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Field of fire

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:58 pm
by Amish John
Regarding the April screenshot showing the Zouave regiment in line standing north of the Wheatfield road with the north shelf of Little Round Top in the background...

Image

I see there is a stand of trees on the north side of Wheatfield Road across from the north side/shelf of LRT. Out of sight behind these trees should be Munshower Hill. During the battle there was artillery posted on the hill that had a clear field of fire to the west. In the game, does this field of fire exist with the stand of trees where they are? I can't tell by the screen shot if the crown of the hill is above the trees.

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If I'm looking at this photo right, with the Wheatfield Road going across the middle of the photo, it appears there are not many trees on the west slope of Munshower Hill to obstruct a field of fire. Admittedly, it's kind of hard to tell from this photo, but since the NPS has cleared this hill of its trees there is a great field of fire. Anyone who has stood on the crown of the hill where the battery was can appreciate the field of fire these guns enjoyed. I'd hate to lose that in the game.

Check out the following video
http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/?p=1565

Re:Field of fire

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:05 pm
by Hancock the Superb
It seems to me that the photo and the screenshot do not match. Though I could be misreading your post.

What artillery was posted on this hill?

Re:Field of fire

Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 7:51 am
by Amish John
Hancock the Superb wrote:
It seems to me that the photo and the screenshot do not match. Though I could be misreading your post.

What artillery was posted on this hill?
You're right HS, they don't match. The photo was taken from LRT near where the Warren statue is today. The photo looks north towards Munshower Hill. It's the only battle period photo I can recall showing a portion of the hill. Both the screenshot and photo are looking generally in the direction of the hill in question.

I could be wrong, but I'm thinking it was two sections of Battery L, 1st Ohio Light Artillery (Gibbs). His other section was posted at the time in question on the north shelf of LRT. I'm no historian, so the more knowledgeable on the forum can correct me if I've got that wrong.

Re:Field of fire

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:32 pm
by Hancock the Superb
Hmmm. Never heard of the hill. Gibb's (of Battery L, 1st OH) was not deployed by the LRT in accordance to any of my maps.

Re:Field of fire

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:24 pm
by Amish John
Hancock the Superb wrote:
Hmmm. Never heard of the hill. Gibb's (of Battery L, 1st OH) was not deployed by the LRT in accordance to any of my maps.
Don't feel bad. Many people with a casual interest in the battle haven't. It's the hill that was cleared of trees a couple years ago that is just north of LRT and is in the northwest corner of the intersection of Sedgewick Ave. and Wheatfield Road.

As far as Gibb's 1st Ohio's deployment, the next time you go in a history bookstore that has Pfanz's "Gettysburg the Second Day" check out page 238.

You also may enjoy Phil Laino's recently released "Gettysburg Campaign Atlas". See pages 185 thru 191 for the text and maps indicating Gibb's deployment on Munshower Hill and Little Round Top.

or
"The Stand of the US Army at Gettysburg" page 356
or
http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/?p=3831
or
http://www.gettysburg.stonesentinels.co ... rtBatL.php
or
http://www.echoesofgettysburg.com/id27.html

Now...having said all that about Gibbs, I'm thinking there is a monument on Munshower Hill to Battery C, 1st New York Light Artillery. I don't know if there is a marker on Munshower Hill to Gibb's two sections.

Re:Field of fire

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:55 am
by Kerflumoxed
Amish John wrote:
Hancock the Superb wrote:
Now...having said all that about Gibbs, I'm thinking there is a monument on Munshower Hill to Battery C, 1st New York Light Artillery. I don't know if there is a marker on Munshower Hill to Gibb's two sections.
Many years ago I found volume 3 of "Final Report of the Battle of Gettysburg: New York at Gettysburg" for $3.00 at a book sale for the Lincoln, NE, Public Library. One thousand, four hundred sixty pages of photos, historical sketches, and addresses by various dignitaries at monument dedications. Battery C, 1st N.Y.L.A. monument is located "On west side of Sedgwick Avenue, north of Little Round Top." This battery was called Barnes Battery according to the inscription on the front of the monument. They served in the 5th Corps and saw action from Antietam to Appomattox. On the right side of the monument, the inscription reads: "Held this position from about 5:3- P. M. July 2 to 4 A. M. July 3, 1863." On the left side of the monument: "On the morning of July 3, transferred to the left flank of Big Round Top." Barnes survived the war and provided the historical sketch for the dedication of the monument.

If anyone has a need for other New York infantry, cavalry or artillery units that were at GB, pleas feel free to ask.

J

Re:Field of fire

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:36 am
by Amish John
Kerflumoxed wrote:
Amish John wrote:
Hancock the Superb wrote:
Now...having said all that about Gibbs, I'm thinking there is a monument on Munshower Hill to Battery C, 1st New York Light Artillery. I don't know if there is a marker on Munshower Hill to Gibb's two sections.
Many years ago I found volume 3 of "Final Report of the Battle of Gettysburg: New York at Gettysburg" for $3.00 at a book sale for the Lincoln, NE, Public Library. One thousand, four hundred sixty pages of photos, historical sketches, and addresses by various dignitaries at monument dedications. Battery C, 1st N.Y.L.A. monument is located "On west side of Sedgwick Avenue, north of Little Round Top." This battery was called Barnes Battery according to the inscription on the front of the monument. They served in the 5th Corps and saw action from Antietam to Appomattox. On the right side of the monument, the inscription reads: "Held this position from about 5:3- P. M. July 2 to 4 A. M. July 3, 1863." On the left side of the monument: "On the morning of July 3, transferred to the left flank of Big Round Top." Barnes survived the war and provided the historical sketch for the dedication of the monument.

If anyone has a need for other New York infantry, cavalry or artillery units that were at GB, pleas feel free to ask.

J
Thanks for the info Jack. I'll be in GB in April and I'll have to check out that monument. I've been to it before but didn't pay that much attention to it.

Re:Field of fire

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 7:54 am
by Amish John
Amish John wrote:
Hancock the Superb wrote:
Hmmm. Never heard of the hill. Gibb's (of Battery L, 1st OH) was not deployed by the LRT in accordance to any of my maps.
Don't feel bad. Many people with a casual interest in the battle haven't. It's the hill that was cleared of trees a couple years ago that is just north of LRT and is in the northwest corner of the intersection of Sedgewick Ave. and Wheatfield Road.

As far as Gibb's 1st Ohio's deployment, the next time you go in a history bookstore that has Pfanz's "Gettysburg the Second Day" check out page 238.

You also may enjoy Phil Laino's recently released "Gettysburg Campaign Atlas". See pages 185 thru 191 for the text and maps indicating Gibb's deployment on Munshower Hill and Little Round Top.

or
"The Stand of the US Army at Gettysburg" page 356
or
http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/?p=3831
or
http://www.gettysburg.stonesentinels.co ... rtBatL.php
or
http://www.echoesofgettysburg.com/id27.html

Now...having said all that about Gibbs, I'm thinking there is a monument on Munshower Hill to Battery C, 1st New York Light Artillery. I don't know if there is a marker on Munshower Hill to Gibb's two sections.
Courtesy of our friends over at Military History Online, here is a photo of two of the artillery markers on Munshower Hill. Doesn't quite show the field of fire, but you can almost get the idea. You can click on the picture to zoom.

Image

Re:Field of fire

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:20 am
by Kerflumoxed
Yep, John...that is the one shown on the dedication page. The smaller marker was not in the photo in the book.

Thanks for the reference.

J

Re:Field of fire

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:30 am
by Hancock the Superb
That actually looks like an important hill to possess on the Union side. Excellent fields of fire (if it was even half wooded)!

Where exactly is this?

I'm assuming along the line Sickles was supposed to hold, though I could be wrong.