Pete M...True about the "fog of battle" obscuring activity on the battlefield, but I believe the cannonade was realistic. There had been a lull in the battle for some time prior to the attack, and in fact there had been little activity at the point occupied by Pickett at the Confederate center.

Cats...was Stone River the impetus for The Emancipation Proclamation? I had thought it was the "declared" Union victory at Antietam.

More re: the obscurity of battle conditions. At the Battle of Perryville there was an atmospheric effect that prevented units within 200 yards of the battle from hearing the sound of gunfire. The initial success of the Confederates was in large part due to this effect, Buell being forced to retreat in the teeth of the Rebel advance. It led to the isolation of many units behind enemy lines, a terrifying circumstance in most cases. One Union company was able to capture a section of the Rebel line from behind due to this, however...LEJ