I haven't seen too many descriptions of what this actually looked like. Was it ever a rout or always an organized retreat? Did you have entire regiments and brigades fire, fall back 20 paces, fire again and so forth in relatively good order? Did it look like the scene in the movie where the Union line breaks and men are running for their lives? Was it the former on the I corps line and the latter on the XI corps line? Were guns being captured left and right?
When the Union did withdraw, how was that organized? Did the guys on the I corps right flank (the Northern part of the line) collapse inward first so as to prevent their capture? Or were those guys cutoff?
When the Union did withdraw, how was that organized? Did the guys on the I corps right flank (the Northern part of the line) collapse inward first so as to prevent their capture? Or were those guys cutoff?