GDG- "Pickett's Charge" NOT a misnomer

[Batrinque at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/2/07 5:34:10 AM Pacific Standard Time, toddest at gmail.com 
writes:

> don't know how touchy this topic is among Gettysburg historians, but it
> seems to me that all things considered, it is still appropriate to call the
> assault on day 3 "Pickett's Charge". I realize that Pickett did not command
> all of the forces on the field, but his division was the lead, and the
> others, especially Trimble's, were intended as support.
> 

I hesitate to view Pettigrew's/Heth's division as merely being support to 
Pickett's.  It seems to me that Pettigrew and Pickett pretty much advanced 
simultaneously and in parallel, hitting the Union defenses essentially at the same 
time.  Indeed, it appears that during the advance Pickett closed to the left in 
order to connect with Pettigrew, in my mind indicating that Pettigrew was not 
in just a supporting role.

Bruce Trinque
Amston, CT


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