Originally Posted by
Merc
You're correct - they continued to use it, however the failures of this military tactic didn't go un-noticed. Lee lost much of his army at Gettysburg by charging a fortified position and the same is true with Burnside at Fredericksburg. The weapons were beginning to change and become more effective during the CW (i.e. rifled barrels, the repeating rifle and others). The tactics of war were forced to eventually change as well. Grant's siege of Petersburg is one example. You're also correct - the pity of it is that so many men died before the generals on both sides realized that their human resources were limited and asking his men to commit mass suicide in such a charge was proven futile time and again and a waste of human lives.