Confederate attacks on Culps Hill

[pcelt]

I have just been watching a "Battlefields Detectives "programme analysing Gettysburg and the question was raised as to why the Confederates continued to try and attack up Culps hill into the fortified iines instead of trying to outflank the hill and get round to the rear.
In response to this issue one of the "experts"raised the view abd examined evidence which suggested that during this period thee had been a substantial snd extensive and deep mill pond or waterway extending from the base of Culpse Hill which very much prevented any easy outflanking.
I have never heard this view before and wonder if any local experts or historian could please comment on this theory.
Thanks

[DavidAcheson140PVI]

Well spanglers spring is at the base of culps hill perhaps that is what they were talking about?

[roscrans]

Do you suppose they were talking about the McAllister mill pond that was located on Rock Creek near Culps hill?

Of course, my memory may be at fault on some of the details...

[RebBugler]

Scenario 21, Brinkerhoff Ridge, tells the tale. The 2nd Virginia of Johnson's Stonewall Brigade was sent to recon and clear the east side of Culp's Hill to enable the brigade to attack from the east without fear of being caught from behind. After routing the 10th NY skirmishers, the 2nd Va ran into the rest of Gregg's dismounted cavalry. Armed with repeaters, Gregg's brigade held back the Rebs at the stone wall.

The rest is history, the regiment reported back that over 2000 Yanks held the eastern flank, and Johnson's part of the assault never happened. The small cavalry brigade armed with repeaters...enabled a feint, and saved Culp's Hill...Maybe, because Slocum's Artillery Division was covering that gap between Wolf's Hill and Culp's Hill.

In response to this issue one of the "experts"raised the view and examined evidence which suggested that during this period thee had been a substantial and extensive and deep mill pond or waterway extending from the base of Culps Hill which very much prevented any easy outflanking.

Hmmm...this is a BIG hill, been there, doubt if a pond influenced much strategy, but I didn't see that show, or the pond. :unsure:

[pcelt]

Thanks guys for the feedback.
Just to fill in a little on the theory--- I re-examined the programme and can confirm that the interpretation held in the programme from certain historical maps and a contemporary survey of the area was that Rock Creek fed the MCAllistair Mill Pond which was in 1863 shaped like a letter "C" round the base of Culps Hill and was as much as 150ft across and 4-5ft deep.
I have seen no other evidence or maps which support this intepretation but just present it as one intriguing but very problematic explanation and I am sure there are many other supportable theories of explanation (eg see "RebBugler" above.

Cheers

[Amish John]

Rock Creek flows along the eastern base of Culp's Hill. Culp's Hill is shown in the top and middle center of the below map. The McAllister mill pond (mill and mill pond can be seen in the lower right of the below map) was formed from a portion of Rock Creek and is south of Culp's Hill. As you can see, the former pond was small compared to the size of Culp's hill and definitely did not circle Culp's Hill. As many of you already know, Culp's Hill is actually two hills (known as the upper and lower hills) with a saddle between them. You can see this also on the below map.

The attachment CulpsHill.jpg is no longer available