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Double Canister at Ten Yards: The Federal Artillery and the Repulse of Pickett's Charge
tight binding, pages are clean and unmarked, book appears to be inscribed by the author, very minimal wear
77 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 18, 2018
This is a narrowly focused volume--the role of Union artillery on the 3rd day at Gettysburg. The book explores the role of a number of artillery officers--with the chief of artillery, General Henry Hunt, covered most heavily. And with good reason. He was a whirling dervish, moving across the battlefield before "Pickett's Charge" as well as during it. He spent much time positioning artillery units on July 2nd as well as July 3rd. The "long arm" was well placed on the 3rd.
The Confederate advance on the 3rd began with a massive barrage by over 100 Confederate cannons. For a number of reasons, the bombardment was not particularly effective. Once the butternut infantry began their advance toward Cemetery Ridge, Union artillery became active across the field of battle--from Little Roundtop to Cemetery Hill. Hunt moved batteries much as a chess player might have done.
There is great detail here, and some readers might find it slow going, but that detail is--to me--what makes this work so good. The maps help make sense of the struggle. The order of battle is helpful in getting a sense of what units were involved.
All in all, a nice volume.
The Confederate advance on the 3rd began with a massive barrage by over 100 Confederate cannons. For a number of reasons, the bombardment was not particularly effective. Once the butternut infantry began their advance toward Cemetery Ridge, Union artillery became active across the field of battle--from Little Roundtop to Cemetery Hill. Hunt moved batteries much as a chess player might have done.
There is great detail here, and some readers might find it slow going, but that detail is--to me--what makes this work so good. The maps help make sense of the struggle. The order of battle is helpful in getting a sense of what units were involved.
All in all, a nice volume.
July 3, 2022
How Less Can Be More In Studying Pickett's Charge
So much has been written about Pickett's Charge on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg that it is difficult to say something fresh. David Shultz accomplishes this feat in his new book, "Double Canister at Ten Yards: The Federal Artillery and the Repulse of Pickett's Charge, July 3, 1863." The author of many articles and books about Gettysburg, Shultz specializes in the study of artillery.
Less can be more. Shultz's book is short and focuses entirely on the Union long arm in the hours before and during Pickett's Charge. Contrary to the blurbs for the book, artillery at Gettysburg and on day 3 of the battle has been studied extensively. Something is gained, however, by the focus of this book.
The hero of Shultz's book is Brigadier General Henry Hunt, the Chief of Artillery for the Army of the Potomac. The most original parts of Shultz's study are the initial two chapters. They show Hunt painstakingly and thoughtfully placing the Union artillery at key points along the Union line beginning late on July 2 and continuing into the hours before the Confederate cannonade and infantry advance. This material lacks drama, but it shows the thought and hard work necessary to the Union defense. The focus on this activity in itself makes the book worth knowing. Hunt's efforts and the efforts of his subordinates allowed the Union artillery to cover the field and probably to defeat the Confederate advance before it began. An excellent map late in the book showing the fields of fire of the Union artillery (p. 82), together with the fortitude of the soldiers in standing fast and heroically performing their tasks, virtually says it all.
The remainder to the study shows the results of Hunt's planning in action during the Confederate cannonade of the Union position and the famous advance of the Confederate infantry. The material will be familiar to students of the battle, but much is gained by the specific and limited focus on the Union long arm. Unlike the pace of the early chapters, the portions of the book dealing with the cannonade and Pickett's charge read dramatically and quickly. With the focus on Hunt's planning and the artillerists devotion to their duty, the heroics on both sides of the line eloquently come through in the book.
The book's title derives from an incident late in Pickett's charge. As Shultz describes it:
"South of the Copse of Trees, Captain Cowan saw 'a Confederate officer not more than 20 feet away. I heard him yell, 'take that gun', referring to one of my guns. I ordered 'fire', and all five blew the line to pieces with double canister. The officer was gone. Cowan's quote would be memorialized after the battle as 'Double Canister at Ten Yards,"
Beyond noting the bravery and basic competence of the Southern artillery, Shultz does not go into detail on the efforts of Lee's use of his long arm on July 3. Readers familiar with the battle will be able to bring their own knowledge to bear. While Lee's army possessed a gifted artillery commander, Porter Alexander, he lacked the authority that Hunt possessed for the Union. The South's artillery commander, "Parson" Pendleton, made serious errors in the placement and lack of focus of his guns, in the use of the reserves, and in the expenditure of ammunition, leading to a lack of support for the infantry. Although not discussed by Shultz, the superiority of the Union's artillery command and efforts are implicit in his account.
As the above comments suggest, this book will be of most value to readers with a good working knowledge of Pickett's charge. I learned a great deal from the narrow focus of the work. A unique and valuable aspect of the work is the Order of Battle for the Union artillery which shows the batteries engaged in the repulse of Pickett's Charge. The diagrams and maps in the book are well done and, together with many photographs of people and places on the battlefield, enhance the study. The book includes careful endnotes, but a bibliography would have been useful. Better proofing for typos and grammatical errors would have been valuable. The publisher, Savas Beatie, kindly sent me a review copy of this book.
Robin Friedman
So much has been written about Pickett's Charge on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg that it is difficult to say something fresh. David Shultz accomplishes this feat in his new book, "Double Canister at Ten Yards: The Federal Artillery and the Repulse of Pickett's Charge, July 3, 1863." The author of many articles and books about Gettysburg, Shultz specializes in the study of artillery.
Less can be more. Shultz's book is short and focuses entirely on the Union long arm in the hours before and during Pickett's Charge. Contrary to the blurbs for the book, artillery at Gettysburg and on day 3 of the battle has been studied extensively. Something is gained, however, by the focus of this book.
The hero of Shultz's book is Brigadier General Henry Hunt, the Chief of Artillery for the Army of the Potomac. The most original parts of Shultz's study are the initial two chapters. They show Hunt painstakingly and thoughtfully placing the Union artillery at key points along the Union line beginning late on July 2 and continuing into the hours before the Confederate cannonade and infantry advance. This material lacks drama, but it shows the thought and hard work necessary to the Union defense. The focus on this activity in itself makes the book worth knowing. Hunt's efforts and the efforts of his subordinates allowed the Union artillery to cover the field and probably to defeat the Confederate advance before it began. An excellent map late in the book showing the fields of fire of the Union artillery (p. 82), together with the fortitude of the soldiers in standing fast and heroically performing their tasks, virtually says it all.
The remainder to the study shows the results of Hunt's planning in action during the Confederate cannonade of the Union position and the famous advance of the Confederate infantry. The material will be familiar to students of the battle, but much is gained by the specific and limited focus on the Union long arm. Unlike the pace of the early chapters, the portions of the book dealing with the cannonade and Pickett's charge read dramatically and quickly. With the focus on Hunt's planning and the artillerists devotion to their duty, the heroics on both sides of the line eloquently come through in the book.
The book's title derives from an incident late in Pickett's charge. As Shultz describes it:
"South of the Copse of Trees, Captain Cowan saw 'a Confederate officer not more than 20 feet away. I heard him yell, 'take that gun', referring to one of my guns. I ordered 'fire', and all five blew the line to pieces with double canister. The officer was gone. Cowan's quote would be memorialized after the battle as 'Double Canister at Ten Yards,"
Beyond noting the bravery and basic competence of the Southern artillery, Shultz does not go into detail on the efforts of Lee's use of his long arm on July 3. Readers familiar with the battle will be able to bring their own knowledge to bear. While Lee's army possessed a gifted artillery commander, Porter Alexander, he lacked the authority that Hunt possessed for the Union. The South's artillery commander, "Parson" Pendleton, made serious errors in the placement and lack of focus of his guns, in the use of the reserves, and in the expenditure of ammunition, leading to a lack of support for the infantry. Although not discussed by Shultz, the superiority of the Union's artillery command and efforts are implicit in his account.
As the above comments suggest, this book will be of most value to readers with a good working knowledge of Pickett's charge. I learned a great deal from the narrow focus of the work. A unique and valuable aspect of the work is the Order of Battle for the Union artillery which shows the batteries engaged in the repulse of Pickett's Charge. The diagrams and maps in the book are well done and, together with many photographs of people and places on the battlefield, enhance the study. The book includes careful endnotes, but a bibliography would have been useful. Better proofing for typos and grammatical errors would have been valuable. The publisher, Savas Beatie, kindly sent me a review copy of this book.
Robin Friedman
April 27, 2017
One of the things I love about being a Civil War book reviewer is the new found information on battles which seem to have been covered ten times over. “Double Canister at Ten Yards” may seem like just another Gettysburg book, but here it is handled differently. David L. Shultz has taken the stance of the Union perspective during Pickett’s Charge, but not only that, he details the Federal Artillery instead of just the infantry. This outlook into the artillery has been one of the more fascinating aspects of Gettysburg study I have recently been reading and I was thrilled that a book like this came out.
David L. Shultz has authored many Civil War works including Guide to Pennsylvania Troops at Gettysburg, The Battle Between the Farm Lands: Hancock Saves the Union Center, and he coauthored The Second Day at Gettysburg: The Attack and Defense of Cemetery Ridge, July 2, 1863 with Scott Mingus Sr. He has received numerous awards for his work including special citations from the House of Representatives and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for Meritorious Public Service for Battlefield Preservation. His current project is a full analysis on the artillery at Gettysburg, mainly a tactical study which will be comprehensive.
As I said earlier in this review, Shultz takes a different approach on this subject by giving us an outlook onto the Federal Artillery during Pickett’s Charge. Many works tend to focus on Lee and the decisions he made during this attack, and rarely do we see through the eyes of the artillery men. The book is well crafted by placing certain chapters in charge of sections of the battlefield accompanied by excellent maps and photographs. Most of what I found to be interesting were the parts before the charge began, mainly the actions of the commanders in preparation for the attack past the cannonade. The analysis on General Henry Hunt and his gun line, along with the rest of his artillery officers, shows a great determination to push back the Confederate soldiers. The research placed in this work was excellent by drawing out that which I was not familiar with before. Of course, the climax of the work is when the charge reaches the Federal lines and the perfect organization of the artillery in order to end the infamous charge. While some readers may look at the length of this book and wonder if it is enough information, I can tell you that it is. This book offers everything you will need to know about the Federal Artillery during Pickett’s Charge and I look forward to his comprehensive study he is working on.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Battle of Gettysburg, or a study on artillery as a whole. Shultz handles the material in an incredible fashion with a flowing narrative and massive grasp of knowledge. Mr. Shultz should be praised for the work he has brought forward in this book and I eagerly await the next one he writes.
Matthew Bartlett
David L. Shultz has authored many Civil War works including Guide to Pennsylvania Troops at Gettysburg, The Battle Between the Farm Lands: Hancock Saves the Union Center, and he coauthored The Second Day at Gettysburg: The Attack and Defense of Cemetery Ridge, July 2, 1863 with Scott Mingus Sr. He has received numerous awards for his work including special citations from the House of Representatives and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for Meritorious Public Service for Battlefield Preservation. His current project is a full analysis on the artillery at Gettysburg, mainly a tactical study which will be comprehensive.
As I said earlier in this review, Shultz takes a different approach on this subject by giving us an outlook onto the Federal Artillery during Pickett’s Charge. Many works tend to focus on Lee and the decisions he made during this attack, and rarely do we see through the eyes of the artillery men. The book is well crafted by placing certain chapters in charge of sections of the battlefield accompanied by excellent maps and photographs. Most of what I found to be interesting were the parts before the charge began, mainly the actions of the commanders in preparation for the attack past the cannonade. The analysis on General Henry Hunt and his gun line, along with the rest of his artillery officers, shows a great determination to push back the Confederate soldiers. The research placed in this work was excellent by drawing out that which I was not familiar with before. Of course, the climax of the work is when the charge reaches the Federal lines and the perfect organization of the artillery in order to end the infamous charge. While some readers may look at the length of this book and wonder if it is enough information, I can tell you that it is. This book offers everything you will need to know about the Federal Artillery during Pickett’s Charge and I look forward to his comprehensive study he is working on.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Battle of Gettysburg, or a study on artillery as a whole. Shultz handles the material in an incredible fashion with a flowing narrative and massive grasp of knowledge. Mr. Shultz should be praised for the work he has brought forward in this book and I eagerly await the next one he writes.
Matthew Bartlett
February 8, 2018
While I'm not normally one who enjoys the detailed movement accounts of men and materiel, Mr. Shutlz's account of the role of the Union artillery on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg is well done. Maps were the key to helping me track the myriad battery level units who took part in the battle...basic but I could track the units he referenced and their role in evolving battle. Moreover, Double Canister offers an excellent account of the effectiveness of concentrated artillery fire. I became increasingly impressed (surprised) by how well they artillery batteries exercised what we now call 'mission command' (de-centralized execution), how the Confederate force's leaders could have failed to understand what they were walking into, and the sheer bravery and discipline of the Confederate Soldiers who kept moving toward their objective despite broadside after broadside of withering fire. I can't even imagine what they must have felt or the fear they surely experienced. Also of interest: the organization of Union artillery into a distinct force unto itself, under its own command and control, rather than being distributed to maneuver commanders for employment. Hunt and Hancock argued about that and, according to the author, continued the disagreement even after that war. Very good...makes me want to research the subject of artillery in the Civil War even more.
February 28, 2018
A quick read which covers the artillery repulse of Pickett's charge almost exclusively from the Union artillery perspective (especially concentrating on the individual units engaged) with an emphasis on its effectiveness due largely to organizational excellence of its commander, Gen. Henry Hunt. Supplemented with many maps and some photos (both period and modern) the text flows well and expresses the chaos and horrible carnage of the event. The text needs some editing. Athough not detracting from the narrative there are quite a few instances of extra words, missing words, wrong words (e.g. "then" instead of "than" - a particular peeve of mine), etc. I have read quite a few of the Savas Beatie publications on the Civil War and though they are almost always of excellent quality in terms or author writing and research (5-star usually), the text editing frequently falls short IMHO. Still, highly recommended.
February 27, 2018
Very detailed on positioning of Federal Artillery throughout Pickett’s charge. Well documented. My one suggestion is that more maps would be helpful, especially close-ups of portions of artillery placement on sections of Cemetery Ridge. Most maps covered the whole of the ridge and thus were lacing in the detail provided in the narrative. For a student of Gettysburg, this is a good resource.
October 14, 2024
This description of Pickett's Charge is shown from General Hunt and the artillery prospective. It is an interesting, well written, and annotated story of the Union artillery at Gettysburg.
There are several maps and plenty of pictures to support the text. We'll worth the read.
There are several maps and plenty of pictures to support the text. We'll worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews