GDG- RE: Heth

[J. David Petruzzi]

You got it, Jim :-)

When you think about it, Reynolds' words (his determination to fight them
inch by inch through the town) could only mean one thing - he had good
defensive terrain to the south and east on his mind.  The town of Gettysburg
itself held no military significance, so why would one fight through it so
determinedly?  To save what was pointed out to him by Buford, and what he
(Reynolds) also recognized... Cemetery Hill, Culp's Hill, the Round Tops,
etc.  Otherwise, his words make no sense.

This is why I'm often perplexed when I've heard some folks not even want to
entertain the notion that perhaps Buford and Reynolds saw the high ground
and figured it in their plans.  Besides Reynolds' dispatch and the words of
Aaron Jerome and Henry Tremain, Reynolds died too soon to say what was on
his mind.  Buford died that December, and Jerome spent a great deal of the
rest of his life making sure that it would be known that Buford was the
first to select Cemetery Hill as the ultimate defensive position.  Hancock,
in his response letters back to Jerome, AGREED.

J.D.

J.D.

J. David Petruzzi
My blog: http://petruzzi.wordpress.com
My book: http://www.stuartsride.com

>>JD,

You and I have had this conversation. I don't remember right off where I
read this, maybe Codington, but there was a cluster of officers who made the
decision to finally setup on Cemetery Hill. (BTW Folks JD has an advantage
so he knows whats coming right JD? :-) )

IIRC it was Hancock, Howard, Buford, Doubleday, and some guy from the Chief
of Engineers G.K. Warren.

Truly Reynolds and Buford though were the visionaries when it comes to the
initial consideration.

I also believe Reynolds dispatch back to Meade shortly before he is KIA
which in essence says we will fight them in the streets if we have to and
redeploy back to CH. That points to CH as the FINAL place where the battle
will be fought.

Jim Lamason
Middlesex, NJ>>