GDG- Wright's Brigade, a (brief )recap

[Laurence D. Schiller]

Good evening Keith and all:

	I've been busy with other things today and have just turned 
on the laptop to find a lot of posts on Wright. Forgive me if I'm 
behind the discussion but...



>Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
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>   According to Wright: Wrights Brigade, on day two, penetrated the 
>Union Lines on Cemetery Hill. where they captured a bunch of 
>artillery and cut the Union Lines in two. Now, if I have this right, 
>Wrights report is to be taken with a grain of salt because A) He was 
>a hopeless romantic, and B) People lie to make themselves look cool 
>to The (not Bruce)Boss.

It is a little more complex than this - Wright didn't really know 
where he was and his description of the terrain he passed doesn't 
match anything in the neighborhood of where he thought he was. So, it 
becomes difficult to say just what his brigade did based on his 
report.

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>   According to Chuck: This penetration happened to the North of the 
>copse of trees, in the area that Armistead would penetrate the next 
>day, smashing over the defensive line at the road and the stone 
>wall, surging across the ground and up to the crest of cemetery 
>hill, "taking the guns" place there-on. Chuck bases his observations 
>on what to him appears to be common sense, and the writings and 
>memory's of participants, and historians, from the battle to at 
>least 1950. His contention that no one ever mentioned the guns being 
>captured to what is, more or less, everyone involved's 
>embarrasement, or subsequent demise, is I think, a little thin, but 
>hey, I've got some secrets I'd rather not divulge, as I'm sure most 
>folks do. But on the other hand,  there's always always someone 
>happy to report bad news.

Actually, there seems to be little actual reports of participants 
north of the copse, which was my point earlier yesterday. To suggest 
that guns were taken and NO ONE reported it, even in private letter 
or diary is more than a little thin. Especially when there are guns, 
Browns, that fit just fine into what Wright says. I am also disturbed 
when Chuck says that Cottingham, Martin, et al all ignored the 
evidence previously presented by 19th century writers. Why would 
they? Or is what they really did was to reinterpret based on more 
complete information?

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>   According to virtually everyone else, the "penetration" never 
>happend as such. Wrights line only made it within 20 or so yards of 
>the union lines SOUTH of the copse, on Cemetery Ridge, before being 
>turned back.

Correct.

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>   It was Wrights report that convinced Lee that he should aim his 
>assaulting force there on the third day, Just as it was Johnsons 
>report that convinced him he should attack up the road on the 
>second. For all the communications Lee could have used, he relied on 
>those two. Go figure.

I agree - strange enough but then Howard thought Jackson was 
retreating at Chancellorsville. Sometime you see what you want to 
see, facts be darned.

Best,

Laurie Schiller

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>   Anyway, I'm not nearly smart enough to figure out which is which, 
>but I think I think I've got the basics sussed out.
>   I trust someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
>   K.
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-- 
Dr. Laurence Dana Schiller
Maitre d'Armes
Head Fencing Coach
Department of History
Northwestern University
Commissioner, Midwest Fencing Conference
Midwest VP, US Fencing Coaches' Association
Vice-Chair USFA Illinois Division
Lds307 at northwestern.edu
847-491-4654
FAX 847-467-1406
Official Sports site: http://nusports.ocsn.com/
Student web site: http://groups.northwestern.edu/fencing/