GDG- Re: "I could see what seemed to be his skirmishers in thatdirection."

[Jack Kelly]

<< Lot to be had in Hunt Papers, Library of Congress, including a dozen 
letters
> from Rugg to Hunt, Tidball and Berry, Mulhenberg to Hunt and Rugg, Hunt to 
> all
> of them, all concerning Gettysburg. lots of politicking that is for sure 
> but
> enough to know both Winegar and Rugg were on or very near the crest long
> enough to see and note what was going on beyond. Sorry, you will have to 
> wait for
> the book. Far more to it than Coddington, Pfanz and Official Records. >>

Let us know when the book is available.

<<om where Ewell was at that time [4:30-6:00 P.M.] it's impossible to see
> beyond Benner's Hill unless of course he was speaking of Wolf's, which I 
> doubt. >>

He probably could see elements of Third Brigade skirmishers around Benner's 
Run and Hill, although it is kinda hard to visualize what the terrain was 
like in 1863.  However, I think you're right.

<< Holding the heights east of town after Williams became the priority the 
night
> of July 1st as far as Ewell was concerned. It's all right there in 
> several,
> pages of the Official Reports. The why, what and where to everything is
> answered in just four paragraphs between Ewell and early. Much of the 
> hoopla about
> fence posts and delays, slowness and failure, all down playing the threat 
> east
> of town was done so by Robert E. Lee's camp which continued it's Ewell 
> bashing
> long after Lee passed on. I personally do not think Lee had anything to do
> with it. > Who of us today after studying and understanding what occurred, 
> or seemingly
> occurred, would blame Ewell for not sending Johnson out there. One must
> remember, Chancellorsville was as fresh on their minds as it was with the 
> Union.
> The large body of troops Lieutenant Smith saw existed as in approximately 
> 4300
> effective in two brigades and two batteries. A threat I am convinced had 
> to
> reckoned with. A force in which some of it's skirmishers were se out that 
> way by
> General Ewell. >>

This IMHO is exactly right.  Some of the old ANV guys, notably Early and (I 
think) Pendleton, were quick to jump on the Ewell-bashing bandwagon after 
Lee's death. It has always been my opinion that Ewell did everything 
correctly regarding Culp's and Cemetery Hills, based on his knowledge of the 
situation.
>
<<All I ask is for someone to point out where these skirmishers  could have 
been when considering the heights east of town? >><<What hill was it  that 
allowed Ruger and others to witness the going on's below to the West? >>

One of the OR's (I think, Colgrove's) mentioned coming to a wooded creek at 
the bottom of the hill (Benner's, we presume) while his skirmishers neared 
the top of the hill.  Maybe that was Benner's Run? Assuming that most of 
this land was cleared for farming, most of the skirmishers climbing Benner's 
Hill from the Run would have been visible from the edge of town, I would 
guess.  Also, I believe Benner's would be the only hill from which the town 
and north of town would have been in sight, as I remember from my last visit 
to Benner's Hill.  This is a question that esteemed friend Dean Shultz could 
answer, with his background and knowledge of the land around Gettysburg.
I am going to Gettysburg on November 9-11 and will investigate this a bit 
more with a visit to Benner's Hill and Highland Avenue.

Regards,

Jack Kelly