Sickles versus Slocum/Williams/Ruger (be kind, just a discussion)

People think Sickles made a mistake moving his Corps forward to the next high hill, exposing his flanks, and not connecting with the other units on his left flank at Little Round Top.

But Williams and Ruger did the same thing at Culp's Hill. Almost exactly the same thing Sickles did. Ruger moved the division forward to the higher ground at Lower Culp's Hill. Although it was going down hill, it was still the highest ground in front of him because he was in the low ground between Culp's Hill and Lower Culp's Hill. And that was like Sickles' situation. The maneuver created a salient and left his flank exposed

Slocum got moved up to Wing Commander, Williams got moved up to 12th Corp Commander, and Ruger got moved up to Williams' 1st Division.

But here's my point. Ruger was a West Point graduate and regular army officer. Whereas Sickles was a politician. Ruger should have known better but Sickles was acting on his bad experience of being ordered to a bad position at Chancellorsville.

Ruger's Division was overrun at Lower Culp Hill just like Sickles' Corp was at the Peach Orchard. But because Ruger's position was less important to the overall battle Ruger and Williams never get any criticism for their blunder.

Ruger even stayed in the army after the war and was the Superintendent at West Point in 1871.