Timeline of Engagement on Little Round Top

HeftyLefty04

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Apr 2, 2019
The popular narrative tells us that the 20th Maine's successful downhill bayonet charge against the 15th Alabama ended all engagement between Federal and Rebel forces at Little Round Top on July 2nd. However, I'm wondering if we can confirm this. Is it a possibility that the 140th New York's own downhill bayonet charge against the 4th and 5th Texas occurred simultaneously, or within a similar time frame? The 140th New York having arrived in order to reinforce the 16th Michigan and the 20th Maine handling the extreme left, what about the 83rd Pennsylvania and 44th New York? Were these regiments still engaged during the final actions of the 20th Maine and/or 140th New York? I recently spoke to a ranger at Gettysburg who explained that it is very difficult to pinpoint where the end of engagement for specific regiments fall on the Little Round Top timeline, as different primary sources provide varying accounts of what happened, let alone when it happened. Any further insights are much appreciated.
 
What seems heroic about the 20th charge is that it was a desperation tactic. As it is told they did not have enough ammunition to withstand another attack so they so they attacked themselves with bayonets instead of retreating.
 
Here's my version of a timeline of Little Round Top events:

1635 (4:35 pm.) - Vincent in place, skirmishers out 200 yards when initial shots exchanged with oncoming 4-5 Texas.
1640 - 47-15 AL near summit of Big Round Top, 4 AL arriving behind 5 TX.
1650 - 16 MI giving way on right, 140 NY and D/5 US arriving near summit of Little Round Top.
1700 - 15-47 AL attacking 20 ME, 140 NY has advanced down summit of LRT and holding firm to right rear of 16 MI; D/5 US in place; Weed returning on Wheatfield Road; Rice has replaced fallen Vincent.
1710 - 4-5 TX and Law regrouping to rear except 15 AL which is just breaking in front of 20 ME, Weed arriving into line.
1720 - 15 AL retreating, 20 ME pursuing, Weed fully in place, rest of Law and Robertson reforming.
1730 - 20 ME back in line, Rice fixed in place; Robertson and Law reforming; Burbank leading Day near summit of LRT; Garrard has replaced fallen Weed.
1800 - Burbank and Day moving across Plum Run valley; two guns of D/5 US departing LRT; Sheffield technically has replaced Law.
1810 - 4-5 TX and 4 AL advancing (second time).
1820 - 4-5 TX and 4 AL falling back.
1830 - Fisher arriving on Wheatfield Road.
1840 - Fisher deploying in column of regiments north of Wheatfield Road, McCandless coming up.
1850 - Fisher shifted left to south of Wheatfield Road, McCandless to his rear.
1900 - Fisher moving south, Nevin arriving and deploying north of Wheatfield Road, along with Bartlett.
1910 - McCandless in place where Fisher previously located, Fisher to left rear of Rice.
1915 - 4-5 TX and 48-4 AL advancing to (third) attack.
1920 - McCandless and 98 PA of Nevin advancing across Plum Run, Sweitzer reforming behind Gerrard, Day and Burbank reforming south of Wheatfield Road on north slope of LRT.
1930 - 4-5 TX and 48-4 AL falling back; sunset.
1945 - 4-5 TX and Sheffield have fallen back further, 9 MA of Sweitzer arrived near summit of LRT. Bartlett deployed on either side of Wheatfield Road.

Attached is my draft map of 1700, with the 140 NY having just arrived in position at the same time the right of 20 ME has been formed into a single line to extend the front of the regiment as the 15 AL was attacking. I figure 15 AL broke at 1715, which concluded that first and heaviest round of fighting. But as noted above, a portion of Law and Robertson made two more attacks (at 1810 and 1915), although they were not nearly as strong as the initial attack and were readily repulsed.
 

Attachments

  • LittleRoundTop1700.pdf
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I think the time line is off regarding the length of time the 20th Me and 15th Al were locked in mortal combat. The 20th was just about out of ammunition and had fought back five assaults before launching its famous bayonet charge. And, after each one of those assaults and retreats, Colonel Oates would have had to expend some time reorganizing the 15th's survivors for the next attempt.

Rather than twenty minutes (1700-1720), I believe the combat lasted just under two hours; the ending coinciding with the arrival of the 12th and 5th Pa. Reserves, Fisher's brigade. Colonel Martin Hardin, 12th Pa. Reserves, remembered, "...stumbling over rocks and numerous dead of Vincent's and Weed's gallant brigades. As we advanced a few scattered shots cane from the retiring enemy" Of course, the only retiring enemy on the south-eastern side of Little Round Top would have to have been the 15th Al.

Lending confirmation to this viewpoint is the recollection of Captain Park, one of Colonel Oates' officers, who reported seeing the flags of two advancing Union regiments threatening the 15th's exposed right flank. Oates later speculated that Park mistook the fire from Stoughton's sharpshooters and the 20th Me skirmishers secreted behind a rock fence on his right for two advancing regiments. But Oates was wrong, the men behind that rock wall did not have flags with them.

Additionally, I think the arrival of the 140th New York (and Weed's brigade) occurred about an hour later than the timeline indicates.
Prior to that time, the fight for possession of Houck's Ridge and Plum Run valley by the Texans was being held up by Smith's two guns and the advance of the 40th NY and 6th NJ. When that obstacle was cleared, the 4th, 5th Texas and the 48th Al were free to start up the western face of LRT and attack the 16th Mi. Their attack would fix the arrival time of the 140th NY and Hazlett's guns on LRT.

According to Colonel Waddell, 20th Georgia, "...About 6 o'clock, a regiment was moved to get to our left flank. A shot from Private John F. Jordan, of Company G, unhorsed the officer leading when their ranks were broken, and they retreated in wild disorder..."
Colonel Egan, 40th NY, was knocked from his horse during the advance down the valley and was most likely the target of Private Jordan. Though somewhat imprecise, "about 6 o'clock" presents the analyst with a time frame (5:45 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.) with which to work and compare to other linked events. For instance, Winslow's battery was still in the Wheatfield when the 40th NY and Smith's two guns retreated through its southeastern corner. Winslow would use some of Smith's extra horses to retire five of his six gun battery. Just before that happened, Smith heard Hazlett's guns firing from LRT, indicating the 140th NY had arrived.

Attached are a few maps to illustrate the sequence and estimated times for the events discussed.

4:45 p.m. Vincent's Brigade goes into position, skirmishers advance. Hazlett's battery arrives at rear of LRT.
4th, 48th AL and 4th, 5th Texas move along base of RT while 15th, 47th Al approach summit of RT.
The 44th Al faces off against the 4th Me

5:50 p.m. Left wing of 48th Al moves past remaining companies of 16th Mi as Companies A and G of the 140th NY,
in advance of the regiment, move to attack the 48th Al. Two of Hazlett's guns start to work up to summit.
The remaining regiments of Weed's brigade resumes their movement along Wheatfield road. Colonel
Chamberlain, 20th Me, moves two companies to right of line.

6:10 p.m. Weed's brigade in position on LRT. Fisher's brigade, PA. Reserves, arrives along Wheatfield road and starts
to go into position. Hazlett's remaining guns placed in position on LRT.

7:15 p.m. 12th Pa. Reserves takes up supporting position behind 20th Me as it drives the 15th Al back toward base of LRT
McCandless' brigade moves forward with detached 11th Pa. Reserves (Fisher's Brigade) in front. The 98th Pa,
Nevin's brigade, in rear.
 

Attachments

  • specialLRT timeline.pdf
    129.1 KB · Views: 117
Last edited:
I think the time line is off regarding the length of time the 20th Me and 15th Al were locked in mortal combat. The 20th was just about out of ammunition and had fought back five assaults before launching its famous bayonet charge. And, after each one of those assaults and retreats, Colonel Oates would have had to expend some time reorganizing the 15th's survivors for the next attempt.

Rather than twenty minutes (1700-1720), I believe the combat lasted just under two hours; the ending coinciding with the arrival of the 12th and 5th Pa. Reserves, Fisher's brigade. Colonel Martin Hardin, 12th Pa. Reserves, remembered, "...stumbling over rocks and numerous dead of Vincent's and Weed's gallant brigades. As we advanced a few scattered shots cane from the retiring enemy" Of course, the only retiring enemy on the south-eastern side of Little Round Top would have to have been the 15th Al.

Lending confirmation to this viewpoint is the recollection of Captain Park, one of Colonel Oates' officers, who reported seeing the flags of two advancing Union regiments threatening the 15th's exposed right flank. Oates later speculated that Park mistook the fire from Stoughton's sharpshooters and the 20th Me skirmishers secreted behind a rock fence on his right for two advancing regiments. But Oates was wrong, the men behind that rock wall did not have flags with them.

Additionally, I think the arrival of the 140th New York (and Weed's brigade) occurred about an hour later than the timeline indicates.
Prior to that time, the fight for possession of Houck's Ridge and Plum Run valley by the Texans was being held up by Smith's two guns and the advance of the 40th NY and 6th NJ. When that obstacle was cleared, the 4th, 5th Texas and the 48th Al were free to start up the western face of LRT and attack the 16th Mi. Their attack would fix the arrival time of the 140th NY and Hazlett's guns on LRT.

According to Colonel Waddell, 20th Georgia, "...About 6 o'clock, a regiment was moved to get to our left flank. A shot from Private John F. Jordan, of Company G, unhorsed the officer leading when their ranks were broken, and they retreated in wild disorder..."
Colonel Egan, 40th NY, was knocked from his horse during the advance down the valley and was most likely the target of Private Jordan. Though somewhat imprecise, "about 6 o'clock" presents the analyst with a time frame (5:45 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.) with which to work and compare to other linked events. For instance, Winslow's battery was still in the Wheatfield when the 40th NY and Smith's two guns retreated through its southeastern corner. Winslow would use some of Smith's extra horses to retire five of his six gun battery. Just before that happened, Smith heard Hazlett's guns firing from LRT, indicating the 140th NY had arrived.

Attached are a few maps to illustrate the sequence and estimated times for the events discussed.

4:45 p.m. Vincent's Brigade goes into position, skirmishers advance. Hazlett's battery arrives at rear of LRT.
4th, 48th AL and 4th, 5th Texas move along base of RT while 15th, 47th Al approach summit of RT.
The 44th Al faces off against the 4th Me

5:50 p.m. Left wing of 48th Al moves past remaining companies of 16th Mi as Companies A and G of the 140th NY,
in advance of the regiment, move to attack the 48th Al. Two of Hazlett's guns start to work up to summit.
The remaining regiments of Weed's brigade resumes their movement along Wheatfield road. Colonel
Chamberlain, 20th Me, moves two companies to right of line.

6:10 p.m. Weed's brigade in position on LRT. Fisher's brigade, PA. Reserves, arrives along Wheatfield road and starts
to go into position. Hazlett's remaining guns placed in position on LRT.

7:15 p.m. 12th Pa. Reserves takes up supporting position behind 20th Me as it drives the 15th Al back toward base of LRT
McCandless' brigade moves forward with detached 11th Pa. Reserves (Fisher's Brigade) in front. The 98th Pa,
Nevin's brigade, in rear.
 

Attachments

  • specialLRT timeline.pdf
    129.1 KB · Views: 118
1700 - 15-47 AL attacking 20 ME,
1710 - 4-5 TX and Law regrouping to rear except 15 AL which is just breaking in front of 20 ME, Weed arriving into line.
1720 - 15 AL retreating, 20 ME pursuing, Weed fully in place, rest of Law and Robertson reforming.
I think the time line is off regarding the length of time the 20th Me and 15th Al were locked in mortal combat.
Rather than twenty minutes (1700-1720), I believe the combat lasted just under two hours;

I also was under the impression that the 20th ME engagement was for a much longer duration than 20 minutes.
 
Twenty minutes of intense combat must seem like an eternity to those who experience it. The 15th Alabama had at least 400 men with weapons in front of the 20th Maine, which sustained about 120 killed and wounded in the battle. If they fought for two hours, that works out to a loss of one man per minute for the 20th, which hardly seems like an epic fight by Gettysburg standards. Half an hour of fighting equates to four men per minute. For twenty minutes it is six men struck down per minute. I would maintain the latter figure is closer to reality, although perhaps a few extra minutes might be added. We can also look at expected ammunition expenditure.
 
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