USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > History of the Twenty-fourth Michigan of the Iron brigade, known as the Detroit and Wayne county regiment > Part 13
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Reynolds has ridden into the angle of wood, a bow-shot from the Seminary, and cheers the Iron Brigade as they wheel on the flank of the oak trees for a charge. Like a great flail of steel they swing into the shadows with a huzza that is terrible; low, crouching by his horse's head, the General peeps into the depths of the grove. "Boom" from the oaken recesses breaks a hailstorm of lead, and Reynolds, with the word of command upon his tongue, falls forward. The architect of the battle has fallen dead across its portal ! Across the brook and up the hill, out from the wooded ravine, two jagged arcs leap into sight. Huzza! From the skirts of the oak the great double doors of the Iron Brigade shut together, with a slam as if of colliding mountains, folding between them 1,500 rebel prisoners of war.
In this maneuver, while the greater part of Archer's Brigade was thus captured, a large number of them ran for the railroad cut a little to the north and concealed themselves therein. But soon after, the Sixth Wisconsin of the Iron Brigade (this day on detached duty), succeeded in capturing this remnant of Archer's Brigade. Thus the Iron Brigade had the honor of capturing this whole Tennessee Brigade.
The Twenty-fourth Michigan was on the extreme left of the Iron Brigade during the charge, and swept over the hill, down across Willoughby Run, swinging clear around the ravine in which was Archer's forces, most of whom were thus captured with General Archer himself. It was a victory indeed, but at the cost of precious lives, including its valiant color-bearer, Sergeant Abel G. Peck. The regiment then about-faced and drove the uncaptured foe over the crest and a hundred yards beyond, but soon after withdrew to the eastern side of the stream and hastily formed, during which Lieutenant-Colonel Mark Flanigan lost a leg, and Adjutant Rexford was severely wounded.
BATTLE-LINE IN MCPHERSON'S WOODS.
The Iron Brigade was now on the extreme left of the Federal position, with the Twenty-fourth in the center, the Nineteenth Indiana on its left, and the Seventh and Second Wisconsin on its right, in McPherson's woods, something over a mile west of the town. The right of the Twenty-fourth was curved back to unite with the (11)
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HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
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ROUTE OF IRON BRIGADE ON BATTLEFIELD OF GETTYSBURG.
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BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
Seventh Wisconsin, its two wings forming the sides of an obtuse angle. The left of the Twenty-fourth extending down a hillside to a deep hollow was scarcely visible to the right wing, and was completely commanded (as was the Nineteenth Indiana) by the enemy on the hill opposite, a position that plainly could not be maintained. Colonel Morrow thought this part of the line should have been formed on the elevated ground behind and represented three times to headquarters that the position was untenable. But the invariable reply was that " the position must be held."
It was now eleven o'clock, and a brief lull ensued in the enemy's firing, evidently to allow his tardy forces to take position. But he shelled the woods meanwhile, and company B, under Lieutenant Fred. A. Buhl, were deployed as skirmishers. The enemy's strong divisions of Heth and Pender, supported by eighty pieces of artillery, vehemently attacked the little First Corps of 9000 men as if to annihilate it ere aid could come to it. Says the historian Abbott :
Noon came and passed and no help for the dwindling band who stood among their dead, immovable. Glorious among this Spartan Corps flashed the Iron Brigade, resistless as Western nerve and pluck can be.
It was well after one o'clock when two divisions of the Eleventh Corps arrived, forming a broken arc of battle-line around to the north of the town. But they were soon outnumbered by the arrival from the opposite direction of Ewell's Confederate Corps, which united with Hill's Corps, already confronting the First Corps, exceeded the Union forces nearly two to one. Two-thirds of Lee's army thus confronted the smallest Union Corps and part of another.
GREAT BATTLE OF FIRST DAY-WHIRLWIND OF DEATH.
The enemy having completely drawn two battle-lines in front and on the flanks of the First and Eleventh Corps, the onset of battle was again sounded. They approached in two splendid lines of battle, after forming in the woods beyond the open field. Their serpentine lengths of grey soon appeared, their right overlapping the Federal left by a quarter of a mile. General Meredith of the Iron Brigade was soon wounded and left the field. Some historians have assigned Colonel Morrow to the command of the Iron Brigade for the rest of the fight, but in a private letter from Colonel Henry A. Morrow to the author, in 1890, he disclaimed any command on that day of the Iron Brigade, saying that Colonel Robinson of the Seventh Wisconsin
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HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
took Meredith's place after the latter was wounded. Certain it is that Colonel Morrow retained immediate command of his own regiment until he was wounded himself.
Soon after, Brockenbrough and Pettigrew's brigades attacked the Twenty-fourth Michigan and Nineteenth Indiana, in front and left flank, as if to crush them. Other troops came down upon the Seventh and Second Wisconsin as if to drive them in. Colonel Morrow directed his men to withhold their fire until the enemy should come within easy range, and they approached within eighty paces, so close that the commands of their officers could be heard. Soon the whirlwind of battle began. As the enemy approached, just in the rear of their line rode a Colonel on a mule repeating "Give 'em - boys," when a bullet knocked his cap off. Catching it in his. - hand, he continued to urge on their line.
From the nature of the ground but little injury was inflicted on the enemy at this time, as their advance was not checked, and on they came, yelling like demons. The Nineteenth Indiana fought valiantly, but overpowered by flanking numbers, with a disadvantage of position, they were forced back after severe loss and formed on a new line. This exposed the Twenty-fourth Michigan to a terrible cross fire, the men falling like grass before the scythe. Captain William J. Speed, as Acting-Major (Major Wight was acting now as Lieutenant-Colonel) attempted to swing back two companies on the left so as to face the enemy on the flank, but while executing the movement, a. Confederate bullet pierced his heart! Lieutenant Gilbert A. Dickey and the second color bearer had been killed, several officers wounded, and many of the men lay dead or wounded on this line, a superior · force compelling them to take a new position.
The enemy had now approached a little within the first line of battle of the Twenty-fourth Michigan, where they were held for some time, the work of death going on without ceasing. They were the Twenty-sixth North Carolina and expected to meet militia only, and have an easy victory. But their dead and wounded lay quite as numerous as our own among the trees. The Iron Brigade wearing a different head gear from the rest of our army (stiff, broad brimmed, tall, black hats), this unique feature made them recognized by their old antagonists who now were heard by our own wounded to exclaim : "Here are those - black-hat fellows again! This is no militia." They had met this Iron Brigade before, and well knew when they did so that business was meant.
BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
From Coffin's " Marching to Victory."
Copyright, 1888, by Harper & Brothers.
THE "IRON BRIGADE " FIGHTING AGAINST THREE LINES OF BATTLE AT M'PHERSON'S WOODS IN THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, JULY 1, 1863 - THIS ILLUSTRATION IS USED BY PERMISSION OF HARPER & BROTHERS, FROM COFFIN'S, "MARCHING TO VICTORY."
161
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HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
The Second Line of Battle of the Twenty-fourth Michigan was speedily formed. Meanwhile, a desperate resistance was made against Scales' Confederate Brigade on our right, which the rest of the Iron Brigade, chiefly the Seventh and Second Wisconsin, aided by Battery B, Fourth U. S. Artillery from another section of the field, almost annihilated. Our fraternal Second Brigade of Wadsworth's Division was also doing its whole duty further to the right. Fresh regiment after regiment was dashed against the Iron Brigade to break the Federal left. The ranks of the Twenty-fourth had again become thinned, a windrow of killed and wounded indicating the position of this line. Overwhelmed again, it was forced to take another new position beyond a small ravine.
On this Third Line of Battle its third color-bearer was killed, and Major Edwin B. Wight (acting as Lieutenant-Colonel) lost an eye. He was thrown completely down and supposed by the men to be killed, but recovering himself he was forced to leave the field. Scarcely a fourth of the regiment taken into action could now be rallied. Lieutenants Safford, Shattuck and Wallace were killed, and twelve officers had received wounds more or less severe. For over two hours had the terrible conflict lasted. The Eleventh Corps was going to pieces, forced back by superior odds. The valiant little First Corps, which had borne the brunt of the battle since early morning, had been forced back on its right. Long had Wadsworth held its line. "The fire was such as veterans never saw before," says the historian Abbott. The nervy Iron Brigade still held out against the crushing blows of greatly preponderating forces, doubled even, to dash it in pieces or capture it, and yet no orders came for it to retreat.
We can say but little of the other regiments of the Iron Brigade at this time, or until the conflict ended. No General seems to have been giving orders to them or to the brigade. Each regiment was fighting by itself, and none seem to know what the others were doing, except to be hotly engaged like themselves. The Twenty-fourth regiment had now retired from the woods into the open field towards the Seminary.
A Fourth Line of Battle was next attempted. The last of the color-guard planted the flag around which to rally the men. He was shot in the breast and left on the field. The entire color-guard now being gone, Colonel Morrow took the flag to rally the remnant of his devoted band of Wayne County boys and men, when a private took the colors from his hands and was instantly killed by the Colonel's
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BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
side. Lieutenant Humphreyville was killed on this line, and Colonel Morrow again seized the colors.
A Fifth Line of Battle was attempted where he planted the colors. On this new line, while waiving his sword over his head to rally the men, Captain O'Donnell was instantly killed, and Lieutenant Grace received two wounds, both of which were mortal. Gradually contesting every foot of ground, step by step, frequently almost surrounded, through and out of the woods and over the open field, what was now left of the Twenty-fourth had been forced back to the friendly rail fence barricade just west of the Seminary.
Its Sixth Line of Battle was attempted to be formed at this place. It fought for a time, during which Colonel Morrow, holding aloft the bullet-riddled flag, received a wound in his head and was forced to leave the field, first turning the command of the regiment over to Captain A. M. Edwards, the senior officer now present.
Captain Edwards took the flag and waiving it, the men who were left gallantly rallied to it as well as some of the rest of the Iron Brigade. This was the last stand made by the Union troops on that part of the field. The position was held amid a murderous fire from front and flank, until orders came from General Doubleday (command- ing the First Corps since Reynolds' death in the morning) to fall back, the first order of the kind received during the struggle. Captain Edwards, still carrying the flag, led the way through the town to the Cemetery, followed by only twenty-six of the Twenty-fourth Michigan, in comparative good order. What were left of the Iron Brigade were soon after moved to Culp's Hill and a new line formed with the Twenty-fourth Michigan on the left. It reached from the top of the elevation to the foot of the hill facing the town. A sorrowful band, indeed, that night ! Of the Twenty-fourth Michigan only ninety-nine men and three officers could be rallied to the flag, out of 496 who followed it into action that morning.
DEVOTION TO THE FLAG.
The conduct of the Twenty-fourth Michigan in this first day's battle, from Colonel to private, was a series of the most heroic and brilliant acts of supporting and rallying on the flag, amid showers of leaden hail, ever known in the annals of war, and conferred immortal honor upon that Spartan band as lasting as the blue sky that looks down upon that field of carnage and glory.
When its flag was presented to the regiment in Detroit, a solemn vow was taken, never to allow it to trail before the enemy or fall into
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HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
his hands. That flag, pierced by twenty-three fresh bullets from the enemy's guns, aside from those that splintered its staff in this engagement, spoke more forcibly than any words could, with what sacredness the vow was kept.
The noble and stalwart Color-Sergeant, ABEL G. PECK, in whose keeping the colors were placed, on the Campus Martius, yielded up his life in their defense, early in the morning fight, being the first man of the regiment killed in this battle. Before they touched the ground, as Peck fell, Color-Corporal CHARLES BELLORE of E sprang forward and seizing the colors, bore them aloft as the troops advanced to the capture of Archer's Brigade. Bellore, too, was killed in McPherson's woods near the second line of battle.
24"Mich
DEFENDING THE COLORS AT GETTYSBURG, JULY 1, 1863.
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BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
Private AUGUST EARNEST of K now took the colors from the ground and carried them until the third line of battle was formed, when he, also, shared the fate of his comrades. When Earnest dropped dead, the flag fell with him at the feet of First Sergeant EVERARD B. WELTON of H, who reached forward and picked it up, holding it till Colonel Morrow ran to him and took the thrice prostrated flag from his hands. He gave it to Color-Corporal ANDREW WAGNER of F, who boldly waved it in the face of the advancing foe, and under a terrific fire, took a new position indicated to him by Colonel Morrow. Wagner in turn, the last of the Color Guard, was shot and fell with the colors. Colonel Morrow took them from under Wagner, and, assuring him that his wound was not mortal, himself bore them until Private WILLIAM KELLY of E came up and took them, saying: "The Colonel of the Twenty-fourth Michigan shall not carry the colors while I am alive." In an instant after his lifeless body lay at the feet of the Colonel !
After the death of the brave Kelly, the flag was carried for a time . by Private LILBURN A. SPAULDING of K, when Colonel Morrow again took it and made another effort to rally his more than thrice decimated ranks. He carried it aloft until he himself was wounded near the Seminary.
Somewhere between the first line of battle in McPherson's woods and the rail fence barricade near the Seminary, Corporal WILLIAM ZIEGLER of A, was instantly killed, and Sergeant WILLIAM J. NAGLE of A, Corporal THOMAS SUGGETT of G and Private THOMAS B. BALLOU of C were mortally wounded, each while acting as color guard.
What became of the colors or who took them after Colonel Morrow was wounded, will ever remain a mystery known only to the God of heaven and the brave spirit of him in whose possession they were found. Soon after assuming command, Captain A. M. Edwards saw the flag lying on the ground in the hand of a dead or dying soldier boy, who was reclining on his right side, his gun being near him. Captain Edwards took the flag from the young soldier's hands which were grasping it with a deathlike grip, and after rallying the men to it amid a shower of bullets, bore it through the town to the Cemetery, where he planted it near a battery, and sat down on a grave stone while the remnant of the regiment rallied about its bullet-riddled folds.
Few instances of such devotion to the flag can be found in the history of any war. During this first day's fight, the flag of the
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HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
Twenty-fourth Michigan was borne by no less than ten different persons, five of whom were killed and two were wounded, while one other of the color guards was instantly killed and three others mortally wounded.
Nine color bearers and guards of the Twenty-fourth Michigan lost their lives or received mortal wounds in the defense of its flag this first day of the great battle, a bloody but most glorious record.
RESULTS OF THE FIRST DAY'S BATTLE.
For many years Pickett's charge on the third day was considered the chief feature of the battle of Gettysburg, and the fighting on the second and third days, when all of both armies were in line, had attracted most attention. But a closer study of the whole field shows that the first day's struggle was the greatest, the losses on this first day exceeding those of either of the next two days' fight.
Fox, who has become the acknowledged authority, in his " Book of Regimental Losses," says :
This Corps (Ist) did some of the best fighting of the war. It fought that day with no other protection than the flannel blouses that covered their stout hearts.
Fox also says: "The First Corps entered the fight with 9,403 men and lost 6,024;" also, that "The Eleventh Corps had less than 9,000 engaged and lost 3,801," a total of 18,000 men engaged with over 25,000 of the enemy.
Fox says further : "The Iron Brigade lost 1, 153 men out of 1,883 there engaged, or sixty-one per cent !"
A Public Journal in war days said :
"It was to the Iron Brigade more than any other that the nation owes its salvation at Gettysburg, and we say not more than history will verify, that of all the heroic regiments which fought there, the Twenty-fourth Michigan stands preeminent for its devotion and valor. Against the overwhelming hordes of the enemy, it stood for hours, a wall of granite, which beat back, again and again, the resolute but baffled foe."
For three days the contending hosts fought and more than 40,000 men lay dead and wounded on this immortal field. Of the 400 Union regiments, all of which distinguished themselves for valor at Gettysburg, Detroit and Wayne County, Michigan, sent forth the one which suffered there the greatest number of casualties. Says Fox: "This melancholy honor belongs to the Twenty-fourth Michigan Infantry."
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BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
TERRIBLE BATTLEFIELD DUEL.
A most notable incident of opposing valor occurred on the first day, between the Iron Brigade and Pettigrew's Confederate Brigade. These two brigades fought facing each other, frequently not over four or six rods apart. For two hours they shot each other down, at such remarkably short range, in open field, and with an unflinching tenacity which is worthy of historical record for all time.
It is a coincidence that the Iron Brigade lost the heaviest of any brigade at Gettysburg and that Pettigrew's Brigade which fought against it, suffered next to the heaviest loss of any of the Confederate Brigades engaged there, being exceeded only by a loss of eighty-six more men in Armistead's Confederate Brigade in Pickett's Charge.
It is another coincidence that the two opposing regiments which sustained the greatest loss at Gettysburg belonged, the one (Twenty-fourth Michigan) to the Iron Brigade and the other, (Twenty-sixth North Carolina) to Pettigrew's Confederate Brigade.
A comparison of these two regiments on that day, which faced each other down to death, tells the pointed story of the terrible combat :
TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN. TWENTY-SIXTH NORTH CAROLINA.
Entered battle with
496 men ;
800 men.
Killed and wounded, 316
588
Missing in action,
81
120
Remaining,
99 " 92
Per cent. of killed and wounded, 64
73.5
Per cent. of loss, - 80
88.5
It is said that in two companies of the Twenty-sixth North Carolina, not a man ever reported for duty after this battle. Such valor deserves a distich in immortal verse. Mortal can never tell what would have been the loss figures, had these two regiments and brigades fought till dark. Each seemed determined to exterminate the other, and the faster the comrades fell, the cooler and harder the balance seemed to fight. It was undoubtedly the liveliest "shooting match" that ever occurred on a battlefield.
THE DAY'S DEFEAT A GREAT VICTORY.
And thus the enemy's lines were held back, hour after hour, by the little First Corps and part of the Eleventh Corps, till the friendly sunset and darkness came, while Meade's absent corps, by forced marches, were hastening to the field. Though the Union troops
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HISTORY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH MICHIGAN.
which fought the first day were decimated and forced back from their fighting ground, they had in reality won a great victory whereby Cemetery Ridge, Culp's Hill and Round Top were saved to the Union army and a great victory made possible two days after. And of all the troops who so valiantly faced the whirlwind of death that day, history will accord to the Iron Brigade the honor of being the last to leave the field. Three days after, General Wadsworth paid Colonel Morrow and his command the following high tribute:
Colonel Morrow, the only fault I find with you is that you fought too long, but God only knows what would have become of the Army of the, Potomac if you had not held the ground as long as you did.
The remark will apply equally to the other regiments of the Iron Brigade. The Confederate dead and wounded were too numerous over the field for the daring Lee to venture his rashness further that night. He arrived upon the field in time to see the last of our forces climbing up Cemetery Hill, and beheld up there the lunettes which the considerate Prussian officer, General Steinwehr, of the Eleventh Corps, with Germanic coolness and foresight, had hastily constructed during the day's fighting. And thus ended this first day's contest, with victory apparently with the Confederates, yet really the Union army remnant had secured and firmly held the advantageous heights and vantage ground for the remainder of the struggle.
SECOND DAY'S BATTLE.
By Thursday forenoon, July 2d, both armies had fairly got into line. The Union army had seven small corps ( 82,000 men and 300 cannon) arranged in fish hook shape from Culp's Hill on its right, to Round Top on its left, in order following: On Culp's Hill-the Twelfth Corps ( Slocum's ) and First Division ( Wadsworth's ) of First Corps; on Cemetery Hill-Eleventh Corps ( Howard's), Second Corps ( Hancock's) and the rest of the First Corps ; along Cemetery Ridge -the Third Corps ( Sickles'), Fifth Corps (Sykes') and Sixth Corps (Sedgwick's). Lee had three large corps (70,000 men and 250 cannon ) arranged as follows: First Corps ( Longstreet's ) and Second Corps ( Hill's) extending from in front of Round Top on his right, along Seminary Ridge and through the town, uniting with the Third Corps (Ewell's ) in front of Culp's Hill, on the left.
Meade intended his left to extend to Round Top, but Sickles seeing higher ground in his own front, moved his corps half a mile out to the Emmitsburg road. At 4 o'clock, his line was vigorously
.
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BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
assaulted, during which he lost a leg, and the Confederate General Barksdale was mortally wounded. His lines were forced back to Cemetery Ridge. This action is known as the Peach Orchard battle, from the fact of its occurrence in an orchard of peach trees. The locality is still planted to peach trees as in those days.
The enemy then advanced to capture Little Round Top, but General Warren had been up there during the fighting below and noting its value, spurred his horse down the slope and hurried up a few regiments to possess it. A battery had to be dragged up its rocky sides by ropes, wheels and pieces at a time, and Round Top was saved. Some Michigan sharpshooters held the enemy back when they first came up to the attack, a fact confessed by General Longstreet, on a visit to the field at the dedication of the monuments in 1888, when he said in a speech :
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