GDG- Wrights Brigade.

[mfitz54 at aol.com]

I had been on a tour of Day 2 at Gettysburg conducted by noted Civil War historian Ed Bearss. He brought us up to and just below "the copse of trees" and stated that Wright's advance ended at that point and could not be held due to lack of support. I was amazed that they had proceeded that far. 
 
Mike Fitzpatrick
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: bluzdad at yahoo.com
To: gettysburg at arthes.com
Sent: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 10:35 AM
Subject: GDG- Wrights Brigade.


Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:


While investigating this Wright's advance thing, I note that Coddington say's 
"Wright's story of the battle on July Second should be included in the better 
Civil War romances."
   
  While Pfanz say's "Wright's Brigade had occupied a segment of the ridge crest 
and pierced the...line at the...center"
   
  Woodward: "...;but in a small way, at least, they had cut the Army of the 
Potomac in two..."
   
  Bowden and Ward: " ..the 22nd Georgia...moved...into the gap south of the 7 
Michigan. their steps had carried them to the crest of Cemetery Hill." 
   
  Tucker: "While Wrights lodgement is often called a penetration...that was not 
precisely the case, because Webb's Brigade...was largely behind ...the crest and 
had to be reckoned with before Wright could claim an actual piercing of the 
Federal Army."
   
  Sears: I don't have that book available, but I seem to recall that he 
describes Wright has haveing reached "what has become recognized as the High 
Water mark..."
   
  So I guess what I'm wondering is, besides getting further than anyone else 
that day, Did Wright's Brigade get as far as he said they did? did he really see 
the Baltimore Pike? Coddington doesn't seem to think there's enough 
corraborating statements to
  back up the claim, while all the other books I have seem to accept it as a 
given. And my memory of Sears, sketchy as it is, seems to suggest that Wrights 
Brigade made it to the copse of trees that would be the AoV's target on the next 
day.
   
  Was Lee aware of Wrights claims by the end of day two? Did they have any 
impact on his planning for day three?
   
  And, While I'm raving, it seems to me the only brigade to have a chance of 
breaking through north of the copse would have been Posey and/or Mahone. Could 
Wrights Brigade have stretched out far enough to cover that terrain?
  K.
   
  
 

 
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