Warfield Ridge Battle of Gettysburg Devil’s
Den Little Round Top Seminary Ridge Pitzer Woods Emmitsburg Road Map, Hood's Division Longstreet's
Corps General Law's Alabama Brigade Big Round Top Maps
| Warfield Ridge where Hood began his attack |
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| Gettysburg NMP |
"Warfield Ridge" is actually the southern extension of Seminary Ridge south of Pitzer Woods and the Millerstown Road. The gentle ridge veers in a southeasterly direction where it is intersected by the
Emmitsburg Road. This ridge was heavily wooded at the time of the battle and provided excellent concealment for Longstreet's
Confederate troops who sheltered here prior to the attack on the afternoon of July 2. The trees screened the southern line
of march from any Union vantage point, including that of the signalmen on Little Round Top. The last troops into line were also the first to step off toward the Union left flank from this point- Brig.
General Evander Law's Alabama brigade of General John Bell Hood's Division marched over 18 miles to get to this point and
then began the attack at 4 o'clock without the benefit of water. Thirsty soldiers handed over their empty canteens to several
men who were detailed to find a well and fill them, but they had not returned before the attack began. (The canteen detail
never did return; all were captured with the filled canteens while attempting to locate their comrades.) The lack of water
would play a major role in fatigue and exhaustion during the ensuing fight.
(Picture to the Right: Big Round Top from Warfield Ridge. Hood believed
that the heavily wooded hill could conceal his march around and into the Union rear. Gettysburg NMP.)
Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood was the division commander for the Confederate soldiers here. Brave and audacious,
Hood was uneasy with the assignment given him especially after he surveyed the ground east of Warfield Ridge. Union signalmen
on top of Little Round Top could easily see his troops and Yankee batteries at Devil's Den and the Peach Orchard had a clear field of fire on his formations. Supporting Confederate batteries
on Warfield Ridge were not enough to suppress the Union artillery and his soldiers had no chance to defend themselves until
they closed on the enemy positions. Hood encountered General Longstreet and proposed a change of plans- he would move his division further south around
Big Round Top and attack behind the Union line to throw the Union guns off Devil's Den from the rear. Hot and frustrated by
a day full of delays, a stubborn Longstreet replied that General Lee's orders to attack up the Emmitsburg Road had to be carried
out as ordered. Hood protested. Again Longstreet stated, "We must obey the orders of General Lee." Hood turned to rejoin his
troops as Longstreet rode to meet with his other division commander, General McLaws. Moments after this encounter, General
Hood was seriously wounded near this location and carried from the field. General Evander Law stepped into his place and directed
the division for the remainder of the battle.
| General Hood |
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| Generals in Gray |
The loss of General Hood was keenly felt; Law had no idea of the route of
attack General Lee had ordered. "We advanced to the attack," wrote Brig. General Evander Law, "The artillery on both sides
had been warmly engaged for about fifteen minutes and continued to fire heavily until we became engaged with the Federal infantry..."
Overlooking the assault were Union signal men stationed on Little Round Top. General Law knew the importance of the hill and
of the adjacent Big Round Top, which "rose like a huge sentinel guarding the Federal left flank."
The opening charge was directed against Union troops occupying Devil's Den. But Law's brigade, now commanded
by Colonel William C. Oates of the 15th Alabama Infantry, was forced to move further to the right toward Big Round Top to escape
the concentrated fire coming from Union artillery at Devil's Den, the Wheatfield and the Peach Orchard.
(Photo to the Right: Little Round Top from Warfield Ridge. Hood's
men had to march across the Bushman Farm (foreground) under fire from Union artillery to reach Devil's Den. Gettysburg NMP.)
The southerners rushed over farm fields scattered with large boulders and
dense thickets, divided by stout rail and stone fences. US Sharpshooters peppered the southern ranks with a deadly fusillade
but the Confederates kept moving. Law's brigade split in half, one portion headed to flank the Union guns at Devil's Den and
the other to strike Little Round Top. Instead of flanking Devil's Den, Law's left half was met by Union troops rushed
into the small valley to stem the attack. Adjacent to Law's brigade, Robertson's Texas Brigade also moved swiftly down the
slope of Warfield Ridge through the Bushman Farm and charged the Union battery posted on top of Devil's Den, applying deadly
pressure to the New York artillerymen from front and flank. Law's right wing continued northward. His right regiment, the
15th Alabama, marched over the summit of Big Round Top before running straight into a Union
brigade posted on the southern slope of Little Round Top.
The Bushman and Slyder Farms that lie between Warfield Ridge and Big Round
Top are more heavily wooded today than in 1863. Both farms were small family operations and the farmers had cleared trees
from most of the area up to the slopes of Big Round Top for pasture and crops. Every inch of land here was precious as the
soil was not of the same good quality as those farms north of Devil's Den. Since that time, the land has been constantly farmed
and used for purposes other than remaining as open fields as in 1863. Gettysburg National Military Park's approved 1999 General
Management Plan included a proposal to rehabilitate and restore this farmland to its pre-1920s appearance. Tree removal and
land reclamation began in the winter of 2002-2003 and has been very successful, returning the area to its historic appearance
and field patterns. Visitors can now appreciate the open terrain and distance southern troops had to cross to get into the
fighting.
"They held the right wing of Lee's valiant host..."
| The Alabama Monument |
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| Gettysburg NMP |
On the southern tip of Warfield Ridge stands the Alabama Monument, that state's tribute to the Alabamians
who served at Gettysburg. It was from this location that General Law's brigade of Alabama regiments initiated Longstreet's
attack against Devil's Den and Little Round Top on the second day of the battle. A central female figure represents the state
of Alabama and signifies pride in her native sons kneeling beside her, as she points in the direction they must go. A wounded
soldier passes his cartridge box to the figure of "Determination" who will continue into battle despite the odds. Set on a
base of Vermont Granite and surrounded by a flagstone terrace and walk, this handsome monument cost the state of Alabama $12,000
to erect. The design and sculpture is the work of artist Joseph W. Urner of Frederick, Maryland. It was dedicated by the Alabama
Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy on November 12, 1933.
Source: National Park Service; Gettysburg National Military Park
Recommended
Reading: Gettysburg--The Second Day, by Harry W. Pfanz (624 pages). Description: The second
day's fighting at Gettysburg—the assault of the Army of Northern Virginia against the
Army of the Potomac on 2 July 1863—was probably the critical engagement of that decisive
battle and, therefore, among the most significant actions of the Civil War. Harry Pfanz, a former historian at Gettysburg National Military Park, has written a definitive account
of the second day's brutal combat. He begins by introducing the men and units that were to do battle, analyzing the strategic
intentions of Lee and Meade as commanders of the opposing armies, and describing the concentration of forces in the area around
Gettysburg. He then examines the development of tactical plans
and the deployment of troops for the approaching battle. But the emphasis is on the fighting itself. Pfanz provides a thorough
account of the Confederates' smashing assaults—at Devil's Den and Little Round Top, through the Wheatfield and the Peach
Orchard, and against the Union center at Cemetery Ridge. Continued below...
He also details
the Union defense that eventually succeeded in beating back these assaults, depriving Lee's gallant army of victory. Pfanz
analyzes decisions and events that have sparked debate for more than a century. In particular he discusses factors underlying
the Meade-Sickles controversy and the questions about Longstreet's delay in attacking the Union left. The narrative is also enhanced
by thirteen superb maps, more than eighty illustrations, brief portraits of the leading commanders, and observations on artillery,
weapons, and tactics that will be of help even to knowledgeable readers. Gettysburg—The
Second Day is certain to become a Civil War classic. What makes the work so authoritative is Pfanz's mastery of the Gettysburg literature and his unparalleled knowledge of the ground on
which the fighting occurred. His sources include the Official Records, regimental histories and personal reminiscences from
soldiers North and South, personal papers and diaries, newspaper files, and last—but assuredly not least—the Gettysburg
battlefield. Pfanz's career in the National Park Service included a ten-year assignment as a park historian at Gettysburg. Without doubt, he knows the terrain of the battle as well
as he knows the battle itself.
Recommended Reading:
The Artillery of Gettysburg
(Hardcover). Description: The battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, the apex of the Confederacy's final major invasion of the North,
was a devastating defeat that also marked the end of the South's offensive strategy against the North. From this battle until
the end of the war, the Confederate armies largely remained defensive. The Artillery of Gettysburg is a thought-provoking
look at the role of the artillery during the July 1-3, 1863 conflict. Continued below...
During the
Gettysburg
campaign, artillery had already gained the respect in both armies. Used defensively, it could break up attacking formations
and change the outcomes of battle. On the offense, it could soften up enemy positions prior to attack. And even if the results
were not immediately obvious, the psychological effects to strong artillery support could bolster the infantry and discourage
the enemy. Ultimately, infantry and artillery branches became codependent, for the artillery needed infantry support lest
it be decimated by enemy infantry or captured. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia had modified its codependent command
system in February 1863. Prior to that, batteries were allocated to brigades, but now they were assigned to each infantry
division, thus decentralizing its command structure and making it more difficult for Gen. Robert E. Lee and his artillery
chief, Brig. Gen. William Pendleton, to control their deployment on the battlefield. The Union Army of the Potomac
had superior artillery capabilities in numerous ways. At Gettysburg,
the Federal artillery had 372 cannons and the Confederates 283. To make matters worse, the Confederate artillery frequently
was hindered by the quality of the fuses, which caused the shells to explode too early, too late, or not at all. When combined
with a command structure that gave Union Brig. Gen. Henry Hunt more direct control--than his Southern counterpart had over
his forces--the Federal army enjoyed a decided advantage in the countryside around Gettysburg. Bradley
M. Gottfried provides insight into how the two armies employed their artillery, how the different kinds of weapons functioned
in battle, and the strategies for using each of them. He shows how artillery affected the “ebb and flow” of battle
for both armies and thus provides a unique way of understanding the strategies of the Federal and Union
commanders.
Recommended
Reading: Gettysburg, by Stephen W. Sears (640 pages) (November 3, 2004). Description: Sears delivers another masterpiece with this comprehensive study of America’s most studied Civil War battle. Beginning with Lee's meeting with
Davis in May 1863, where he argued in favor of marching north, to take pressure off both Vicksburg and Confederate logistics. It ends with the battered Army
of Northern Virginia re-crossing the Potomac just two months later and with Meade unwilling to drive his equally battered
Army of the Potomac into a desperate pursuit. In between is the balanced, clear and detailed
story of how tens-of-thousands of men became casualties, and how Confederate independence on that battlefield was put forever
out of reach. The author is fair and balanced. Continued below...
He discusses the shortcomings of Dan Sickles, who
advanced against orders on the second day; Oliver Howard, whose Corps broke and was routed on the first day; and Richard Ewell,
who decided not to take Culp's Hill on the first night, when that might have been decisive. Sears also makes a strong argument
that Lee was not fully in control of his army on the march or in the battle, a view conceived in his gripping narrative of
Pickett's Charge, which makes many aspects of that nightmare much clearer than previous studies. A must have for the Civil
War buff and anyone remotely interested in American history.
Recommended
Reading: Hallowed Ground: A
Walk at Gettysburg, by James M. Mcpherson
(Crown Journeys) (Hardcover). Review From
Publishers Weekly: The country's most distinguished
Civil War historian, a Pulitzer Prize winner (for Battle Cry of Freedom) and professor at Princeton,
offers this compact and incisive study of the Battle of Gettysburg. In narrating "the largest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere," McPherson walks readers over its presently hallowed ground, with monuments numbering
into the hundreds, many of which work to structure the narrative. They range from the equestrian monument to Union general
John Reynolds to Amos Humiston, a New Yorker identified several months after the battle when family daguerreotypes found on
his body were recognized by his widow. Indeed, while McPherson does the expected fine job of narrating the battle, in a manner
suitable for the almost complete tyro in military history, he also skillfully hands out kudos and criticism each time he comes
to a memorial. Continued below...
He praises
Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine, but also the 140th New York
and its colonel, who died leading his regiment on the other Union flank in an equally desperate action. The cover is effective
and moving: the quiet clean battlefield park above, the strewn bodies below. The author's knack for knocking myths on the
head without jargon or insult is on display throughout: he gently points out that North Carolinians think that their General
Pettigrew ought to share credit for Pickett's charge; that General Lee's possible illness is no excuse for the butchery that
charge led to; that African-Americans were left out of the veterans' reunions; and that the kidnapping of African-Americans
by the Confederates has been excised from most history books.
Recommended
Reading: Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage. Description: America's
Civil War raged for more than four years, but it is the three days of fighting in the
Pennsylvania countryside in July 1863 that continues to
fascinate, appall, and inspire new generations with its unparalleled saga of sacrifice and courage. From Chancellorsville,
where General Robert E. Lee launched his high-risk campaign into the North, to the Confederates' last daring and ultimately-doomed
act, forever known as Pickett's Charge, the battle of Gettysburg gave the Union army a victory that turned back the boldest
and perhaps greatest chance for a Southern nation. Continued below...
Now, acclaimed
historian Noah Andre Trudeau brings the most up-to-date research available to a brilliant, sweeping, and comprehensive history
of the battle of Gettysburg that sheds fresh light on virtually every aspect of it. Deftly balancing his own
narrative style with revealing firsthand accounts, Trudeau brings this engrossing human tale to life as never before.
Recommended Reading: The Maps of Gettysburg:
The Gettysburg Campaign, June 3 - July 13, 1863
(Hardcover). Description: More academic and photographic accounts on the battle of Gettysburg exist than for all other battles of the Civil War combined-and
for good reason. The three-days of maneuver, attack, and counterattack consisted of
literally scores of encounters, from corps-size actions to small unit engagements. Despite all its coverage, Gettysburg remains one of the most complex and difficult to understand battles of the war.
Author Bradley Gottfried offers a unique approach to the study of this multifaceted engagement. The Maps of Gettysburg plows
new ground in the study of the campaign by breaking down the entire campaign in 140 detailed original maps. These cartographic
originals bore down to the regimental level, and offer Civil Warriors a unique and fascinating approach to studying the always
climactic battle of the war. Continued below...
The Maps of
Gettysburg offers thirty "action-sections" comprising the entire campaign. These include the march to and from the battlefield,
and virtually every significant event in between. Gottfried's original maps further enrich each "action-section." Keyed to
each piece of cartography is detailed text that includes hundreds of soldiers' quotes that make the Gettysburg
story come alive. This presentation allows readers to easily and quickly find a map and text on virtually any portion of the
campaign, from the great cavalry clash at Brandy Station on June 9, to the last Confederate withdrawal of troops across the
Potomac River on July 15, 1863. Serious students of the battle will appreciate the extensive
and authoritative endnotes. They will also want to bring the book along on their trips to the battlefield… Perfect for
the easy chair or for stomping the hallowed ground of Gettysburg,
The Maps of Gettysburg promises to be a seminal work that belongs on the bookshelf of every serious and casual student of
the battle.
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