Good afternoon
Thank you all very much for your detailed replies and messages of welcome. I`d always been under the impression that the climax of `Gettysburg` was filmed at the National Park and that somehow I was watching something close to the historical deployment and terrain. There is also a war time illustration (P389 Vol 111 of `Battles and Leaders of the Civil War`) which shows the union gun line very close behind the infantry. I`d always wondered that if the artillery on the slope had to cease fire before the infantry stood up then how was this co-ordination achieved? I`m aware of the command problem between Gens. Hunt and Hancock, but where would Gibbon and Hazard have fitted re infantry/artillery co-ordination? -I notice that Maj Gen Webb ordered up batteries to replace Cushing and Brown so could artillery batteries be devolved as low as Brigade command?
I have read a lot of histories of the battle, Haskell`s account and everything in `Battles and Leaders`, but still can`t see how it all might have happened without either a dangerous gap in fire volume or huge holes being torn in the back of Webb`s Brigade. I`m aware that I`m asking questions about probably the most researched few minutes in American military history so my apologies in advance if I`ve got anything horribly wrong!!
Many thanks to `ucvrelics` for the link to Joseph Roberts. I notice that Roberts writes re artillery positioning.....`while a position in rear is nearly as bad, as the fire might seriously injure, or at least greatly disquiet them`(the infantry).
Many thanks
Regards
Ian R
Thank you all very much for your detailed replies and messages of welcome. I`d always been under the impression that the climax of `Gettysburg` was filmed at the National Park and that somehow I was watching something close to the historical deployment and terrain. There is also a war time illustration (P389 Vol 111 of `Battles and Leaders of the Civil War`) which shows the union gun line very close behind the infantry. I`d always wondered that if the artillery on the slope had to cease fire before the infantry stood up then how was this co-ordination achieved? I`m aware of the command problem between Gens. Hunt and Hancock, but where would Gibbon and Hazard have fitted re infantry/artillery co-ordination? -I notice that Maj Gen Webb ordered up batteries to replace Cushing and Brown so could artillery batteries be devolved as low as Brigade command?
I have read a lot of histories of the battle, Haskell`s account and everything in `Battles and Leaders`, but still can`t see how it all might have happened without either a dangerous gap in fire volume or huge holes being torn in the back of Webb`s Brigade. I`m aware that I`m asking questions about probably the most researched few minutes in American military history so my apologies in advance if I`ve got anything horribly wrong!!
Many thanks to `ucvrelics` for the link to Joseph Roberts. I notice that Roberts writes re artillery positioning.....`while a position in rear is nearly as bad, as the fire might seriously injure, or at least greatly disquiet them`(the infantry).
Many thanks
Regards
Ian R