Gentlemen,

The upper portion of Missionary Ridge is a convex slope which does not allow for the effective positioning of direct fire artillery weapons. The positions they had to be placed in to be effective would have been impossible to be displaced from. On top of that, the guns only can be depressed about 5 degrees. With a convex slope and the positions being placed on the topographical crest of the ridge then you have what we term in the military today as "dead space."

Upon the north end of the ridge, Cleburne had Federals that were about 25 meters (that is 82.02 feet for the metrically impaired) in front of his position but he could not see or shoot at them. At one point they were throwing rocks (with effect) and lifting up the trails of the guns in order to depress the muzzles enough to try and kill them. It took the counterattack of Cumming's brigade with bayonets to clear the Federals from the position on the afternoon of 25 November 1864.

As far as infantry positions, they are all over the map as it pertains to quality, some were better than others. For example, Strahl's brigade had positions at the foot, midway, and at the top of the ridge, however, the command and control piece of the displacement was not rehearsed and one line did not know what the other was told to do. So when the first trench was told to fire a couple of rounds and displace the second line did not know this and the brigades left and right did not know that the first line was told to do. When you occupy a position you can't do the rucksack flop and call it all good. It takes preparation, rehearsal, and coordination to the units on the left, right, front, and rear. This did not take place on Missionary Ridge in spite of the weeks of "camping out" and the senselessly soldiers starving and doing very little but pulling picket duty.

I hope this helps.

Respectfully,

Gerald D. Hodge, Jr.
War Between the States Historian
Historian: 39th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment
http://39thgavolinfrgt.homestead.com/39thHomepage.html