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University of Toledo�Gettysburg Staff Ride

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Battle Analysis

Day #3

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General Lee’s Plan

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Initial Plan

  • Longstreet attacks from the U.S. Left
  • Ewell attacks Culp’s Hill

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- XII Corps conduct an Artillery barrage on Culp’s Hill

- Confederates attack on Culp’s hill and are defeated

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Second Plan

- Longstreet Command’s Picketts Virginia Div

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Longstreet’s objections to a direct attack across open ground

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Command Relationship: The interrelated responsibilities between commanders, as well as the operational authority exercised by commanders in the chain of command; defined further as combatant command (command authority), operational control, tactical control, or support.

Attach: The placement of units or personnel in an organization where such placement is relatively temporary.

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Action on Culp’s Hill

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  • Union artillery barrage targets Steuart at dawn

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  • Johnston counterattacks with three BDEs
    • Steuart attacks across an open field to a part in the Union line that doesn’t have breastworks
    • Daniel and Walker advance against Greene

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    • Union forces under Ruger advance on captured breastworks after a miscommunication (650 vs 1000)

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Suppression – In the context of the computed effects of field artillery fires, renders a target ineffective for a short period of time producing at least 3-percent casualties or materiel damage.

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Pickett’s Charge (Artillery Barrage)

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Destruction: In the context of the computed effects of field artillery fires, destruction renders a target out of action permanently or ineffective for a long period of time, producing 30-percent casualties or materiel damage.

  • Confederate artillery barrage before infantry assault
  • Demoralization of the Union
  • Destruction of Union Artillery

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  • Indirect fire was ineffective because of inferior technology and obscuration

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  • Hunt orders guns to cease fire slowly to create the illusion that his guns are being destroyed

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  • COL Alexander notifies Longstreet that ammunition is running low and that the advance would have to happen in order to take advantage of the barrage

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Obscuration: The employment of materials into the environment that degrade optical and/or electro-optical capabilities within select portions of the electromagnetic spectrum in order to deny acquisition by or deceive an enemy or adversary.

Ruse: In military deception, a trick of war designed to deceive the adversary, usually involving the deliberate exposure of false information to the adversary’s intelligence collection system.

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Pickett’s Charge (Infantry Assault)

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Follow and assume: A tactical mission task in which a second committed force follows a force conducting an offensive task and is prepared to continue the mission if the lead force is fixed, attrited, or unable to continue.

  • The one mile Confederate line (12,400) advances towards the Union lines, slowly increasing speed.

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  • Union artillery fire begins within canister range
  • Confederate advance stalls on the East side of Emmetsburg Rd.

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  • Trimble's DIV follows Pettigrew's but fails to advance further

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Frontal Attack: A form of maneuver in which the attacking force seeks to destroy a weaker enemy force or fix a larger enemy force in place over a broad front.

Follow-on echelon: Those additional forces moved into the objective area after the assault echelon.

Follow and support: A tactical mission task in which a committed force follows and supports a lead force conducting an offensive task.

Fix: an obstacle effect that focuses fire planning and obstacle effort to slow an attacker’s movement within a specified area, normally an engagement area.

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East Cavalry Field

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  • Stuart arrives on the battlefield and signals Lee to provide a FLT
  • Gregg is alerted to Stuarts presence and is placed to block him along Hanover Rd.

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  • Skirmishers begin fighting IVO the Rummel farm
  • Union Cavalry’s firepower advantage forces Stuart to conduct a cavalry charge
  • Custer Counter-attacks forcing the Virginians to retreat
  • Custer if forced to retreat when Stuart sends in reinforcements
  • Custer Counterattacks again and both galloping cavalry columns collide
  • Confederates retreat and Union forces are too weak to pursue

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Block: A tactical mission task that denies the enemy access to an area or prevents his advance in a direction or along an avenue of approach. Block is also an obstacle effect that integrates fire planning and obstacle effort to stop an attacker along a specific avenue of approach or to prevent the attacking force from passing through an engagement area.

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South Cavalry Field

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  • Pleasonton orders reserves to protect the left flank of the Union Army prior to the confederate barrage
  • Union Cavalry under Farnsworth arrive
  • Union cavalry attack against confederate infantry in a piecemeal fashion in three separate waves
  • All failed to have their desired effect

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