Before I start reading...

[Michael Slaunwhite]

Hi everyone, I hope everyone is doing good today.

I am going to try to read up on the American Civilwar, and I have come across some PDF's about the american civilwar. The full reason I am posting this is to find out how accurate these are before spending my time, and looking like a fool if I ever do discuss the topic (wiki has cursed me I'm afraid).

Secondly I feel a wee bit ashamed that I know very little of the American Civilwar which I am finding is holding me back from getting more involved with folks here. Most of the time it sounds like complete jibberish to me.

Forgive me for these being in Jpeg format. It's in PDF format, so I opted to take the easy way out, and simply copy, and convert over. Let me know if you can read these...

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[KG_Soldier]

http://books.google.com/books?id=cPJH0G ... ar&f=false

I found this book really interesting, especially the bit about attacking in columns.

I can't get the link to go where I want it. So go to the bottom of page 88 and start there.

[NY Cavalry]

Thanks for the link Soldier. I'd like to make a observation that I am sure most of us already know. Jubal Early lost the position of Mary's Heights outside Fredericksburg during the time of the battle of Chancellorsville. Longstreet had thousands of men to hold that same ground while Early only had a few hundred. Early's situation was part of the gamble that Lee had played. He left Early with a small command(to hold the entire line not just Mary's Heights) while shifting the majority of his forces to meet Hooker at Chancellorsville.

Barksdale's troops who were overrun at Mary's Heights got some pay back when they rolled up the Union 3rd corp at the Peach Orchard.

It is interesting that the tight formation of column did take significant casualties at Mary's Heights with few defenders to oppose them.

I think column is a legitament tactic that should take increased casualties in its use.

[KG_Soldier]

That's always been my position, NY Cav. I mean. . . the road column thing was rather silly. But my only problem with massed attacks using assault columns is that they don't take enough casualties while closing with the enemy.

[Michael Slaunwhite]

Thanks KG_Soldier, very much appreciated!

[Saddletank]

http://books.google.com/books?id=cPJH0G ... ar&f=false

I found this book really interesting, especially the bit about attacking in columns.

I can't get the link to go where I want it. So go to the bottom of page 88 and start there.

Interesting account. Its a great pity that its not explained exactly what battalion formations were used in the columns.

The Chicamauga attack described as a massed column was clearly using all 2-deep line units, but just in great depth.

I also wonder what the orders were exactly to troops whose commanders chose to assault in columns. All the drill books were of course translations of European works, mostly from the time of Napoleon and I know Jomini was an author whose tactical ideas were taught at West Point.

The issue with Jominian tactics (and Napoleonic tactics) was that the column was never intended to assault with the bayonet but was intended to get a mass of men close to the enemy rapidly and with minimal loss of cohesion. Once at the enemy line, it deployed from its column of companies or divisions into line and poured in as much firepower as practical at the vital point.

Once the enemy began to waver, then a bayonet attack was conducted, usually at a fairly steady and controllable pace.

The point being that at the moment of steel crossing with steel (or more usually men running away when threatened with steel), units were always deployed in lines, at least according to the drill books, and its not easy to get a unit to perform some feat of drill its not practiced many times prior to battle.

On reading the account there of the Spotsylvania column attack it seems clear that the individual regiments were formed in line.

[Michael Slaunwhite]

Here is a link for Drill, and Military Manuals....Click on the image below to zip on over to the website.



Also one more link. This is a Civilwar Guide. Click on the image to visit the website.