William N Pendleton was Lee’s chief of Artillery. Also, I believe, an Episcopalian preacher.
To be honest, though they had the same title, “Chief of Artillery”, the two jobs were completely different.
Pendleton was more or less a paper shuffler while Hunt’s position actually carried the authority to post guns as he felt they could do the most good. He also had the authority to call a ceasefire, as he famously did with the Second Corps Artillery during the artillery duel prior to Pickett’s Charge.
Hancock had his guns returning Rebel fire. He understood how demoralizing it is for troops to take a pounding from artillery and be unable to do anything about it. Hunt ordered the guns stopped, in order to save long range ammo for the coming Infantry assault.
In a few instances, as Hunt shut a battery down, Hancock came by minutes later ordering them to fire!
I’d love to have been a bystander to the argument between Hancock and McGivellry, as both men were legendarily adept at the use of profanity!
The opposing orders did cause a rift between Hunt and Hancock that spilled into the post war newspapers!
Pendleton’s job, by comparison had very little authority over the guns themselves. His was as a clerk requisitioning ammo and components of the batteries. To my knowledge, the only tactical decision he made at Gettysburg was to move away the 12 pounders that were supposed to move forward in support of Pickett and Pettygrew.
Pendleton is probably best remembered for his postwar attacks (along with Jubal Early) on Longstreet and the fictitious “Dawn Attack” on the second day that Longstreet postponed, lost the battle and the war for the confederacy.
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