The FReeper Foxhole Remembers Gen. Richard Ewell at Gettysburg (7/2/1863) - Mar. 21st, 2005

America's Civil War Magazine | Robert C. Cheeks

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C.

Looks like the wind and rain have passed. Nice bright sunny morning here today.

[SAMWolf]

Hi GailA

[SAMWolf]

Morning Feather.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Mayor

When people tell me life is hard, I always reply, "Of course it is."

I usually just say "Well, Duhhhh!" ;-)

[Soaring Feather]

Hi Wneighbor, glad you arrived home safely. Big step for you, but all will be well I'm sure.

[PzLdr]

Two of the factors that contributed to the Confederate defeat at Culp's Hill were the length of the Confederate line (some nine miles, on exterior lines), and the almost total inability of Lee to coordinate his attacks. Ewell's initial attack on Day 1 was fortuitous. That's probably the last time at Gettysburg attacks by units from two separate Corps (except the 1st Corps units involved in Pickett's charge) occurred.

A.P Hill, Lee's other novice Corps commander was almost invisible during the Battle of Gettysburg, and was invisible after Day 1. Except for contributing the majority of troops to Pickett's Charge, he seems to have no involvement in the conduct of offensive operations in the battle. By Day 2, Gettysburg devolves into a series of battles on the extremities of Lee's line (the distance closes on Day 3, but not to the point where the attacks are mutually supporting.

Ewell did a far better job of following his orders than either Longstreet or Stuart. His attacks largely went off on time, or close to it. Failure on his front seems, in large part on Day 2 to rest with his subordinates, and to a degree, with his superior.

If one accosts the premise that Hill's Corps was burned out after Day 1, then Lee used virtually his entire available Army on Day 2 (Pickett was still marching to the area and wouldn't arrive until that night. Stuart arrived late that afternoon, in attacks roughly nine to ten miles apart, with no strategic reserve. Ewell took casualties on Day 1 too, so he was not attacking at full strength. Lee seemed strangely oblivious to the strategic value of Culp's. Success there would have allowed him to drive down the Union rear and force them away. The attack would have been from near his forward supply base, and the concentration of two of his Corps. A second not great day for Lee.

Suggested Reading:"Ewell" by Donald C. Pfanz;"General A.P. Hill", by James I. Robertson,Jr.; "Jubal" by Charles C. Osborne; "Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage" by Noah Andre Trudeau; "The Gettysburg Campaign" by Albert A. Nofi; For Part 1 of this thread, Gettysburg July 1" by David G. Martin. There is also a volume dedicated to Day 2, but I don't own it, and do not remember the author (there are two volumes - at least - on Day 3, not counting separate studies of Pickett's Charge).

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for starting the GWOT Casualties list Valin.

1945 1st Japanese flying bombs (ochas) attack Okinawa

The Ohka (Cherry Blossom) was a Japanese suicide weapon used in aerial combat during the closing months of WW II. It was nicknamed "Baka" (Fool) by U.S. troops. Designed primarily for use as an anti-invasion or coastal defense weapon, it was powered by three solid-propellant rocket motors with 8 to 10 seconds firing endurance, and carrried a high-explosive warhead in its nose. It was particularily effective against U.S. Naval forces during the invasion of Okinawa in April 1945.

The Ohka was carried to the vicinity of its target beneath a "mother" aircraft such as the twin-engine Mitsubishi G4M2e "Betty" bomber. Upon being released from the carrier plane, the Ohka glided in the direction of the target. When the pilot reached a favorable position for his attack, he fired the rockets and dove at a high speed into his victim, perishing in the resulting explosion. Contrary to what many people believed during WW II, the Ohka pilot was not locked into the cockpit, since he considered it a great honor to die for his Emperor in this manner.

[SAMWolf]

Morning alfa6.

Sounds like you're making really good progress.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Mud.

Good rebuttals to those questions.

We are a Nation of Laws, and if those laws are legitimate enough to prosecute you or me for, why not some hayseed from Arkansas?

My favorite

[SAMWolf]

Morning SZonian

[SAMWolf]

Morning PE.

Heartwarming story to go with the Flag-O-Gram this morning.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Wneighbor.

Welcome back.

[The Mayor]

Very good..

[SAMWolf]

Morning PzLdr.

Gettysburg and "the Bulge" must be two of the most written about battles in history. They also lend themselves to a lot of "What if's".

[stand watie]

SM, snippy, et.al.

free dixie,sw

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Aeronaut.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, folks. We had to unplug the computer last night. We had some thunder and lightning but no rain.All the storms are off to the East.

Those of you across Southeast Oklahoma, East Texas, Northwest Louisana and Southwest arkansas keep a heads up on the weather today. Be sure to unplug your computer if you hear thunder and lightning, also your phone lines too.

Right now here in Southwest Oklahoma it's sunny and in the 50's.

How's it going, Snippy?

[snippy_about_it]

Morning EGC. I see you weathered the storms.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Gail.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning feather.