Place guessing

Mirumoto_Kenjiro · **Reply #80 on:** December 16, 2004, 04:20:30 PM

It's not even a weapon. Perhaps this hint will help. A historic figure wrote a paper about this place and battle, and even named the title after it.

This may have been put in the American History game instead

Malte279 · **Reply #81 on:** December 16, 2004, 05:30:23 PM

A famous American battle about a fmous people wrote a paper. The first thing I'm thinking of would be Gettysburg and Abraham Lincoln's famous address. I don't see the item though that was no weapon, is still there and still had such an important impact. So I'm afraid I'm wrong again.

Petrie · **Reply #82 on:** December 16, 2004, 10:39:17 PM

Wrong? I think you have it there...that makes plenty of sense.

Malte279 · **Reply #83 on:** December 17, 2004, 02:05:54 AM

But what on earth would that item be that had a decisive effect on the battle, was not a weapon, could be carried in pieces only, but was smaller than a church or an abey. I've read really quite a bit about the battle of Gettysburg, but if indeed the answer was right, my mind is blocked about that item right now.

Nick22 · **Reply #84 on:** December 17, 2004, 11:30:21 AM

The Hill, that Pickett charged up was crucial, It was large enough so that the Union forces at the top could mow down the Confederate troops that were charging.
Nick

Malte279 · **Reply #85 on:** December 17, 2004, 12:35:04 PM

But I think we are talking of some man made item aren't we? If we are talking of hills and woods and rivers that had a tremendous impact on the outcome of a battle on American soil, I think I could list houndreds. And even if we are talking of locations, which hill are we to choose on the battlefield of Gettysburg?
Little Round Top (would be my first choice), Cemetary Rige (that's where Pickett's charge went), Cemetary Hill (fierce fighting in the evening of the second day), Culps Hill (fierce fighting on the second and skirmishes on the third day), Oak Hill (a considerable part of Rode's confederate division was slaughtered there on the first day), Bloecher's knoll (that's where the 11th federal corps was outflanked the first day).
If we are talking about parts of the landscape the list is really, really long.

Nick22 · **Reply #86 on:** December 17, 2004, 12:37:30 PM

Good point Malte. So the object must be manmade?
Nick

Malte279 · **Reply #87 on:** December 17, 2004, 12:45:50 PM

I guess so, but please correct me if I'm mistaken Kenji. It must also be somewhat durable if it exists still today as was mentioned. There were several buildings around Gettysburg and quite a few of them saw some fighting. But I never heard of any of those given decisive importance, especially not if the building was smaller than a church or an abbey (for this would rule out the Lutheran Seminary that served as a union outlook during the first day, though it is not to be credited for having a tremendous effect on the outcome of the battle).

During one battle of the American Revolution, the battle of Monmouth a house (don't recall the name of it) had a decisive effect as the Americans were so slowed down and occupied with the costly attacking on this house where some redcoats had taken cover, that it spoiled the actual attack and made the battle a draw at best (it may also be considered a small British victory). But I don't know of any famous paper written on this, so it sure isn't the answer either.

Mirumoto_Kenjiro · **Reply #88 on:** December 18, 2004, 06:23:59 PM

Since we're naming only the place, Gettysburg is the right one. The object that was believed to help win the war was a fence along the sides of a road that cut right through the battle field. The fence was built so good that it became a big obstacle to try to either climb over or knock down. There were other key factors to how the Union won the battle, but they escape me at the moment. :blink:

Congrats Malte! Your turn. And I think I'll take a break from this for a while. :blink:

Nick22 · **Reply #89 on:** December 19, 2004, 12:40:37 AM

Good job Malte.

Nick

Malte279 · **Reply #90 on:** December 19, 2004, 04:46:29 AM

Okay. Staying very much in the topic, name me the place that has seen the blodiest day in American history. When I say "the" place I'm actually refering to two places, one town and a creek. Please name both.
Special laurels for those who can name some of the keypoint locations of the battle (there are three the battle was mainly focused on).

Petrie · **Reply #91 on:** December 19, 2004, 12:32:55 PM

I guess its all from the perspective of the person examining battles.... I would have said the Battle of Shiloh was the worst. :unsure:

Malte279 · **Reply #92 on:** December 19, 2004, 01:30:46 PM

I don't think that one can weigh the horrors of battles against each other.
When I wrote the "bloodiest day", I was talking of the number of people being killed and wounded that day.
To give you an idea of the horror, On this single day twice as many Americans were killed as in the war of 1812-14, the war against Mexico 1846-48 and the Spanish American war of 1896 combined!
It was not the battle of Shiloh though.

Petrie · **Reply #93 on:** December 19, 2004, 09:47:48 PM

I think that's a battle in either WWII or the Vietnam War....I've got my wars all jumbled up.

Malte279 · **Reply #94 on:** December 20, 2004, 03:55:13 AM

Nope, it was no battle of either of these wars. Stick to the Civil War (the bloodiest in US history. The number of people killed and wounded during the three days at Gettysburg is I think slightly more than the number of all American victims to the war in Vietnam). As for the battle I'm talking about, losses were about four times as high as they were on D-Day.

Nick22 · **Reply #95 on:** December 21, 2004, 11:00:04 AM

The Wilderness Campaign? Over 3 months Grant lost 100000 men.
Nick

Malte279 · **Reply #96 on:** December 21, 2004, 02:31:02 PM

No the Wilderness Campaign of 1864 included several battles (Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbour, Yellow Tavern...) and losses were horrible. However, the bloodiest day in American history was in an earlier year.
More than 26000 people were killed or wounded on one single day.

Nick22 · **Reply #97 on:** December 21, 2004, 06:44:17 PM

Malte that would be the Battle of Shiloh. More than 25000 troops died in that battle.
Nick

Malte279 · **Reply #98 on:** December 21, 2004, 07:12:54 PM

About 24000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missed in the battle of Shiloh which took place on April 6/7.1862. Yet more than 26000 were killed or wounded on a single day in the battle I'm talking of. Neither of the two days of the battle of Shiloh, horrible as they were, was the one on which more Americans were killed than on any other day in history.
Look a bit later in the time line. Look a bit further to the east and remember that there is a town and a creek after which the battle is named (in the north it was named after the creek, in the south after the town). This battle by the way had also a direct and tremendous political impact.

Nick22 · **Reply #99 on:** December 22, 2004, 02:27:18 PM

The Battle of chatanogga?
Nick