From: Steve Haas For me it would be the meeting between Lee and Longstreet the morning of the Second day, when they were planning the attack on the second day. I'd love to know just what their perceptions were, just exactly went on...what they thought they were trying to do...what they really hoped to accomplish.
Stephen Haas
Way cool question...FOr me there is no other possibility than to be in the cupola with John Buford. It just couldn't get any cooler than that for me.
I hope others pick up on this thread, because the possibilities are endless.
Eric Wittenberg
What a way cool question...For me there is only one place to be...That's with Capt Dilger's Battery I, 1st Ohio Light on the 11th Corp line on July 1. Did he really spike that gun? So many questions about that perormance come to mind.
Mike VanHuss
for me, would like to witness what really happened during the 2nd day..
albeit from a safe distance, out of harm's way..
(as if there were any such spots )
:D
Steve,
I'd go back to Ward's Brigade and force them to entrench. I'd tell
Ellis of the 124th NY NOT to charge three times into the triangular pen,
but to entrench and defend.
Since this is all in the same day, I'd like to give Sickles some
drug to knock him out for 12 hours! Then I'd make arrangements for him to
get some serious councelling!
For sheer drama, I too like the Longstreet - Lee conversations, but
how about Lee and Jeb, upon Stuart's arrival. The Marble mand and the
Prodical Son - gives me shivers. If time permitted, I'd like to mosey over
to that Vincent fellow's brigade and those boys from Maine.
For sheer spectical, THE cannonade and Longstreet's second assault.
John Leo
Pat
Why, I'd be on Little Round Top with the signal officers of course. I'm not sure I could just watch them though. I'd want to make sure that the headquarters knew about Longstreet. There wouldn't need to be any shots fired from Smith. I'd move the tactical telegraph to the field and deploy it to the corps like it should have been. I'd get those signal boy organized by gum. If I had a second choice, I'd join Jerome and Buford in the Seminary cupola but with Eric up there, it'd be crowded. :)
Bill
You get the award for the most fun question of the week:
I would be with Longstreet, Johnston, and McLaws on the early PM of the
second day:the march down along March Creek past Black Horse Tavern:
I would love to be a fly on the wall when the decision was made to countermarch.
Why didn't they follow Alexander's tracks?
Why did Pete allow McLaw to maintain the lead?
BTW, this sounds like a nice safe place to make sure that I made it back...
Ken Miller
I'm with ya, Pat! I'd either follow General Armistead, or I'd like to be with General Longstreet in the Peach Orchard on the 2nd.
Sultron (Pete)
Lynn
Jeff
Ray
Bill
Ray
Marlyn "Jeff" Jefferson
if i had my "druthers", i'd be with the 69th PA up on the ridge near the clump of trees witnessing the 'tidal wave' come up the slope on July 3...it must have been a scary and impressive sight.
jim martin
Steve,
Great question...I think I would have liked to have been with Barksdale's Brigade when Longstreet finally turned them loose. It must have been pandemonium!!
Steve Hanzelman
Iwould have wanted to be with Gamble on the morning of July 1. To see Heth and the boys marching down the road towards Gettysburg would have been an awesome sight.
David (llDdd@aol.com)
The evening sunset from from Seminary Ridge on the night before the battle.
Bill Christen
The evening sunset from from Seminary Ridge on the night before the battle.?
But... but... Why????
Terry Moyer
From: gwjchris@ix.netcom.com (Bill and Glenna Christen)
I assumed we could not change what was to happen. I thought it would be
interesting to see the same sunset that John Buford's and Harry Heth's men saw
before the dust, and smoke, and killing...if I could change anything, it would be
over on Baltimore Street at Virginia Wade's house...any other alteration that one
person could do might not have changed the end result that much with thousands of
actors on the stage.
This is one of the best questions asked on the list.
Bill Christen
I would have liked to go along on the recon by the engineer officer that got Ole Pete off on the wrong foot...
Jim Lucas
Vic
Steve,
Great question...I think I would have liked to have been with Barksdale's Brigade when Longstreet finally turned them loose. It must have been pandemonium!!
Steve Hanzelman
or with the Louisiana Tigers on the night attack of July 2nd...
Stephen Haas
I would stay up all night to be with Captain Johnston on his recon. WHERE DID HE GO???!!! To paraphrase a famous WWII message: "All the world wants to know."
This might even get some of the monkeys off Old Pete's back.
Regards,
Jack Kelly
Steve Cassel
Robin
Ok Steve, guess where I would want to be???
Paula Gidjunis
Here's a second choice: I would love to be at the meeting between Buford and Reynolds on the morning of JUly 1. I would love to know exactly where it happened, what was said, and whether the Jerome account really is accurate. Maybe then, we'd know what "the devil's to pay" really means....
Eric Wittenberg
I would be toe to toe with the Iron Brigade, especially the men of the 19th Indiana; from my home -- Muncie in Delaware Co.
Steve Cassel
Ouch. Brave men, but hard-used. I would try and find your body afterwords...
Dave Powell
Great question! I'm afraid I would have to stand behind that low stone wall and watch as high tide of the Confederacy advanced under it's crimson banners to meet their tragic destiny. I'd love to make that march with them, but I'm just not that brave.
My wife, Diane, says she would like to be on Little Round Top with Chamberlain and the boys from Maine.
David Clark
If I could be there, I would choose the following:
1.) With the sharpshooter who kills General Reynolds, and then stay wih him to see what happens to him.
2.) Anywhere with General Hancock on any of the three days.
3.) With the Confederates soldiers waiting to step off on Picketts charge.
I had a hard time narrowing it to one choice, so any of the three would suit me fine.
Regards,
Jeff
Ok Steve, guess where I would want to be???
Paula Gidjunis
Actually, this might be my second choice...would love to see the famous bayonet charge..would love to see Chamberlain in his full battle ardor...
Stephen Haas
Gee Steve, you guessed right?? What a surprise!!
Now my second choice would be when Hancock arrived at GB! I love to see
organization come out of chaos! Plus I would like to have seen that nice clean
white shirt in the middle of battle . . . or is it the blue language -
whatever!!!
Paula
Jim C. Studnicki
I would have like to be with Jeb and he rode his way to Gettysburg.
I would love to see his state of mind after Brandy Station.
Steve Lieberum
Martjim@aol.com says:
hello group
if i had my "druthers", i'd be with the 69th PA up on the ridge near the
clump of trees witnessing the 'tidal wave' come up the slope on July 3...it
must have been a scary and impressive sight.
jim martin
>>>>>(coming from an ole' pennsylvania boy,) it was...
If I could be somewhere during the Civil War it would have to be at Gettysburg
on July 3, 1863 watching Pickett's charge with General James Longstreet or
with Joshua Chamerblain.
Hello Everyone,
--Kristi--
Hello everyone:
If I could have been there, well, I would have chosen to follow Brig.
Gen. Lewis Armistead during Pickett's Charge. Although I would have
been very frightful as the bullets passed by my head and artillery
shells bursting around me, I would like to have witnessed the only
penetration during that charge. Just to watch the steadfast soldiers
follow Armistead in a final shred of hope for victory would have been
something remarkable to witness.
Bryan R. Meyer
At 06:56 PM 5/14/96 -0400, you wrote:
Hello Everyone,
--Kristi--
HEY,
Bryan R Meyer wrote:
I would like to have witnessed the only
penetration during that charge.
I think if you check you will find the 26th(?) North Carolina advanced
farther than Armistead.
Vic
I think if you check you will find the 26th(?) North Carolina advanced
farther than Armistead.
Vic
True in absolute terms, measured in furthest distance east. However, the 26th
had much less success in penetrating the Union line. Remember, the portion of
the line Armistead crossed was something like 100 yards further west than the
line occupied by Arnold's Battery and Smyth's Brigade. In any case, I've
always thought that such comparisons were moot - both commands made far
greater sacrifices than mortal flesh could be expected of, details aside. My
hat has always been off to both...
Dave Powell
I agree, if you re-read my post you will find it was an answer to a comment that
Armistead was the only one to breach the Union line. a statement that totally
ingnores the contribution of the North Carolinians (and the Tenneseans). To
plagurize Mr. Lincoln there was enough glory for all.
Vic
I'd like to be at Buford's staff meeting on June 30th.
According to Lt. Aaron Jerome, Devin claimed
that his brigade could hold the rebels at bay, prompting Buford to
reply, "No you won't. They will
attack in the morning and they will come booming--skirmishers three
deep. You will have to fight like
the devil to hold your own until supports arrive." I would then go
with the 8th Illinois out Cashtown
road and wait for Harry Heth.
-William Howard
Although a certain degree of sentimentality would argue in favor of
accompanying Lewis Armistead on Day 3, June 30 - July 1 with Jno. Buford
would be my first choice. Besides, during the slack periods I could argue
with Eric about states' rights and the 10th Amendment (what do you expect from
a couple of lawyers). By the way, why doesn't anyone want to go shopping with
Harry Heth? :^)
Jim Connor
Chip Wright
Dennis Clemente
There are plenty of places I'd like to have been...
See you all in a couple weeks or so.....
Nancy
Dan
If I could be anywhere at Gettysburg, I would choose the extreme right of the
12th Corps line on Culp's Hill on the evening of July 2nd. I would like to see
George S. Greene's New York Brigade hold the Union flank, outnumbered and
outflanked, in that twilight battle. The 137th New York Infantry also had a
bayonet charge to secure their position, after dark. The glittering bayonets
driving forward into the darkness, with muzzle flashes reflecting, must have
been an awesome sight.
Doug Cubbison
I would like to be at the Wills' house November 18 when Abe arrived,
eat dinner and listen to the crowds serenade him and Seward by torchlight.
I would like to follow Abe over to the Harper house and help Seward hone
that big address for the next day. Maybe I could add a couple of catchy phrases.
Then I would catch up with Nicolay and Hay as they bar hopped
around the town and endear myself to the locals - maybe wake up Carrie
Sheads and talk about that sword deal.
Returning to the Wills house, I would to kick William Saunders off
the sofa, and lie awake listening to Edward Everett snore and waiting for
the crash when the bed with Everett's daughter and two other women collapses
in the middle of the night.
Then, of course I would be up early, to see if Abe toured the field
and most importantly I would be standing camera ready in front of the podium
when he rose to speak.
Dennis
Heather
Norm Levitt
My nomination for question of the year. It has been fun reading all the
different answers... time to add my comments...
I would have liked to have been a fly on the ear of Longstreet's horse on
the afternoon of July 2d to overhear the conversations between him and Hood.
Modern day... I would have like to have been sitting on a log by a camp fire
on the night after the filming of the Pickett's Charge scenes of the Movie
to hear the stories told by the reenactors from both sides and ask, what did
it feel like....
Barry
From: "Jim C. Studnicki"
I think I'd have to be either with Captain Smith so I could tell
him to pull his guns earlier and fall back, or with Cushing's battery to
get a ringside seat of the 3rd day cannonade (and to tell you guys if 4
inches or 1 inch would make a difference).
From: SELieberum@mail.biosis.org
If I could be there,
From: "timothy allen goodling @ deirdre marie buffington"
Martjim@aol.com wrote:
From: piersonj@alpha.montclair.edu
Greeting All,
>
From: Gordon Stark
...
Kristi here. That is the coolest question. I'd never really thought
about it before, but since you asked... I would be on LRT with the 20th
Maine. Yeah, it sounds typical, but it is my ultimate favorite part of the
battle. A few years ago I had a frightening recurring dream about falling
through a time porthole and landing on LRT right before the 20th went into
action. Well, let's just say, I scared the living bejesus out of them!! It
was scary because I kept having it, and every time I did, a little bit more
was added. Eventually I ended up getting a gun and fighting alongside with
them even though I was a girl and was wearing really weird clothes. It was
the most exciting but scary set of dreams I've ever had. Have any of you
ever had dreams like mine?
From: Bryan R Meyer
...
From: "John A. Leo"
Subject: Re: If you could be there...
Kristi here. That is the coolest question. I'd never really thought
about it before, but since you asked... I would be on LRT with the 20th
Maine. Yeah, it sounds typical, but it is my ultimate favorite part of the
battle. A few years ago I had a frightening recurring dream about falling
through a time porthole and landing on LRT right before the 20th went into
action. Well, let's just say, I scared the living bejesus out of them!! It
was scary because I kept having it, and every time I did, a little bit more
was added. Eventually I ended up getting a gun and fighting alongside with
them even though I was a girl and was wearing really weird clothes. It was
the most exciting but scary set of dreams I've ever had. Have any of you
ever had dreams like mine?
Didn't Porter Farley mention something like this towards the back?
From: Victor Vernon
Subject: Re: If you could be there...
Likewise many of Archer's (Fry) Brigade of Tennesseans and Alabamians.
From: DPowell334@aol.com
In a message dated 96-05-14 19:30:45 EDT, Vic writes:
>
From: Victor Vernon
Dave:
From: Martjim@aol.com
From: "Daniel C. Emerson"
Notwithstanding Vic's interposition of the classic time travel paradox
(i.e., will the "present" be altered if we travel into the past and do,
well, anything), I think that (using his example) it is fairly safe to say
that if I went back and told Marse Robert on July 1 that the July 3 charge
would fail, he would ignore me...heck, if he wouldn't listen to Ol' Pete,
why would he listen to some obviously demented yankee in funny clothes.
This thread is too much fun for reality to set in.
How 'bout being in a silent, non-intrusive helicopter (pardon the
oxymoron), surveying the entire field on all three days? Actually, just
Kevlar would probably make any of these fantasies more fun.
From: William_Howard@prodigy.com (MR WILLIAM R HOWARD JR)
It looks like Eric Wittenberg beat me to the cupola with Buford,
and he's hanging out to see what Buford and Reynolds had to say
(Buford replied, "The devil's to pay"; "Hell's to pay" just doesn't
have the ring and cadence of the way Buford wrote, and reportedly
spoke. It's not that I would imagine Buford would shy away from
profanity... not if he's like any other member of the family. )
From: "James Connor"
Greetings, All!
From: "Charles P. Wright"
From: DTCLEM@aol.com
I think I'd mosey along with Alexander Gardner just so I could come back and
be Frass's (excuse the familiarity--we haven't met) co-author!:-)
Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 21:44:50 -0400
From: Nancy Robinson
But - one place that no one else has mentioned that would be quite the
adventure would be with the citizens of Gettysburg while their town was
in such turmoil.
From: dcl4628@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Daniel Lane
I would have to be at Gettysburg with Brady and Gardner and Co. during the
aftermath as they recorded and created the visual history we see today.
From: MBRADLEY@MSCC.CC.TN.US
I would be with Ewell on the evening of the first day. We would occupy
that dad-blamed hill with the graveyard on it.
From: "Doug Cubbison"
I'm new to the group, but I have been impressed with the level of knowledge
and quality of discussion that I've seen over the past week.
0
From: lawrence (Dennis Lawrence)
Greetings,
From: "Heather Peake"
I wouldn't mind being up on the hill with the 20th Maine, but it's
getting a little crowded....Nor would I mind being with Longstreet at
any point between June 29 and July 7 to see what *really* went down
with him and Big Robert...but I'm willing to give up that seat to
whoever else wants it (interested, Robin?). When all else fails,
stick with the home team: I'd want to be with Stannard's Vermont
Brigade at Pickett's Charge. Even Coddington says that's an under-
studied aspect of the Charge.
From: Norman Levitt
p>
With Cushing's guns at the angle. Keeping my head down, of course.
From: HendrBR
...