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Gettysburg and the history of history

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  • Gettysburg and the history of history

    Just finished a staff ride of Gettysburg yesterday. I learned that the clump of trees that was the focal point for Pickett's charge was never mentioned until after 1870 in any writing and therefore is a suspect piece of history. I also learned that the marker denote the left flank of Chamberlain's 20th Maine was purposefully placed 50 yards off after one in the "original" position was stolen. Makes you wonder how many other "settled" points of history are wrong as well.
    "So little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand." Thucydides 1.20.3

  • #2
    Originally posted by Shek View Post
    Makes you wonder how many other "settled" points of history are wrong as well.
    Plenty! :(


    So how did the staff ride go? Will you and your lads be able to successfully defend against Bobby Lee?
    “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

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    • #3
      Originally posted by TopHatter View Post
      Plenty! :(


      So how did the staff ride go? Will you and your lads be able to successfully defend against Bobby Lee?
      I was Major General Heth, CSA. I didn't do so well . . .
      "So little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand." Thucydides 1.20.3

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Shek View Post
        I was Major General Heth, CSA. I didn't do so well . . .
        "Now let's go surprise Harry Heth!"
        “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Shek View Post
          I was Major General Heth, CSA. I didn't do so well . . .

          Ooooh...bummer.

          Could have been worse. You could have been Hood or Garnett!

          Who led the staff ride? Also did you talk about Sickles' Hole at all?
          “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
          Mark Twain

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
            Ooooh...bummer.

            Could have been worse. You could have been Hood or Garnett!

            Who led the staff ride? Also did you talk about Sickles' Hole at all?
            For Sickles' Hole, I assume you're talking about Day 2 when he left Little Round Top uncovered? Yes.

            Ed Coss, who's the lead historian here at the Belvoir CGSS Campus did.
            "So little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand." Thucydides 1.20.3

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Shek View Post
              Just finished a staff ride of Gettysburg yesterday. I learned that the clump of trees that was the focal point for Pickett's charge was never mentioned until after 1870 in any writing and therefore is a suspect piece of history. I also learned that the marker denote the left flank of Chamberlain's 20th Maine was purposefully placed 50 yards off after one in the "original" position was stolen. Makes you wonder how many other "settled" points of history are wrong as well.

              Were there no trees present? Did no one do a core sample on later trees to verify their age? Though in retrospect that may have seemed extreme...

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Shek View Post
                For Sickles' Hole, I assume you're talking about Day 2 when he left Little Round Top uncovered? Yes.

                Ed Coss, who's the lead historian here at the Belvoir CGSS Campus did.

                I have come around a bit on Dan Sickles and Gettysburg. What had happened the last time he moved off of a hill? It was Hazel Grove at Chancellorsville and it ended up giving up decisive terrain which allowed the Confederates to pound the snot out of his corps and artillery with artillery fire. So he gets to Gettysburg and is placed in a hole.

                Here is a little more discussion on thsi topic.

                Sickles' Hole

                Ed Coss does a great job, too.
                “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
                Mark Twain

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Shek View Post
                  I was Major General Heth, CSA. I didn't do so well . . .
                  I was general Reynolds. It was over before I got started. :)

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
                    I have come around a bit on Dan Sickles and Gettysburg. What had happened the last time he moved off of a hill? It was Hazel Grove at Chancellorsville and it ended up giving up decisive terrain which allowed the Confederates to pound the snot out of his corps and artillery with artillery fire. So he gets to Gettysburg and is placed in a hole.

                    Here is a little more discussion on thsi topic.

                    Sickles' Hole

                    Ed Coss does a great job, too.
                    I can't access that site from work, but I assume by hole he means an area between little roundtop and the rest of the Union line on Cemetery ridge?

                    Can't see how anyone could justify leaving little roundtop uncovered. If the fifth corps didn't move up that hill, Sickles would have had Confederate forces in front and behind him.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Johnny W View Post
                      I can't access that site from work, but I assume by hole he means an area between little roundtop and the rest of the Union line on Cemetery ridge?

                      Can't see how anyone could justify leaving little roundtop uncovered. If the fifth corps didn't move up that hill, Sickles would have had Confederate forces in front and behind him.
                      Stand on the ground where he was...Sickles was looking uphill and couldn't see the road. 2 months prior when he was in this situation he got pounded from Hazel Grove.


                      I am not saying he made the right decision by moving forward but I can also say you can not dismiss out of hand his decision based on his battlefield experience.
                      “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
                      Mark Twain

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
                        Stand on the ground where he was...Sickles was looking uphill and couldn't see the road. 2 months prior when he was in this situation he got pounded from Hazel Grove.


                        I am not saying he made the right decision by moving forward but I can also say you can not dismiss out of hand his decision based on his battlefield experience.
                        I agree, he was probably in a bad spot where he was at, so I don't dismiss his move completely. In fact, I would have probably ask for permission to move myself, albeit up little and big roundtop instead of to the peach orchard. But I do think he disobeyed orders and knew he was disobeying orders, and tried to play it off as misunderstanding his orders.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Albany Rifles View Post
                          I have come around a bit on Dan Sickles and Gettysburg. What had happened the last time he moved off of a hill? It was Hazel Grove at Chancellorsville and it ended up giving up decisive terrain which allowed the Confederates to pound the snot out of his corps and artillery with artillery fire. So he gets to Gettysburg and is placed in a hole.

                          Here is a little more discussion on thsi topic.

                          Sickles' Hole

                          Ed Coss does a great job, too.
                          How do you know Ed? He brought up Chancelorsville in the discussion.
                          "So little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand." Thucydides 1.20.3

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Shek View Post
                            How do you know Ed? He brought up Chancelorsville in the discussion.

                            By reputation and his work.

                            I enjoyed his study of the British soldier on the Peninsula

                            Also have followed the on line CGSC historians blog and like what he presents.
                            “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
                            Mark Twain

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Johnny W View Post
                              I agree, he was probably in a bad spot where he was at, so I don't dismiss his move completely. In fact, I would have probably ask for permission to move myself, albeit up little and big roundtop instead of to the peach orchard. But I do think he disobeyed orders and knew he was disobeying orders, and tried to play it off as misunderstanding his orders.
                              Johnny

                              I totally agree that he disobeyed orders and he should have consulted with Meade or at least one of Meade's staff....but then that would have required Congressman Dan to speak to a (gasp!) West Pointer!!!;)
                              “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
                              Mark Twain

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