This past summer I purchased a copy of
Storming Little Round Top by Phillip Thomas Tucker. It was ten percent off, so I thought, "Hey, why not?"
The book deals with the eponymous clash on the far southern side of Gettysburg, specifically from the vantage point of the 15th Alabama and their commanding officer, Oates.
What truly surprised me about the book was the extent to which the 2nd regiment of the U.S.S.S. was involved. Though this book is not about Major Stoughton's command specifically it does include what I can only call one of the best descriptions of what the 2nd regiment went through on that crucial day that I have encountered outside of primary resources.
Tucker basically contends that encountering the sharpshooters at the stone wall at the base of Big Round Top was the first piece of misfortune that struck the Alabamians and drove down their chances of taking Little Round Top. Tucker seems to go out of his way to make the sharpshooters seem super-human...
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Pg. 143...
These elite soldiers now shot down Alabama Rebels as easily as hitting targets at a turkey shoot.
...including by referencing the words of rebel soldiers...
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Pg. 143...
One Confederate later admitted without exaggeration that "the Sharpshooters were the worst we had to contend with" at Gettysburg.
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Pg. 140...
One shocked Confederate soldier long remembered the horror which could be inflicted by the rapid fire of these crack marksmen: "Those Yankee Sharpshooters [and] they rarely missed a man at a mile..."
Another point that Tucker makes, on the same page, is that while the fight of the 1st U.S.S.S. in Pitzer's Woods was more publicized that...
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Clearly, Major Stoughton's marksmen deserve more recognition for helping to save the day at Gettysburg on the Confederate right flank rather than what the other sharpshooters accomplished in the north.
Do we agree/disagree on that point? I've often wondered if people driving around the road south of the battlefield wonder what went on at that little white farmhouse of Mr. Slyder...
Tucker shows that he understands what the purpose of the U.S.S.S. was, namely being skilled skirmishers, but he does go over the top a bit when makes a reference to the sharpshooters as being "special forces". I've never been comfortable when applying contemporary terms like "sniper" to those we represent. How do the rest of us feel about this?
Tucker then goes on to detail something that I've never seen any contemporary source point out, namely how on the verge of being overrun at the stone wall Major Stoughton creatively and decisively divided the 2nd into two groups, one that drew the rebels farther into the "Valley of Death" and into Devil's Den and another that would continue to fight the rebels all the way over Big Round Top and then into line with Company B of the 20th Maine.
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Pg. 156...
Battling these stubborn sharpshooters, who never seemed to miss a shot, while ascending the rough terrain of Big Round Top under a scorching fire was certainly "one of the most onerous labors of the war."
Question: The fate of those that fought with the 20th Maine is well known, but who did the group that fought at Devil's Den fall in with, or what was their experience? Does anyone know?
A fascinating bit of information I discovered...it is well known that the rebel water detail was captured by Federal troops, therefore denying comfort for the thirst of the tired and thirsty rebels of the 15th Alabama. According to Tucker, it's sharpshooters who capture the detail!
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Pg. 172...
But Colonel Oates was hoping against fate for the arrival of the missing canteen detail. Unfortunately for the 15th Alabama, the small detail was attempting in vain to link with the regiment, after following on the 15th Alabama's heels. However, the detail and their precious water supply would be captured by the adjutant of the 2nd United States Sharpshooters and a dozen green-coated sharpshooters on the south side of Big Round Top.
Unfortunately, Tucker does not cite this interesting bit of trivia. Anyone ever come across the letters of the unnamed adjutant? Anyone else come across this being referenced anywhere? It would be a great bit of trivia to point out at Little Round Top in April (well, for those who will be there, I'm leading a mission trip to Washington D.C. that week, maybe see you on the way back!).
The next mention of the efforts of the sharpshooters on that vastly important day is in conjunction with Company B of the 20th Maine. As you no doubt remember Col. Chamberlain has sent this company out to his far right to ensure that the 20th would not be enveloped, and it is with that company that some sharpshooters fall in after fighting the Alabama troops clear over the summit of Big Round Top. A curious question comes to mind when Tucker states...
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Pg. 281...
Captain Park estimated that two Union regiments were behind the stone fence only a short distance to the east, after spying two unit battle flags about 150 yards beyond the 20th Maine's left flank. These two distinct banners ascertained by Captain Park were evidently those of the 2nd United States Sharpshooters and the forty-three soldiers of Company B, 20th Maine.
These brings a few questions to my mind...
1.) It was my understanding that the battle flags of the two U.S.S.S. regiments very rarely ever left their camps and headquarters. With both regiments, including Berdan himself, out fighting on that day I could see the flags being carried into battle, but do we know for sure it happened? This was once again an un-cited example in the book.
2.) If the regimental flag was in fact there, does that mean that Major Stoughton was at LRT?
3.) Why would Company B of the 20th have its own battle flag rather than say, company guidons or flank markers?
Tucker did an excellent job or reporting on the actions of the sharpshooters in defending the Sugar Loaf Hills and interrupting the advance of Law's brigade and the 15th Alabama in particular. I can't recommend the book far beyond that, as it pretty much devolves into a smearing of the 20th Maine in general and Chamberlain in particular. He also forgets to reference a lot of details that are important to his arguments. Then again, I've never written a scholastic book so I can't say anything.
I leave this topic to you good folks by quoting Colonel Oates...
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Pg. 309...
"Had General Longstreet been where the attack [on Lee's right] began, he would have seen the necessity of protecting my flank from the assault of United States sharpshooters. Had that been done, I would, with the six hundred veterans I had, have reached Little Round Top before Vincent's brigade did and would easily have captured that place, which would have won the battle."