Comments on: Lieut. Patrick O’Rorke’s Account of the Campaign

By: Gettysburg Fix « Bull Runnings

Gettysburg Fix « Bull Runnings — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:13:48 +0000

[...] Pub (named for the fellow whose account of his experience at Bull Run can be read here), set off for a long walk around town. I was pleasantly surprised to run into old friends Jim [...]

By: Harry Smeltzer

Harry Smeltzer — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:40:58 +0000

Keith,

I’ve never been very good at picturing evolutions and oblique movements in my head. Your guess is as good as if not better than mine.

By: Keith Knoke

Keith Knoke — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:18:00 +0000

On the right angle topic. We know that the 3rd CT and 2nd ME were the two regiments that advance, so Im inclined to believe that land formation and Confederate fire may have dictated this more than an actual deployment strategy by Keyes or Tyler. 2nd ME came up to the east of the Robinson Lane and 3rd CT came up the west of the lane. The topography of the hill as well as the fact that fire of Hamptons Legion remnants and 2nd MS remnants was coming from the lane and the Robinson House would have forced both the 2nd ME and 3rd CT to obligue towards the house and the lane. With both regiments obliguing, the angle formed by the connection of the right wing of the 2nd ME and the left wing of the 3rd CT, likely would have resembled a 90 degree angle. Does that make sense?

By: Harry Smeltzer

Harry Smeltzer — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:15:47 +0000

A note to you folks who may be citing this website when using the letter. I’m finding I’ve made a few typos and I correct them when I see them. Nothing major so far, but you should probably use a date in your cite and check back often.

By: Harry Smeltzer

Harry Smeltzer — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:12:45 +0000

Keith,

Looking at Bearss’ map study, he says:

“Keyes’ thrust was turned back by the fire of Latham’s guns (Lynchburg Artillery) and those commanded by Lieutenant Pelham. The latter’s had gone into battery on a hill to the left of Latham’s guns. Official Records, Series I, Vol. II, pp 496-497; Beauregard, ‘The First Battle of Bull Run,’ Battles & Leaders, Vol. I, p. 215.”

By: Harry Smeltzer

Harry Smeltzer — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:08:33 +0000

Keith,

Yep, the right angles thing confuses me. Is he saying they advanced in mixed order (line followed by column), a la Sherman? Interstingly, this order is one of the few tactical formations explicitly favored by Napoleon, who was more of a big picture guy from what I understand.

As for the reference, see the comment before yours and this article:

http://bullrunnings.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/o%e2%80%99rorke%e2%80%99s-letter/

By: Keith Knoke

Keith Knoke — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:51:57 +0000

Mr. Smeltzer, thank you for posting this. I have seen references to Upton being with Keyes brigade during the second advance from the east (I believe that was when he was wounded). I would be interested in peoples opinion as to who the battery was that pushed the 2nd ME and 3rd CT off the hill, (2 guns of the Washington Artillery? Alburtis?) Also I find the comment that 2nd and 3rd advance on the Robinson House was done at nearly right angles very interesting. Harry, do you have a reference for this letter? Thank you again

By: Harry Smeltzer

Harry Smeltzer — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:34:07 +0000

Thanks, John. I’m glad you appreciate the letter. I have sent a copy of the transcript to Jim Burgess at the Park. I think I’ll annotate the letter here at a later date, but I’m at a loss for how to use it otherwise since I don’t know where the orignal is. How do you pros handle these things?

By: John Hennessy

John Hennessy — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:55:35 +0000

Harry:
This is an outstanding letter I had not seen–wonderful detail on the evolution of the fighting at Blackburn’s Ford….and really good stuff on Keyes’s attack around the Robinson house. I love his statement about he and Upton putting themselves under fire at Blackburn’s just so they could see what it felt like. A wonderful testament the psychology of the day.

Thanks much for sharing this.

John Hennessy

By: Mike Peters

Mike Peters — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:10:16 +0000

Harry,

Great letter!

The part about the wearing of the bloody straw hat says something about “Paddy,” don’t you think?

Respectively,

Mike Peters