GDG- Winter Stomp (The Rans Wrong Wright Tour)

[Laurence D. Schiller]

Indeed Bruce - the term supported has wide implications - a brigade a 
quarter mile to the rear can be said to be supporting one attacking 
in front of it. A stationary regiment that could enfilade a potential 
flanking force is also in supporting distance, which could mean 200 
yards to the rear or off the flank. Heck, the III Corps was 
considered in supporting distance of Gettysburg when it was in 
Emmitsburg. Note the clear difference between 'supported on the left' 
as  contrasted to 'my right resting on the Forty-Eighth'. Had he 
meant the same thing for both flanks, he would not have made the 
distinction. No disrespect intended, but this is the type of sloppy 
interpretation that we keep seeing here. There is a huge leap of 
logic being made that these units advanced together based on language 
that doesn't justify it.

Best,

Laurie Schiller


>Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
>In a message dated 1/1/07 4:25:08 PM Pacific Standard Time,
>chaplain.chuck at gmail.com writes:
>
>>  Except that in this case "with" does mean "with," The commander of the 19th
>>  Misssissippi said explicitly that in the charge Wright was *"supported on
>>  his left by the Forty-Eighth Mississippi... my right resting on the
>>  Forty-eighth." 
>
>Well, let's see what Colonel Harris of the 19th Miss really said in his
>report about this action on July 2: "Lieutenant Burrage, Company A, of this
>regiment, who was on picket with his company, and who had been 
>beyond the [Biss]
>orchard and barn in the morning, informed me that, if I advanced with my
>skirmishers without my right being supported, there was imminent 
>danger, from the
>nature of the ground, of my being flanked easily.
>I halted in this position some half hour, when General Wright's brigade
>commenced advancing, supported on his left by the Forty-eighth Mississippi
>Regiment, Colonel Jayne commanding, my right resting on the 
>Forty-eighth. I again gave
>the order to advance, pushing forward my line and driving the enemy from his
>position in the orchard, and capturing some prisoners at the barn. Still
>driving the enemy before me, I advanced some 400 paces farther up the hill."
>
>So, what actually is said that the the 19th MIss, with its right flank
>connected with the 48th Miss, stayed in place while Wright's brigade 
>advanced. 
>Doesn't look to me that the 48th was connectd with Wright's left during the
>assault.  "Supported" can take on a number of meanings -- and 
>"connecting with" very
>often is not one.
>
>Bruce Trinque
>Amston, CT
> 
>----------------------------------------------------------------
>You may unsubscribe by going to 
>http://mailman.arthes.com/mailman/listinfo/gettysburg
>
>You can add yourself to the GDG map at: 
>http://www.frappr.com/gettysburgdiscussiongroup
>
>View archived posts from May 2004 -  present at 
>http://mailman.arthes.com/pipermail/gettysburg/


-- 
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/