GDG- Winter Stomp (The Rans Wrong Wright Tour)

[Chuck Teague]

> Chuck - equally incontrovertible - 1) The flag of the 48th GA was
> captured by troops to the south of the copse. 2) They were the left
> of Wright's brigade.


I concur. There is no doubt that exhausted, frightened, and wounded
Floridians and Georgians initially took cover in the sunken road, and as
dusk came sought the best protection immediately available, that of the
Codori homestead. To cross back over the open fields was something many did
not want to contemplate. Unfortunately, as they congregated at the
homestead, the Yankees put together a force to encircle them and many were
captured.

>> The only guns reported captured were Brown's

Except for the guns of two batteries on the crest reference by Stannard's
men.

>> Further, do we know which crest is indicated? The ridge runs all
along the line. Remember we are talking about folks who haven't been
on the ground they are trying to describe. You are assuming the real
crest of CH, but can you be certain?

I think it was the crest of Cemetery Ridge, though a soldier from the 3rd
Georgia claimed that his adjutant *"carried the flag to the enemy's position
on Cemetery Hill* [sic]" I've referenced several others already, but let me
add another. Private Alfred Zachery of the 3rd Georgia said *"we captured
the heights."* And a soldier from the 22nd Georgia said *"we had the enemy's
line cut in two."*

>> So, chuck - how do you reconcile these 'incontrovertible' facts? How do
troops to the south of the copse report fighting the Georgians but you
suddenly have them flying up and around the right rear of the 69th PA?

What I find revealing is that the same soldiers who in the immediate
aftermath of July 3 proudly hailed their repulse of Kemper, Garnett, and
Armistead (identified by name), spoke only of repulsing "the enemy" on July
2. You raise an important question. We do know that Georgians and Floridians
were captured at the Codori homestead in a sweep done after the charge. But
when did the Yankees  first declare it was "Wright's Brigade" they had
encountered near the wall? Best I can figure, that did not occur until
about 15 years after the battle, when the Confederate ORs were becoming
generally available. My conjecture is that, in reading how Wright had
seemingly made the most gallant charge across those fields, the Nothern
veterans wanted to claim credit for stopping him. It was much like occurred
with Pickett's Charge, that everyone on the Yankee side wanted to be seen as
repulsing that assault.