GDG- "Maps of Gettysburg" and Day Two

[Batrinque at aol.com]

A comment about "The Maps of Gettysburg" and its depiction of Longstreet's  
attack on the Second Day -- not really a criticism, but an observation:
 
The "Map Set" approach Gottfried adopts (one set for Little Round Top,  
another for the Devil's Den, another for the Wheatfield, another for the Peach  
Orchard, etc.) allows depiction of the various actions in considerable (and  
clear) detail, but ...  But it is hard for someone without an  existing good 
handle on the overall action to mentally connect those map  sets into a coherent 
whole that properly conveys the sequence and simultaneity  of that day's 
fighting on the Union left wing.  I am particularly sensitive  to this problem 
because for far too many years I was never able to get a clear  mental picture of 
those events into my thick skull (despite reading Harry  Pfanz's "Gettysburg: 
The Second Day" and other works).  I suppose that part  of the problem was that 
I never had a clear understanding of the spatial  relationship of the various 
terrain features (for some reason, I was prone to  envisioning the Peach 
Orchard too far south).  Not until last year when I  carefully drove and walked the 
ground -- and studied the comprehensive maps in  John Imhof's book (and the 
excellent animated maps of TravelBrain's "Gettysburg  Expedition Guide") did I 
finally understand on a gut level what is where and  really understand the 
sequence of events.
 
If I were to suggest a revision of "The Maps of Gettysburg" it would be to  
add one or more supplementary larger scale maps to explicitly connect events at 
 Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, the Peach Orchard, etc..  

Bruce  Trinque
Amston, CT






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