USA > New Jersey > New Jersey troops in the Gettysburg campaign from June 5 to July 31, 1863 > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21
During the time Lee was preparing his column for attack, General Hunt, chief of artillery, was examining the batteries along the Union line. He made the best disposition possible of the artillery at his command, and stationed the Reserve Artillery within easy supporting distance. Sharp skirmish firing broke out occasionally along the Union front,
286
NEW JERSEY TROOPS
and early in the day while the heavy firing 'on the right was going on, the enemy in front of the Second Corps reoccupied the Bliss barn and the Twelfth New Jersey was again called upon to dis- possess them. Companies K, F, D, C and A were selected, and under command of Captain Richard S. Thompson of Company K, the charge was success- fully made and a number of prisoners taken. The barn was finally burned by the Fourteenth Connecticut.
The minutes grew into hours and the Federals waited impatiently for some sign to show what the enemy intended to do. With the cessation of the firing on the right the stillness grew oppressive. The same feeling of impatience prevailed among Pickett's men. They had been formed in line for their charge ever since ten o'clock and the delay was growing tedious. Finally the word passed that all was ready. Long-
street dreaded the ordeal. Pickett was anxious to begin. Longstreet sought to impose upon Colonel Alexander the duty of notifying Pickett what to do, that officer bluntly refused, saying that unless the charge was to be made he should not order the artil- lery to fire. Suddenly, at one o'clock, two shots were fired by the Washington Artillery-the signal for the cannonade to begin. At once, as though the gunners had impatiently waited for the signal, there was vom- ited from the deep throats of the one hundred and thirty-eight cannon along the Emmetsburg road a volume of flame, and the air was filled with flying missiles on their death-dealing mission. For fifteen
287
IN THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.
minutes the Federal batteries remained silent, and then from eighty guns along the Union line, all that could be brought to bear on the position, an answering refrain went up, which, combined with the volume of sound proceeding from the enemy, created an ensemble that was terrifying even to ears that had endured the dreadful sound of artillery warfare for months. But never before, nor since, had those who listened to the sharp detonation of those two hundred and eighteen guns passed through a more harrowing experience. The ground was ploughed into furrows. Exploding shells endangered everything within their range; the house used by General Meade for his headquarters was in the very line of this terrible, dreadful and merciless storm of iron nail. Horses tied to the fences were killed by scores or, badly wounded, filled the air with their shrieks of terror and fright. It was chaos come again. General Meade abandoned his headquarters and sought refuge with General Slo- cum at Powers' Hill. Caisson after caisson, being struck by the enemy's shells, exploded, but the line of infantry remained as stationary and immovable as the rocks behind which they sought shelter. A shell would penetrate their front occasionally and lessen their number, but none moved from their places. The artillerists, more exposed suffered greatly ; horses were killed in large numbers, and the destruction of gun carriages, caissons and limbers was unusually heavy. For one hour and a-half this terrific duel had been kept up, when, at half-past two General Hunt
288
NEW JERSEY TROOPS
ordered the firing to be gradually slackened, and in a few minutes nothing could be heard but the firing of the rebel guns. Replacing the disabled batteries with others from the Artillery Reserve and replenishing the ammunition boxes for the infantry attack which all knew would follow, the Union artillery line was reëstablished.
The accuracy of the fire from the Federal batteries had inflicted serious damage on the enemy's artillery, and had also caused much destruction of life among the infantry. Armistead's brigade was compelled to change its position three different times to get out of the range of the Union guns and with sighs of relief they noted the slackening fire from Meade's line. It was now three o'clock. Pickett formed his men for the charge and reporting to Longstreet asked for the word of command. He would not give it, and Pickett, with a gleam of fire in his eyes said, " I shall go forward, sir," to which Longstreet simply nodded his head, and the impetuous and brave southerner returned to his division. Just as the rebel line proceeded on its march, Hunt ordered up to the threatened point of attack Fitzhugh's, Weir's, Cowan's, and Parson's ("A" First New Jersey Artillery) batteries, which advanced rapidly into position.
Pickett impatiently awaited the opportunity to advance. In a short time it came in a message from Colonel Alexander to the effect that the Federal battery had been silenced. The line was formed- Kemper on the right, Garnett in the centre, Armistead
289
IN THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.
on the left-and as it swept through the artillery and came into full view of the Federals, a thrill of admiration went through the breast of every man gazing upon the magnificent spectacle. Marching in close order, with measured steps, as though on parade, it moved forward deliberately, solidly. With flags unfurled, guns aligned, obeying every word of com- mand, the line moved steadily onward. Leaving Wilcox behind, Pickett made a half-wheel to the left, the movement being finely performed, but it presented its right flank to the Union line and McGilvery con- centrated the fire of all his guns upon it. The accuracy of McGilvery's fire tore great gaps in the ranks, but they were promptly closed up, and on the assailing column came across the fields, scaling strong fences, until it reached the base of the ridge Pickett was directed to assault. Here he changed direction by a half-wheel to the right, and halted his column under the heavy fire which confronted him, to rectify his line. Wilcox in the mean time moved forward to the right of Pickett, but the wheeling of Pickett's line separated them, and left a wide gap between, while Pettigrew, who with Heth's division was to support the move- ment on the left, was not able to get into line as soon as desired, by having a longer distance to traverse. When Pickett again advanced he was met by a terrific fire of musketry and canister from the men in his front, and McGilvery ploughed his line with shot and shell. . The Twelfth New Jersey Regiment from its com- manding position on the right of the Second Corps, had
19
290
NEW JERSEY TROOPS
withstood the shock of the dreadful cannonade with heroic fortitude, and watched the splendid advance of the assaulting column with eagerness and expectancy. Major Hill, who was in command, encouraged the men by his own coolness and intrepidity, and cautioned them to reserve their fire until each shot could be made to tell. The men obeyed, and emptying their cartridge boxes and placing their ammunition on the ledges of stone in front of them where they could the more easily use it, they confidently awaited the ap- proach of the attacking forces. The regiment was armed with the smooth bore musket, and they used the buck and ball cartridge, calibre sixty-nine, enabling them to give a deadly fire at short range.
The unfortunate misunderstandings which had sep- arated Pickett from his supports on the right and left placed him in a perilous position. The ridge he now essayed to reach was held by a line of men as determined as himself and his brave Virginians. The advocates of State Rights and Human Slavery, and the defenders of National Unity and Freedom, were neither disposed to flinch now that the contest had narrowed to the space of a hundred yards. As Pickett moved up the slope the men in blue shouted "Fredericks- burg." Ominous word. The slaughter at the heights of St. Marye had not been forgotten, and the fate that there befell Burnside's brave men in blue now awaited the brave men in gray. Pickett's right flank exposed itself as he advanced, to Stannard's Vermonters con- cealed in the copse of trees, and Hancock at once
VOLS
MARKER 12TH REGT. N. J. VOLS .- (At Bliss Barn.)
292
NEW JERSEY TROOPS
ordered them to move upon it. Stannard's men poured a destructive fire into Armistead's ranks, and disorganized, the brigade surged to the rear of Pickett, which for a moment moved in the direction of Hays' division. Armistead pushed his way through the mass to the front, and then with a plunge Armistead, Kem- per and Garnett's men, all in one confused crowd fell upon the brigades of Hall and Harrow, and finally con- centrated upon Webb; where the mass swayed from side to side like a huge wave seeking an outlet through an opening too small for it. The fighting was now at close quarters. Webb, heroic soldier that he was, gallantly sought to stem the tide, but in vain. The enemy pierced the centre, the artillery opened with canister at point blank range, Hancock and Gibbon pushed forward all their reserves, and Webb, Hall and Harrow, had a desperate encounter with the enemy. Cushing, of Battery A, Fourth United States Artillery, advanced with his guns into the very midst of the enemy, and Armistead rushing boldly up urged his men to capture the battery. Inspired by the force of his brave example a crowd broke through the lines of Federals, and the gallant Cushing fired his last round into their faces and himself expired from a mortal wound previously received. Armistead had time only to place his hands upon the guns when he fell dead by Cushing's side. The loss of life had been dreadful on the Confederate side. Armistead and Garnett had been killed, Kemper badly wounded, and of the whole number of field officers of the splendid division which
293
IN THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.
advanced so proudly and in such magnificent array across the intervening fields, Pickett and a lieutenant- colonel alone remained. Pickett was a most conspicu- ous figure, and was in the fiercest of the fight. His escape from death seems miraculous.
Pettigrew's command which moved out to take position on Pickett's left, comprised the brigades of Archer, Marshall, Davis and Brokenborough; these were followed by the brigades of Scales and Lane under Trimble, who took position in rear of the right. As Pickett made his left half-wheel, by which he separated himself from Wilcox, his left was brought nearer to Trimble, who hastened forward to close up the interval while the left of the line slackened its pace, thus changing the position of the attacking force from a single line of battle, supported by the two brigades of Scales and Lane, to a movement en echelon, in the order of Archer, Marshall, Davis and Brokenborough, with Scales and Lane in rear of Archer and in line with Marshall, the right of Scales
extending beyond Archer's right. This part of the attacking force bore directly toward Smyth's brigade of Hays' division of the Second Corps, posted behind the stone wall previously described. Colonel William E. Potter, of the Twelfth Regiment New Jersey Vol- unteers, in his masterly address at the dedication of the monument of that regiment on the 26th of May, 1886, thus describes the advance and repulse of Petti- grew's division :
" The brigade of Smyth, now about to receive this
294
NEW JERSEY TROOPS
tremendous attack, was still posted as I have hereto- fore stated. Our own regiment (the Twelfth New Jersey) was its proper right. The strength of the latter, as shown at the muster of June 30th, three days before, was twenty-five officers and five hundred and seven enlisted men present for duty, or a total of five hundred and thirty-two. Despite the casualties thus far it probably then had in line four hundred men. It was armed with the Springfield smooth-bore musket, calibre 69-a terrible weapon at close range. The usual cartridge carried a large ball and three buckshot, but many of the men, while awaiting the enemy's advance, had opened their boxes and pre- pared special cartridges of from ten to twenty-five buckshot alone. It was the only regiment in the division bearing the arm mentioned, and I doubt whether anywhere upon that field a more destructive fire was encountered than at the proper time blazed forth from its front.
" The men were young, well disciplined, of respecta- ble parentage, in comfortable circumstances and almost solely of native birth. In the entire regi- ment, as originally mustered, there were but seventy- two men of foreign nativity, and these were almost without exception faithful soldiers. The men had the confidence of their officers, who were in turn very generally trusted and respected by their men. Of very much the same stock were the One Hundred and Eighth New York, Fourteenth Connecticut and First Delaware, as they then stood.
BVT. LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WILLIAM E. POTTER, Second Lieut. Company K, 12th Regt., N. J. Vols., Inf. (From a Recent Photograph.)
297
IN THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.
"The skirmishers along our front fell back before the enemy's advance, and taking position in the Emmetsburg road, fire with destructive effect; they are, however, soon driven in.
" The enemy's column first comes in contact with the Eighth Ohio Volunteers, under command of Lieu- tenant-Colonel Franklin Sawyer, who, with four com- panies, deployed as skirmishers, supported them with the remainder of the regiment as a reserve, to the front of and somewhat to the right of Woodruff's battery. Under the stringent orders of Colonel Car- roll to hold their position to the last man, they had maintained their post without relief since 4 p. m., of the second of July ; having lost from their small numbers, up to noon of the third, 4 men killed, and I Captain, I Lieutenant, the Sergeant-Major and 38 men wounded.
" As the enemy's column came on, according to Colonel Sawyer's report, now ployed in mass with a regiment in line upon its flank, that officer exhibits brilliant soldiership. Instead of retiring his skirmish- ers, he advances his reserve to their support, and dispersing the enemy's regiment advancing in line, he changes front forward upon his tenth company, closes down upon the column itself, and opens a fierce fire directly upon its flank. Though smitten deep, the force of Sawyer was too light to stay the progress of the heavy column, which swept onward with majestic impetus to attack Smyth's® brigade. The Eighth Ohio, however, captured a large number of prisoners
298
NEW JERSEY TROOPS
and three stands of colors, and its total loss during the action was IOI killed and wounded; including I officer killed, and 9 officers, the sergeant-major, 2 orderly sergeants and 2 duty sergeants wounded.
" In our main line, to use the language of the official report of General Hancock, the ‘men evinced a striking disposition to withhold their fire.' In our own regiment they did so under the orders of Major Hill, enforced by their company officers. The enemy now reached the Emmetsburg road, the fences fall before their pressure, and as they emerge into the broad turnpike, Smyth's brigade rising to its feet pours a terrific sheet of musketry into the column, before which the whole front line seems to go down. The masses in rear press on, but vainly strive to pass the line of death marked by the road. The blazing line of Smyth's brigade is in their front; the Eighth Ohio presses upon their left; the guns of Woodruff firing double charges of canister upon their flank, sweep down whole ranks at once. To advance is annihilation, to retreat is death. In vain do they make the most strenuous exertions to regain their lost momentum ; in vain do their leaders, officers, color- bearers, strong men, spring to the front and endeavor to move the column forward or cause it to deploy to fire. These are instantly shot down ; and in less time than I have taken to tell the story the whole of the six brigades to the left of Pickett are either prone upon the ground, or fleeing in disordered groups northward and
299
IN THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.
westward to escape the fire and to regain Seminary Ridge.
"Just at the critical moment General Hays brought forward from the rear the Third Brigade and formed it in rear of the Twelfth New Jersey. These troops did not, however, open fire, though they suffered con- siderable loss, and one shell, it is said, exploding near the colors of the One Hundred and Eleventh New York, killed 7 men.
"In the height of the fight Lieutenant Richard H. Townsend, of Cape May county, fell shot through the heart. Promoted from the Tenth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, he had been able to join his new command only three days before, and thus died in his first battle.
" At least 2,000 prisoners and fifteen colors were taken by Hays' division. Of the latter Smyth's bri- gade took nine ; the Fourteenth Connecticut capturing four, the First Delaware three, and the Twelfth New Jersey two. The aggregate loss of the brigade in the action was 366. The loss of the Twelfth New Jersey was : killed, 2 officers and 21 men; wounded, 4 officers and 79 men; missing, 9 men; an aggregate of 115, about one-fourth of its total strength. The total loss of the division in killed, wounded and missing was 1,291.
" If I have made myself clear, it will thus be perceived that Smyth's brigade, with Woodruff's battery, not only checked the enemy's advance, but practically destroyed his column. No portion of the
300
NEW JERSEY TROOPS
enemy's troops reached our line. One smooth-cheeked lad, indeed, the leader of thousands, ran forward through all that fire to fall dead and covered with wounds within twenty feet of our colors. Another reached the Byran barn, and from behind it, firing one shot down our line, was killed by Color-Sergeant Charles E. Cheeseman, a brave soldier, who, shot through the body himself, died by my side at the field hospital of the Wilderness, in May of 1864. . These two men, like spray driven from a wave, marked the farthest limit of the enemy's advance in our front."
The disastrous fire from Hays' front threw the attacking forces into the utmost confusion and dis- order, and the troops of Scales and Archer who with- stood the shock united with Pickett, but it was too late, the force of the attacking column was spent, its power broken, and those who could get back to Seminary Ridge went there. Pickett's division was practically annihilated. Out of the four thousand five hundred men who advanced with him, not more than one thousand returned.
Wilcox, on the right of Pickett who had become separated from him on the advance, reached a position in front of Birney's division of the Third Corps. With- out any knowledge of the disaster which had befallen Pickett on the left, he deployed his men ; but Stannard who had returned to his place in the wood observed Wilcox's position, and repeating the movement by which he threw Armistead's line into confusion he advanced two of his regiments on Wilcox's flank and
HAGERSTOWN PIKE
4.
P.
PPPOAQUE
H
SIST
GARNETT
E
89 99 91 +
. SMAHONE""
R
Y
N
WARUM + " MCINTOSH
WRIGHT,
LANE PEGRAM
SLYDER
WOFFORD
.
0
BA
R
KSDALE
a
R
S
KUN
WILCOX PERRY
BICK
Ma OHIO
HAYS-
SCHURZ
RO
AMES
GORDON
G
K
,
2
3 33 MASS.
NADSWO
CULP'S HILL
0
GEARY
RTH
SLIAMS
O'NEAL
WALKER
R 3
NARU
SMITH
DANIELS
. STEUART
5
N
OH
GRANT RUSSELL OF SIM CORPS
WILLISTON
&MCCARTNEY
ARTILLERY
RESERVE
n
M
"CANDYME
VONES
BY
REEKS
R
EMMERT.SiBIO.R
A.CURRENS
ATRICK
AS PERRIN RAMSEUR
ETTI GREW
RODES
.um
LAW ROBERTSON SEMMES
TILTON
.MCGILVERY
GRAHAM
BERDAN
OQUE
HALL WEBB SMYTH
BEIHAYS
AVERY
BREWSTER
WEITZERI
AYRES
BARTLETT
NEVIN ::
CALO WELL
DE TROBRIAN
ARRZ
HALER
USTIS
.IMCROES OSBORNE
HEAD ORS.
E' S
FORDERT
ABURLING
SON
CARROLL
410070M
FISH
WEEL
MCCANDLESS 'CRAWFOR
CABELL
ALEXANDER
VUI27 HS3
THOMAS
CABELL
POAGUE
PENDER
IVERSON
DOLES
H
O
STEINWEH
-VINCENT
BENNING,
TROSTLE
STANNARD
DEARING
FARNSWORTH
EN
KERSHAW
WOOLFOLK
7
POSEY
SEMINARY
THE GENERAL LINE OF BATTLE AT THE TIME OF PICKETT'S CHARGE.
BARNES
GREENE
COLGROVE
MISARNES
HARRO
302
-
NEW JERSEY TROOPS
poured an enfilading fire down his line. The sudden- ness of this attack caused Wilcox to halt, and finding himself assailed by Stannard on the left and by artillery in front, he hastily departed with a loss of 200 of his men.
When the enemy was forming for their charge Battery "A," First New Jersey Artillery, Lieutenant Augustin N. Parsons commanding, was ordered by General Tyler, commanding the Artillery Reserve, to advance to the support of the Second Corps, in accord- ance with the instructions of General Hunt, chief of artillery. Promptly at the word Parsons, and his brave Germans who had distinguished themselves in many fields of action with their beloved commander Hexamer, moved into position along the Taneytown road and by order of. Captain R. H. Fitzhugh was posted near the stone fence in front of General Webb's position, on the left of Fitzhugh's battery (K, First New York Artillery). "At this time," reported Fitz- hugh, "the enemy were making a strong effort to break the Second Corps line, their infantry having charged up to the stone fence near a small wooded knoll about seventy-five yards on my right, while their artillery fire swept the ground occupied by the two batteries. Just then there were no other batteries at that point and there seemed to be a good deal of con- fusion. The rebel artillery fire, from near a house and barn, about one thousand yards on my left and front, was especially severe, but soon materially slackened and became very wild under a fire of percussion and
303
IN THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.
time-shell from Battery 'K.' In the mean time Lieuten- ant Parsons poured forty rounds of shrapnel into the flank of the rebel infantry charging the Second Corps, and in about half or three-quarters of an hour the enemy abandoned the attack on that point altogether. " After a pause of about an hour the rebel infantry began forming on the right of the house and barn before spoken of while from the same quarter their artillery opened upon us a brisk but poorly directed and inefficient fire, to which, by direction of General Hunt, I made no reply, but awaited the attack of their infantry (Wilcox and Perry's brigades), who soon charged over the open field toward some broken ground, about five hundred yards on my left, as they did so giving the two batteries an opportunity to pour in an enfilading fire, which they did with great effect, for the enemy did not reach the point but broke and gave way in all directions when about the middle of the field.
" Of the conduct of officers and men, both of Battery ' A' First New Jersey Artillery, Lieutenant A. N. Parsons commanding, and of 'K' First New York Artillery, with Eleventh New York Battery attached, I cannot speak too highly. Coming into position at a critical point of the rebel charge on our centre and under a galling fire, the guns were worked with great deliberation and a most decided effect."
Battery " A" sustained a loss of 2 killed and 7 wounded; 5 horses were killed and 200 rounds of
304
NEW JERSEY TROOPS
ammunition expended, of which I20 rounds were shrapnel and 80 shell.
The conduct of the Twelfth New Jersey Infantry was also of the most exemplary character, and the reports of all the superior officers, mention specifically their brilliant achievements and the coolness and bravery exhibited under the most trying ordeal human nature had ever been subjected to. Colonel Thomas A. Smyth, commanding the brigade says: " The officers and. men behaved with the greatest coolness, and endured this terrible fire with much fortitude. As the fire of the enemy's batteries slackened their infantry moved upon our position in three lines preceded by skirmish- ers. * Major John T. Hill, commanding Twelfth New Jersey Volunteers, directed his men to retain their fire during the charge of the enemy until they were within twenty yards, when, at his command, so tremendous a fire of buck and ball was poured into their ranks as to render it impossible that one of them could reach the breastworks."
The report of Lieutenant William E. Potter of the Twelfth, whose duties as ordnance officer received the warm commendation of General Hays, shows that two thousand five hundred stand of arms were col- lected, and that fully one thousand more were left upon the field for want of time to gather them. The number of prisoners General Hays estimates at 2,000.
The casualties of the Twelfth Regiment during the two days were. heavy. The loss sustained in charg-
305
IN THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.
ing the Bliss barn was severe, the total for the two days being 115, as follows :
COMPANY A.
Killed-Private George H. Martin.
Wounded-Privates John S. Adams, James S. Butler, Joseph S. Fletcher, Benjamin F. Guant, Isaac D. Jones, Ira Knowlton, Joseph Morgan, Jr., David W. Scott, Daniel Smalley, Adam Stormes, Thomas Whitzell.
COMPANY B.
Killed-Corporal Joseph B. Spachius ; Privates John Bishop, Edward W. Coward, Samuel Platt, William H. Spencer.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.