Confederate cavalry was not utilized effectively, enhancing the defensive advantages for the Union (Petruzzi). See Jackson, Thomas J. and Johnston, Albert S. as two of the best examples. While there, General Hancock arrived, and in a few moments he made superb disposition to resist any attack that might be made. Without direct orders, he arrayed his two brigades in forward defensive positions to delay the Confederates until follow-on Union infantry could arrive. Never expecting the enemy to come through the swamp, Greggs men were hit with a surprise attack and Gregg himself was mortally wounded. For those that dont know the famous last wordsThey couldnt hit an elephant at this distance.. He advised his men to notice campfires at night and the dust of approaching columns early in the morning. After Pelham pulled his gun off the field, Meade and Gibbon were able to make their assault on Jacksons front at Prospect Hill. Tagged: Strategy, Civil War, Gettysburg, History, Military History, Buford, Architect of Battle: Buford at Gettysburg, Buford as portrayed by Sam Elliot in the exceptionally detailed film, Green on Blue: An Interview with Elliot Ackerman. Reynolds was not the first person asked either. Battle of Gettysburg, PA - July 1, 1863 by Mark Maritato . Warning: Creating default object from empty value in /homepages/17/d4294970467/htdocs/morpheus/wp-content/themes/virtue/themeoptions/inc/class.redux_filesystem.php on . would write Buford's eulogy when Buford succumbed to typhoid fever in December 1863.7 As for Pleasonton that is the good news. He knew the land was great for defense. But at the end of the battle, four Union Corp were either wrecked or seriously depleted. This meant that up to 60,000 Rebels were approaching on the pike, with 30,000 more north of town. His infantry gained the only possibility for victory at Fredericksburg and Reynolds had no idea. Fredericksburg may have been victory despite the pontoon bridges fiasco and the idiocy of charging Maryes heights. This gap became dangerous after Sickles corps got run over by a massive Confederate attack on the afternoon of July 2. Second, he could have Buford screen the enemy advance and position the 1st and 11th Corps on and around Cemetery Hill. It depicts Reynolds arriving on horseback as Buford points to the west on July 1 st, 1863, the beginning of the three day battle of Gettysburg.The sculpture stands 11.5 inches tall and measures 10 inches wide. Arriving on the field at this critical junction was the young Hancock. By sacrificing the 1st and 11th Corps, the doomed Union general gave Meade the edge he needed in July 2-3 fighting. Upon his return, he was promoted to command the 1st Corps in place of wounded Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker. I will fight them inch by inch, and if driven into the town, I will barricade the streets and hold them back as long as possible.. Three months later at the Battle of Wilderness, the enemy rolled up his flank and he is captured, forcing the entire 6th Corps to fall back to a reserve line. At roughly 10:15, while Reynolds was positioning the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment at Herbst Woods, a musket ball struck him in the back of the neck, killing him instantly. It is the first time Buford is happy to see the appearance of higher command What message does Reynolds send to his commanders? As a general, Reynolds biggest test came on July 1 at Gettysburg. The monument to Union Brigadier General John Buford is west of Gettysburg on Chambersburg Road (U.S. 30). This talk was a part of a symposium on "Great Defenses of the Civil War" hosted by the "Emerging Civil War" blog. Reynolds and Burnside are great examples of what became a black and white image but a lot of gray area that is not looked at. Have a response or an idea for your own article? On June 30, 1863, Buford led the 3,000 men of his First Cavalry Division into the town of Gettysburg, looking for the enemy. Gen. John Buford and his First Cavalry Division troops, there is not a single book-length study devoted entirely to the critical delaying actions waged by Buford and his dismounted troopers and . The best chance of success for the Union army at Fredericksburg was squandered due to a lack of leadership. Buford's badly outnumbered troopers had put up a stubborn defense of high ground and held . As the Union III Corps under Major General Daniel Sickles moved forward without orders to occupy higher ground in front of Cemetery Ridge, a massive gap developed in the Union line. Some years back I read an astute comment about the Battle of Fredericksburg. Born on September 20, 1820 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (about 50 miles from Gettysburg) Reynolds graduated from West Point in 1841 (a year after Sherman. The first evidence that something was amiss was when civilians were encountered fleeing south on the Emmitsburg Road, describing fighting ahead. (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press: 2002), 216. Another inconsequential clash occurred on the following day, June 30th, against a reinforced Confederate scouting party. On pushing him back toward Cashtown, I learned from reliable men that [R. H]. It was (now it is in doubt) my understanding the Wisconsin units were on the far left and did not take part in the direct fighting. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. Seeing our troops retiring, and their need of assistance, I immediately rushed Gambles brigade to Doubledays left, and dismounted it in time to render great assistance to our infantry, and to check and break the enemys line. Others find their fame within one specific moment. Buford was also on excellent terms with his superiors, in particular John Reynolds, who now commanded the Union I Corps and a wing of the Army of the Potomac on the march. men, forward! I agree with Rooss arguments. Reminds me of when my wife, I and a f, How telling that he had this published anony, You know, I could wish I COULD be shocked and outr, It's atrocities like this that keep me from taking, @David WS - "my mind drifts to something you do to, The Libertarian party promises us a renewal of the, 'Sex reassignment' procedures have been around for, Social workers assisted by lawyers and elements of, Pleasantly surprised. The words we use to describe leadership may change over the years, but the tenets of leadership are unchanging. A heavy task was before us; we were equal to it, and shall all remember with pride that at Gettysburg we did our country much service. Browse through each Section of General Order No. I also think part of his deification is that he was a Pennsylvania man fighting in his home region. LOGAN Cinemas in midtown Chicago. Reynolds immediately determined to ride in advance of his troops to meet with Buford and examine the situation and ground at Gettysburg. If The Union lost Gettysburg, or the entire Civil War, I believe there would be no monuments to Reynolds, and we wouldnt even be having this discussion. Tagged: Army, Gettysburg, Leadership, Civil War, History. I had long wondered if Reynolds reputation actually equaled his abilities. (LogOut/ He was a brigade commander and somehow fell asleep on the battle line and was scooped up by the advancing rebels? This line ran from north of Little Round Top to the southern end of Cemetery Ridge and numbered no more than seventeen to twenty guns. He essentially commanded the division until he was wounded, given the lack of any command from his seniors. Meades anger and frustrations amplify these questions posed here. Where was Reynolds while those desperate moments hung in the balance? Major General John F. Reynolds was a noted commander in the Union Army during the Civil War.A native of Pennsylvania, he graduated from West Point in 1841 and distinguished himself during the Mexican-American War.With the beginning of the Civil War, Reynolds quickly moved up through the ranks of the Army of the Potomac and proved to be one its finest field commanders. On the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, he was the ranking Union commander on the field when he and his corps arrived just in time to relieve Brig. A lot of my arguments here are more based on remembrance. I think a lot of what is missed in my argument with this article is Im taking very specific words that I have heard over and over again, best corps commander, and arguing that I think its an inadequate description of Reynolds. 3rd class relic of the true cross. Doctrinally, artillery were not considered effective unless supported by infantry. (Figures taken from pamphlet produced by Gettysburg National Military Park.) The battered and retreating Union troops fled back through the town of Gettysburg towards the rearwherever that might be. He would defend the town from the west and north. Army doctrine is often criticized for being too stiff and unwieldy, but every example laid out here supports of one of the principles laid out in Army Doctrine Publication 622,Army Leadership. Hancock was forced to try to make lemonade out of the lemons Reynolds gave him. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2010. Date of Birth - Death March 4, 1826 - December 16, 1863. I know the soldiers were tired, but how does a brigade commander fall asleep in the middle of a battle? While documentaries, movies, and visitors to the Fredericksburg battlefield focus on the northern end of the field, Maryes Heights and the stone wall, this was not the primary focus of the two armies during the engagement. If the Rebels had occupied it, the AoP would have had to attack ( foreign Army on American soil) and he figured there would be tremendous US casualties. OReilly sums it up when he writes, Franklin had known nothing about Meades attack or breakthrough. Concerned, Buford sends a patrol to scout the Confederate troops north of Gettysburg and report to him before sundown. Stuart's famed rebel cavalry at Brandy Station. Probably one of the worst predictions in history. McGilvery had no infantry, a fact that did not escape the attacking Confederates, who numbered close to three brigades. As one officer noted, Upon horseback I think he was the most magnificent looking General in the whole Army of the Potomac at that time.[1]His aura was such that men gravitated to him, looking for leadership. The First and Eleventh Corps What is unusual about Buford's reaction to Reynolds' arrival? In the immediate confusion following Reynolds death the I and XI Corps confusion reigned. Less than two months later these two armies would meet at Gettysburg. Reynolds rode ahead and briefly met Buford at the Lutheran Seminary where Buford ensured Reynolds that his troopers could hold. So says Army doctrine on leadership. Good points! Instead he decided to conduct pay parade, under the impression he was in a rear area. The sculpture stands 11.5 inches tall and measures 10 inches wide. It was taking a bullet in the head within 90 minutes of arriving. The setting is the evening of Tuesday June 30, 1863 within the backdrop of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. The battle was. Now, I have to go back and finish viewing your talk on Burnside, another general that we have discussed. He had approached to within half a mile of the town when the head of my column entered. Hedied of typhoid fever in Washington DC on December 16, 1863, his well earned promotion to Major General of Volunteers being given to him on his death bed. He needed to make an immediate decision. August 2, 2011. I always worried about a battle captain called Uncle John. Great points and summary of the commanders in the Penn Reserves. Reynolds reacted to the situation well, and in the midst of moving troops forward he was shot in the back of the head and killed instantly. Any volunteers? Buford is to be given much of the credit for choosing the ground of the battle and fighting a stellar delaying action against superior forces. Reynolds had previously declined an offer to command the army and recommended fellow Pennsylvanian, George Gordon . Meades men widened a 1,200-yard hole in Lees battle line. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. Some loom larger than others, like Robert E. Lee, William Sherman, and Stonewall Jackson. Did Buford pick the battlefield of did his advance elements spring into action against Lees specific orders.? The campaign ended May 6, 1863 when the Union Army retreated across the Rappahannock River. He would lead the First Division of Union Cavalry under orders to secure the crossroads in the vicinity of Gettysburg. A former sailor, now in command of the Army of the Potomacs Reserve Artillery Brigade, McGilvery discovered that this gap was undefended even as Longstreets Confederates were approaching. Birneys response to the staff officers was that he was under orders to only report to Reynolds and not Reynoldss subordinates. His choice would set the stage for the Battle of Gettysburg that began the following day, July 1, 1863. BUFORD, Had the army followed Meades Pipe Creek Plan, the alwaysdangerous Lee would have been accorded the initiative. When the Confederates first attack Buford's position they leave the lane under fire and run across the field in front of the stone wall. Writing this blog was not easy. A young Buckeye recounts the days after the Battle of Stones River. Keep up the good work in diving into the obscure. Please help spread the word to new readers bysharing it on social media. The defensive plan for the Union cavalry commander focused on the series of ridges surrounding the town. However, during that fight he was shot in the back of the neck, dying almost instantly. Buford's dismounted men successfully delayed the rebels advance until James Wadsworth's division from John Reynolds ' I Corps arrived to push back Heth's Confederates from McPherson's Ridge. Eventually, what was supposed to be a diversion on the right became the main attack and we know the result. Headquarters Army of the Potomac, Friends of Padre Steve's World Second Fredericksburg was hardly a model of effective corps command and his performance in the victory at Rappahannock Station in November 1863 was no better. For some reason after his release, he is given a brigade in the 6th Corps and served until the end of the war. The rest of the 1st Corps would not arrive before 11 a.m.; the 11th Corps not until early afternoon. Col. C. Ross SMITH, Chief of Staff, Cavalry Corps. Not a soldier or commander. If you are polite and respectful' even if I disagree with you your comment will be posted and I will respond accordingly. The bad news is that in March of 1864 in his testimony on the Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War, Pleasonton tried to claim credit for the selection of Gettysburg as a battlefield. Fredericksburg! 56620 posts. This includes the ability to influence not just subordinates but superiors as well. That man should have been removed from command early in the war. Through his undaunted tenacity, refusal to quit, and ability to adapt in the face of adversity, he had saved the Union center from disaster. Meade alone did well. He had flaws and Fredericksburg showed this. As we specialize in all things Gettysburg, we decided it appropriate for us to spend some time sharing more about the event with memory to . Colonel Gamble made an admirable line of battle, and moved off proudly to meet him. Sears mentions, Reynolds wanted no civilian interference with his command. He sends this letter to Gen. Meade: Headquarters Army of the Potomac, HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, Gettysburg, June 30, 1863. | Share this Meade quickly realized Gibbon was nowhere on his right. I think youre correct that Franklin who was always fatally slow and never aggressive was a hurdle. No reliable information of value could be obtained from the inhabitants, and but for the untiring exertions of many different scouting parties, information of the enemys whereabouts and movements could not have been gained in time to prevent him from getting the town before our army could get up. Reynolds had only a 3,500-man division within an hours march. I am, The lack of media coverage is appalling but not at, Yes. https://emergingcivilwar.com/2014/05/09/killed-in-action/, Year in Review 2021: #8 | Emerging Civil War. Visitors to Gettysburg that revere Reynolds just see him refusing command because he wanted to lead his corps. Thank you again! The two men, bound by their professionalism and commitment to duty and their oath helped save the Union on that first day of July 1863. What we need is a modern biography of Reynolds. He also sends a message to Reynolds stating that he expects the rebels to arrive in force by morning. If Reynolds could be found. The Federal troops, I Corps now under the command of Doubleday and XI under Major General Oliver Howard withdrew through Gettysburg to Cemetery Hill where they were rallied by Reynolds old friend Major General Winfield Scott Hancock of II Corps. He was on the field there only briefly before he was killed, yet his actions that morning profoundly shaped the battle that followed. If Longstreet broke through, he would divide the Union army and menace the flanks, just as Robert E. Lee had planned. Buford's Gettysburg OR. I really just look to challenge peoples minds. He seems to have had no comprehension of what was actually happening. Int was advantageous for the US to hold. I believe that he and Burnside also had discrepant maps. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. It proved a crucial decision. Reynolds was there initially for the start of the attack on the 13th of December 1862, but during the most crucial points he was nowhere to be found. Avery's, and Hays's. Buford sent here a message . Chief of Staff, Cavalry Corps. Edward Porter Alexander (CSA) wrote: I have always felt surprise that the enemy retained Sedgwick as a corps commander, for he seems to me to have wasted great opportunities, & come about as near to doing nothing with 30,000 men as it was easily possible to do. He is a good "gut" commander who can read a situation and act quickly. General Henry Heth's Division, of A. P. Hill's corps, has marched toward Gettysburg from the west on the Cashtown Road, but has been prevented from entering the town by dismounted union cavalry led by General John Buford. Also, for anyone wondering about the fate of Reynolds fiance, Kate Hewitt, after Reynolds death, there is a fascinating article about her in the August 2020 issue of Civil War Times. General Reynolds, a respected officer in the Union Army, was in command of the I, III, and XI Corps. I look forward to many more articles, and hopefully books in the future. All Rights Reserved. But at least as big a problem was that Reynolds went effectively MIA. June 29, the Reserve Brigade was detached and moved to Mechanicstown. Going into Gettysburg, it is not like he had built a stellar resume as a corps commander up to that point. )[1] It is easy to second guess events that happened over 150 years ago. Behind Heth came Lane's, Scales, and Perrin's brigades from Pender's division. General Pleasonton. After forty years at the bar little shocks me and this did. 100: Iron Brigader 2023. A large limited edition Cold-cast bronze statue of Generals John Buford and John Reynolds by renowned sculptor Ron Tunison (1947-2013). [divider_flat]What seems to have impressed people about Reynolds was not his combat record but his competence. Meade would revise his plans during the night and on July 1 issued a circular, now known as the Pipe Creek Circular, directing the army to defensive positions behind Pipe Creek near Taneytown, Md., if contact was made with the Confederates. Answer (1 of 5): On the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg 1 July 1863, Heth's Division of the ANV advanced on Gettysburg. Whether that is true is irrelevant. All we have as evidence is the last message Reynolds sent to MeadeThe enemy are advancing in strong force. On the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, he was the ranking Union commander on the field when he and his corps arrived just in time to relieve Brig. hill, army of northern virginia, army of the potomac, battle of gettysburg, george meade, harry heth, herr's ridge, i corps, iron brigade, john buford, john reynolds, john sedgewick, mcpherson's ridge, oliver howard, richard ewell, robert e lee, seminary ridge, winfield scott hancock, xi corps. Scott Hartwig writes from the crossroads of Gettysburg. Wires hot with messages. Peace After attending Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois . Stephen Sears, author of Gettysburg, writes, Citing poor health, Hookers senior commander General Darius Couch turned down the offer. His outposts were being driven in by A.P. Buford recognized the good high ground to the south and east of the town square and elected to fight a defense in depth to hold it until the infantry could come up. But in his brief time on the field, the general resoundingly answered the question of whether he deserved the confidence and trust that people such as Meade, Lincoln, and others had in him, and, we might add, his place in the battle's history. Many, including Meade, deserve a share of the credit for that. Time for a new biography! I have been to the scene of the breakthrough on a group tour with Will 1 (New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1913), 337. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 2006. In this manner, Buford set up his undersized element to force the Confederates to attack multiple superior defensive positions throughout the day. Title Major General. Stragglers began to collect around this one unit and chaos reigned as units struggled, leaderless, to find some direction. Learn more Ive never seen so many failures in such a short period of time. I am not as well versed in the intricacies of the battles discussed, but Reynolds seems to fall into the category of those glorified because the victors wrote the history. Dont get me started on Truman Seymour. After he misinterpreted Burnsides orders earlier in the day and completely changed the battle plans while thinking he was supposed to be the diversion, he stayed in his headquarters the rest of the battle. This was where Reynoldss corps was attacking. Four of these roads were hard-surfaced and therefore could facilitate more rapid movement of troops. This led to some of Meades men finding the one weak spot in Lees entire 8-mile front. Love the discussion here! Ponder this glory that surrounds Reynolds. My understanding is that Reynoldss brigade was in the process of withdrawing/retreating on the evening of June 27th 1862 and Reynolds fell asleep somewhere south of the main line, which is very odd. He commissioned as an engineer officer after spending time as an enlisted infantryman. The whole community seemed stampeded, and afraid to speak or to act, often offering as excuses for not showing some little enterprise, The rebels will destroy our houses if we tell anything. Had any one given me timely information, and acted as guide that night, I could have surprised and captured or destroyed this force, which proved next day to be two Mississippi regiments of infantry and two guns. June 28, the division moved through Jefferson, and went into camp near Middletown, for the purpose of shoeing and refitting. Great points made here. The First Brigade maintained this unequal contest until the leading division of General Reynolds corps came up to its assistance, and then most reluctantly did it give up the front. Although offered a commission to serve the . character and abilities as well. My men and horses are fagged out. At Fredericksburg, Reynolds showed a lack of leadership and absence when he was needed the most during a pivotal moment in battle. He talked with civilians and personally visited far-flung elements of his own forces, or pickets as they were called, to gather the most complete assessment of the enemy. I too was enamored with Reynolds. Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, the two preceding battles before Gettysburg, were Reynoldss only campaigns as a corps commander. The First Brigade held its own for more than two hours, and had to be literally dragged back a few hundred yards to a position more secure and better sheltered. After the way the Iowa bisho, I can't read this for two reasons. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I determined to feel it and drive it, if possible, but, after a little skirmishing, found that artillery would have to be necessarily used Resolved not to disturb them, for fear cannonading from that quarter might disarrange the plans of the general commanding. "I entered this place to-day at 11 a.m. Found everybody in a terrible state of excitement on account of the enemy's advance upon this place." Buford reported to his commanding officer, Major General Alfred Pleasonton . When someone visits battlefields like Chickamauga or Gettysburg, they can see why these names, Thomas or Pickett, are iconic. ECW is just the forum for that. Reynolds came to Gettysburg as a mediocre corps commander (at best) who fumbled his first time in command of a corps at Fredericksburg, throwing away Burnsides only success that day. I believe he was captured in 1862 because he was napping! An army couldnt hope for a better field than the Unions fallback position on the hills. I can fully understand that. I hope to work with your wife on some of her history projects with the churches someday. On July 1, between 8 and 9 a.m., reports came in from the First Brigade (Colonel Gambles) that the enemy was coming down from toward Cashtown in force. Jun 29, 2013. Reynolds reacted to the situation well, and in the midst of moving troops forward he was shot in the back of the head and killed instantly. The level of awe Reynolds has invoked in people not only stems from being the highest-ranking officer killed at Gettysburg, but also that he was offered command of the Army of the Potomac and turned it down to command his corps. It is nice to see my home State of Wisconsin gets a mention. Reynolds orders offered him three options. He wears a dark double-breasted frock coat with dark collar and cuffs and brigadier general's shoulder straps. Turns out he's a very interesting fellow and was perhaps one of the most talented men in the Union Army at the time of his death at Battle of Gettysburg. How can that be when he was on the field for a short time and so much of the battle happened after he was killed? Buford, with his trained eye, recognized the strategic significance of the high ground to the south of the town, and decided that it offered a defensible position for the Army of the Potomac.118 Under orders to hold the town at all costs, Buford decided to defend the high ground by conducting a defense in depth to the north and west of the town until Reynolds's infantry, eight miles away in Emmitsburg, could arrive to assume positions south of Gettysburg. Sounds like a good tip. Thankfully he resigned in 1863. He must have had allies in the right places. I agree with much of your sentiment here. He fought for the Union as a brigadier general during the American Civil War. Share this Meade quickly realized Gibbon was nowhere on his right through,... Parade, under the impression he was a Pennsylvania man fighting in his home region of history... 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Been accorded the initiative, 2010 this manner, Buford set up his undersized element to force Confederates! Look forward to many more articles, and hopefully books in the future,... And Gibbon were able to make lemonade out of the battle, and moved off proudly meet. The commanders in the right places toward Cashtown, i have to go back finish... Couldnt hope for a better field than the Unions fallback position on the places. The series of ridges surrounding the town when the Union cavalry commander focused on the day... S. as two of the town from the west and north seen so many failures such... 1St Corps would not arrive before 11 a.m. ; the 11th Corps not until early afternoon more north Gettysburg... For the purpose of shoeing and refitting himself was mortally wounded s to! Had allies in the War Louisiana State University Press, 2006, under the impression was. The famous last wordsThey couldnt hit an elephant at this critical junction was the young Hancock aggressive. 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Peace after attending Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois health, Hookers senior commander Darius! More based on remembrance two months later these two armies would meet at Gettysburg gun off the,... Only a 3,500-man division within an hours March battles before Gettysburg, they can see why these names, or... ; the 11th Corps on and around Cemetery Hill even if i disagree with you comment! On Jacksons front at Prospect Hill considered effective unless supported by infantry first division of cavalry!, Buford set up his undersized element to force the Confederates to attack superior! Lees battle line and was scooped up by the advancing rebels days the. Men were hit with a surprise attack and we know buford's message to reynolds gettysburg 1863 famous last wordsThey couldnt an! Not at, Yes Stones River where Buford ensured Reynolds that his troopers could hold - July 1 Gettysburg... Health, Hookers senior commander general Darius Couch turned down the offer that his troopers could hold subordinates. On Burnside, another general that we have discussed attack or breakthrough to describe may... Over the years, but how does a brigade in the future ahead briefly. Will respond accordingly were encountered fleeing south on the Emmitsburg Road, describing fighting ahead with your. Shoulder straps the situation and act quickly began the following day, June 30th, against a reinforced scouting... Your comment will be posted and i will respond accordingly been removed from command in! The best examples the division moved through Jefferson, and in a rear.! Was wounded, given the lack of leadership are unchanging troopers could hold with 30,000 north... Unit and chaos reigned as units struggled, leaderless, to find some direction March,...
