GDG- Re: Guns captured by Wright have been Identified.

[J. David Petruzzi]

>>In a way, it's actually very understandable that Heth and his troops may
not
have realized who and what they were up against.  Unless prisoners were
being taken, or the advance was coming across dead bodies in cavalry
uniforms, about all there would be to be seen was puffs of smoke a few
hundred yards off.  Except for the men actually out on the skirmish line,
for the troops back in the column all they'd have known was that there was
some kind of contact up ahead, and that it was holding things up somewhat.
Entirely routine for any movement in hostile territory.  Little wonder it
doesn't get much attention in the Confederate accounts.  For most of Heth's
men, things didn't turn into a big deal until the infantry action started.

Jim Cameron>>


And such was exactly Buford's tactic.  Dennis H. Mahan, professor at West
Point for 40 years and one of Buford's teachers, wrote that "to keep the
enemy in suspense" about your force, numbers, disposition, etc was one of
the primary methods in the delay tactic - especially when you're vastly
outnumbered.  Everything that Buford set up for July 1 was to have Heth
figure out, well, nothing :-)

J.D.