.