"Slit Rail fence size??" Topic

A conundrum, what size were the split rail fences typically during the Civil War? Seems to be many different types, but at places like Sharpsburg and Gettysburg how tall were they? Which of these is right?

A

B

(a) no (b) sorry

gbowen are you sure? In some photos they're huge

(a) no (b) sorry

Not sure I understand, you mean B is right?

I think he means neither are right. In the photo the rails are piled three or at most four deep while in the diagrams they are five to six deep which makes them unnecessarily high (and possibly less stable) for the purpose of entrapping livestock. Would it not depend on the circumference of the available timber?

All photos I've seen of snake rail fences show 5 horizontal rails, but it seems the smaller version seems more common.

Since the fences were used to either keep livestock in or out, or to define field borders, they would only be as high as needed for that purpose. Farmers don't like spending time on fences as it is non-productive effort. So, in real life, the fence is only as tall as is required for any of the above.

Dave

In the American West 4' is the standart height for cattle and other livestock fencing. If you are doing a corral the fence needs to be at least 6' high(horse can jump better than cattle).

Edwin Coddington makes them out to be a substantial barrier.

Two points perhaps worth mentioning.
1. Current fences at Gettysburg at least mark where the old fences were, but are not necessarily as high. The NPS used the labor and money it had to get them sketched in, and it building them higher over time.
2. Remember in Pennsylvania at least you're dealing with three types--split rail, post and rail, and "pig-tight, cow-high" which is rail above stone.

Also worth noting: the fences along hte pikes at Gettysburg, for example, were much more substantial. They could not be easily knocked down, so constituted a barrier to troops.

Split rails were easily disassembled, and regimetns often sent scouts out in advance to clear the way…

remember too that the base on the figure adds a few scale inches

In the American West 4' is the standart height for cattle and other livestock fencing. If you are doing a corral the fence needs to be at least 6' high(horse can jump better than cattle).

Nothing to do with the height of split-rail fences, but our neighbor had a bull that could jump a standard 4' barbed-wire fence (made me wince every time he did it…).

A bull probably has more motivation than steers or cows.

Acording to Jim Ogden, the fantastic interpretive ranger at Chickamauga Park, in Walker County, Georgia there was a county ordinance that stated livestock containing fences had to be 5' high. These were worm fences and still easily taken up or down. So I'm guessing it can vary by locality as much as individual farmer's need.

Post and rail fences were much more substantial, such as on the Hagerstown Turnpike at Antietam and the Emmitsburg Road at Gettysburg. Numerous accounts of both being difficult to cross or remove under fire. There are plenty of pictures at Antietam showing the fence at various locations intact and full.

Since (A) is probably closer to 2.5 to 3 feet high, I think (B) would be more accurate for wargaming. To me (B) looks to be 4.5 to 5 feet high, which looks OK to me.

Also, in (A) you have the figure in front of the "low" highest rail, while the figure in (B) is in front of the "high" highest rail. Its an illusion that throws off the comparison.

Thank you all for your replies, quite a convuleted topic, I think I will go with Cleburne, the bigger one is a bit more meaty and impressive too. In any way it's just a representation of a fence even if I strive for realism.

A bit late but this may be of use. I found it fascinating for my Antietam research.

Page 408 onwards.

Best wishes,

Chris

A bit late but this may be of use. I found it fascinating for my Antietam research.

link

Page 408 onwards.

Best wishes,

Chris