So what was going on after the attack of Anderson's Division of Hill's Corps sputtered out at Gettysburg around 8 p.m. on July 2, 1863? (This is the sequel to John Horn, Why Has Fighting Dick Anderson Gotten a Pass for Not Leading His Division at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863? www.petersburgcampaign@blogspot.com, March 13, 2020)
As Wright's Georgia Brigade of Anderson's Division recoiled from Cemetery Ridge, the Confederates prepared for an unusual move--a night assault. From Anderson's Division, the bulk of Posey's Mississippi Brigade massed to the right of the retreating Georgians and Mahone's Virginia Brigade shifted 200 yards to its right and advanced 400 yards to come abreast of the Mississippians on Posey's left. To the left of the Virginians, from Pender's Division of Hill's Corps, Thomas' Georgia Brigade advanced to the Long Lane line, taking position along a fence in an open field about 300 yards from the Federals on Cemetery Ridge, and Perrin's South Carolina Brigade advanced on the left of Thomas' Brigade.[1] To the left of the South Carolinians, Ramseur’s North Carolina Brigade of Rodes’ Division of Ewell’s Corps shifted right and advanced to within 200 yards of the Unionists with the rest of Rodes’ Division forming on the left of the Tarheels.[2] The night attack, however, was called off by General Longstreet.[3]
As Wright's Georgia Brigade of Anderson's Division recoiled from Cemetery Ridge, the Confederates prepared for an unusual move--a night assault. From Anderson's Division, the bulk of Posey's Mississippi Brigade massed to the right of the retreating Georgians and Mahone's Virginia Brigade shifted 200 yards to its right and advanced 400 yards to come abreast of the Mississippians on Posey's left. To the left of the Virginians, from Pender's Division of Hill's Corps, Thomas' Georgia Brigade advanced to the Long Lane line, taking position along a fence in an open field about 300 yards from the Federals on Cemetery Ridge, and Perrin's South Carolina Brigade advanced on the left of Thomas' Brigade.[1] To the left of the South Carolinians, Ramseur’s North Carolina Brigade of Rodes’ Division of Ewell’s Corps shifted right and advanced to within 200 yards of the Unionists with the rest of Rodes’ Division forming on the left of the Tarheels.[2] The night attack, however, was called off by General Longstreet.[3]
Map by Hampton Newsome
[1]
John J. Fox, III, Red Clay to Richmond:
Trail of the 35th Georgia Infantry Regiment, C.S.A. (Winchester,
VA: Angle Valley Press, 2004), 183. This is an award-winning book.
[2]
OR, Series 1, Vol. 27, 2:44.
[3] Hampton Newsome, John Horn and John Selby, Civil War Talks: Further Reminiscences of George S. Bernard and His Fellow Veterans (Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia, 2012), 155; John Horn, The Petersburg Regiment in the Civil War: A History of the 12th Virginia Infantry from John Brown's Hanging to Appomattox, 1859-1865 (El Dorado, CA: Savas Beatie, 2019), 181-182. This book is a finalist for an Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award.
[3] Hampton Newsome, John Horn and John Selby, Civil War Talks: Further Reminiscences of George S. Bernard and His Fellow Veterans (Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia, 2012), 155; John Horn, The Petersburg Regiment in the Civil War: A History of the 12th Virginia Infantry from John Brown's Hanging to Appomattox, 1859-1865 (El Dorado, CA: Savas Beatie, 2019), 181-182. This book is a finalist for an Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award.
About
the Author
A native of the Chicago area, John Horn received a
B.A. in English and Latin from New College (Sarasota, Florida) in 1973 and a
J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1976. He
has practiced law around Chicago since graduation, held local public office,
and lived in Oak Forest with his wife and law partner, H. Elizabeth Kelley, a
native of Richmond, Virginia. They have three children. He and his wife have often
traveled to the Old Dominion to visit relatives, battlefields, and various
archives. John has published articles in
Civil War Times Illustrated, America’s Civil War, and North &
South. He is the author of several books
including The Petersburg Campaign (1993) and The Destruction of the Weldon
Railroad (1991, republished in 2015 by Savas Beatie as The Siege of Petersburg:
The Battles for the Weldon Railroad, August 1864.) He helped edit Civil War Talks: Further
Reminiscences of George S. Bernard and His Fellow Veterans (2012). John blogs at petersburgcampaign@blogspot.com. His latest book is The Petersburg Regiment
in the Civil War: A History of the 12th Virginia Infantry from John Brown’s
Hanging to Appomattox, 1859-1865 (Savas Beatie, 2019.) It is a finalist for an Army Historical
Foundation Distinguished Writing Award.
No comments:
Post a Comment