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Larry Purtell
Little Meadows
PA USA
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Posts: 1577
Joined: 2004
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May 17, 1863
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From the New York Times. May 17, 1863.
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"My goal is to live forever. So far, so good.
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Phil Andrade
London
UK
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Posts: 6044
Joined: 2004
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May 17, 1863
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Larry,
Another first rate source for information in that NYT article !
What is revelatory in that account is the great preponderance of head wounds suffered by the men in those rifle pits.
The rebels were cut down in the open as they attacked the yankees under cover, but it’s apparent that the defenders suffered a lot of head wounds as they fought from their pits.
Regards, Phil
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"Egad, sir, I do not know whether you will die on the gallows or of the pox!"
"That will depend, my Lord, on whether I embrace your principles or your mistress."
Earl of Sandwich and John Wilkes
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Michigan Dave
Muskegon
MI USA
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Posts: 7602
Joined: 2006
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May 17, 1863
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Larry, & Phil,
The casualty rate does show a high rate of head shots, but this is May 1863, I thought the ANV didn't resort to trench warfare until around Petersburg??
Cheers,
MD
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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Phil Andrade
London
UK
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Posts: 6044
Joined: 2004
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May 17, 1863
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Dave,
A lot of fighting before Petersburg entailed fortified positions : not just elaborate trench systems, but rudimentary scrapes and rifle pits that anxious soldiers dug quickly as they sought protection from the storm of lead.
In this case, on 3 May 1863, the yankees realised that they were about to be attacked by the rebels who had overwhelmed their comrades, and they inflicted huge casualties on the attackers, although they themselves were suffering from these head wounds as the upper parts of their bodies remained somewhat exposed as they fired from their rough and ready parapets.
Regards, Phil
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"Egad, sir, I do not know whether you will die on the gallows or of the pox!"
"That will depend, my Lord, on whether I embrace your principles or your mistress."
Earl of Sandwich and John Wilkes
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morris crumley
Dunwoody
GA USA
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Posts: 3156
Joined: 2007
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May 17, 1863
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This is really interesting to me. This part of the fighting involved Wofford`s Brigade, advancing between the River Road, and the Orange Turnpike. This was the first action of my grt grt grandfather`s sharpshooters battalion. General Wofford, on horseback, led the sharpshooters battalion forward in the first of what would become four assaults.
Now, Wofford had selected A H Patton of the 18th Georgia, Wofford`s old command, to lead the newly formed sharpshooters, and Patton led them from horseback. Patton was shot from his horse during the fight and killed. Colonel Goode Bryan was in command of the 16th Georgia during the battle and was not a casualty. So, what is thought to be the Colonel commanding the 16 Ga and shot from his horse is, in all likelihood, A H Patton, officer in command of the Third Georgia Battalion Sharpshooters.
W. R Montgomery, a member of the sharpshooter battalion wrote that the battalion made a hard charge leading the brigade, encountered heavy fire of buck and ball from entrenched Federals, fell back. They reformed and attacked, fell back again, but this time only a short distance to a position behind a small ridge, from which they reformed and attacked again. The Federals had made hasty entrenchments but they left an opening for the withdrawal of their own skirmishers. The gap was protected by logs...but not by earth thrown up against them, and this was right to the front of the 16th Georgia. In addition, the sharpshooters were playing hell with accurate fire on the Federals trying to keep up their own.
The fourth try worked, the Federals being forced from their trenches. Wofford then sent some of his forces on a circuitous route to "get ahead " of the retreating Yanks and cut them off. Montgomery writes that the sharpshooters battalion of less than 250 men wound up capturing "800 to 900 men" mostly of the 27th Connecticut and some from the 145th Pennsylvania.
Weeks later, in the Wheatfield at Gettysburg, as Wofford`s Brigade came in on the flank of Federal forces of the 4th Michigan and 140 Pennsylvania, there are many written accounts from the men themselves describing coming under fire that was "surprisingly accurate' felling men seemingly with every shot.
I believe that the use of these highly skilled sharpshooter battalions did have severe impacts caused by increased fire discipline and accuracy. This could partly account for all these head wounds..and the fact that the field fortifications were not well completed, thrown up during the night, without the earthen embanking and without ditches to the front, as Phil has pointed out.
Very interesting Larry, thanks for posting this newspaper clipping.
Respects, Morris
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"You are a $70, red-wool, pure quill military genius, or the biggest damn fool in northern Mexico."
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Phil Andrade
London
UK
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Posts: 6044
Joined: 2004
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May 17, 1863
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My goodness, Morris. ! This is wonderful stuff that you’re posting. What a tremendous boost to our forum it is that we can benefit from such interesting and informative content, especially when there’s a personal family connection with the narrative. Thanks !
Regards, Phil
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"Egad, sir, I do not know whether you will die on the gallows or of the pox!"
"That will depend, my Lord, on whether I embrace your principles or your mistress."
Earl of Sandwich and John Wilkes
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morris crumley
Dunwoody
GA USA
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Posts: 3156
Joined: 2007
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May 17, 1863
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Larry, I feel compelled to relate to you something I said to Phil the other day. Your posts of these contemporary news accounts are terrific. I want you to know that we all love it when you post them. Whether we respond or not, we all read them with great interest and our desire for further research and study is spurred on immensely by them. You do us a great service by doing it.
This article was kind of right down the middle of the plate for me. I am reminded of what Eddie Mathews of the Braves once said, " trying to sneak a fastball by Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak the sun past a rooster!" This one required a response because I felt I could contribute. I just want you to know how valuable and interesting these posts of yours are to us, and how much they mean. Thanks!
Respects, Morris
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"You are a $70, red-wool, pure quill military genius, or the biggest damn fool in northern Mexico."
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Phil Andrade
London
UK
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Posts: 6044
Joined: 2004
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May 17, 1863
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In heated agreement with you here, Morris.
Larry provides us with first class primal source material, that can produce a tremendous effect in the wish to undertake further research.
When enhanced by posts of the calibre of your rendition about your great great grandfather, then we’re truly blessed here.
Regards, Phil
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"Egad, sir, I do not know whether you will die on the gallows or of the pox!"
"That will depend, my Lord, on whether I embrace your principles or your mistress."
Earl of Sandwich and John Wilkes
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vpatrick
MA
MA USA
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Posts: 2403
Joined: 2020
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May 17, 1863
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Larry is the best always inviting me to Gettysburg! We all should go see him one day!
vpatrick
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nuts
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