USA > New Jersey > New Jersey troops in the Gettysburg campaign from June 5 to July 31, 1863 > Part 9
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were received to bring on no engagement at that place. It had been the intention of General Williams to take possession of the hill, but as it had become known that Gettysburg was in the hands of the enemy, the line was withdrawn and position for the night taken on the east side of Rock Creek. The Thirteenth New Jersey Regiment supported Wine- gan's Battery ("M " First New York) during the night. Geary's division was posted on the left of the army, his line extending from the left of Sickles' line to the summit of Little Round Top, the Twelfth Corps thus holding both the right and left flanks of the Army of the Potomac on the night of July Ist. General Slocum arrived upon the scene about half-past five, and General Hancock, in accordance with instructions received, turned over the command to him, and started for Taneytown to report to General Meade.
Hancock had performed labors almost herculean. The very magnetism of his presence among the defeated and retreating troops gave them renewed confidence and courage, and when he had assigned the last body of troops to their position for the night, and saw that the force was strong enough to resist any attack that might be made until the rest of the army could be brought up, he started on his ride to Taneytown. During the afternoon he sent two dispatches to General Meade in which he favored the position secured as the best on which the battle should be fought, though the left was liable to be turned. On his way to headquarters he halted the
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Second Corps, commanded by General Gibbons, which he met about three miles from the battle-field, as a protection to the left of the line.
The line of battle for the night extended from the rising ground east of Rock Creek, to Culp's Hill, to Cemetery Hill and along the ridge west of the Taneytown road to the summit of Little Round Top. The Fifth Army Corps was on its way from Bonaugh- town, and the Sixth Corps just entering Manchester, thirty-four miles distant, had started on its long march for the battle-field.
Among the interesting incidents of the first day's battle is the record of John Burns, a resident of Gettysburg. General Doubleday in his official report of the battle says : " My thanks are specially due to a citizen of Gettysburg, named John Burns, who, although over seventy years of age, shouldered his musket and offered his services to Colonel Wister, One Hundred and Fiftieth Pennsylvania Volunteers. Colonel Wister advised him to fight in the woods as there was more shelter there, but he preferred to join our line of skirmishers in the open fields. When the troops retired he fought with the 'Iron Brigade.' He was wounded in three places."
CHAPTER X.
THE NEW JERSEY TROOPS COMING ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE - RAPID AND EXHAUSTIVE MARCHING ·- THE ELEVENTH REGIMENT UNDERGO A FATIGUING NIGHT MARCH - THE SECOND NEW JERSEY BRI- GADE MARCH BETWEEN THE SKIRMISH LINES OF BOTH ARMIES-THE TWELFTH REGIMENT IN LINE OF BATTLE - THE DEPLOYMENT OF SICKLES' LINE -THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT ON CULP'S HILL- ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST NEW JERSEY BRIGADE AT FOUR O'CLOCK - A FORCED MARCH OF THIRTY- FIVE MILES.
I T was nearly dark when General Hancock started for the headquarters of the army at Taneytown and reported to General Meade, whom he found about ready to proceed to Gettysburg, where he arrived about one o'clock a. m., on July 2d. Hum- phreys' division of the Third Corps left Emmetsburg for the battle-field at three o'clock a. m., Burling's bri- gade with De Trobriand's brigade of Birney's division remaining behind to guard the outlet of the moun- tain and watch the Hagerstown road for any move- ments of the enemy in that direction. After a long and exciting march the division arrived on the field
... ..
MAJOR JOHN T. HILL, Com'd'g 12th Regt. N. J. Vols., Inf. (From a War-time Photograph-1863.)
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at midnight and owing to the darkness could not be given a place in line and was massed in rear of Bir- ney's division.
The Eleventh New Jersey Regiment, belonging to Carr's brigade of Humphrey's division, experienced all the inconveniences of this march. They had biv- ouacked in a wheat-field near Emmetsburg when the news reached them that the First and Eleventh Corps had met the enemy near Gettysburg and were being driven back. Orders to press forward rapidly were received, and soon the column was in motion. On crossing Marsh Run, the troops took a road to the left, and were marching toward Black Horse Tavern, on the Fairfield road, which was occupied by the enemy; but General Humphrey discovered, in time to conceal his presence from them, that he was on the wrong road, and accordingly caused the column to "about face" and retrace their steps. This long detour was a severe strain upon the men, but without further mishap they bivouacked east of the Emmets- burg road about one a. m., and was subsequently massed in rear of Birney and facing west, the Eleventh New Jersey being next to the last regiment in the line.
The next New Jersey regiment to arrive was the Twelfth, which with the Second Corps had halted for the night about three miles south of the battle-field. The column moved at daylight, and was rejoined by General Hancock before it reached the field, which took place about 7 a. m., and was placed in position on the left of Doubleday's division of the First Corps.
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(General Newton was now in command of the First Corps, General Meade having assigned him there on learning of the death of General Reynolds.) In the order of alignment Hay's division-to Smith's brigade of which the Twelfth New Jersey belonged-was on the right, Gibbons, the centre, and Caldwell's division, the left. This displaced the Third Corps, which formed into column and moved still further to the left.
This movement so full of momentous and important results then unforeseen, has led to a controversy that will cease only when all the actors have passed off this world's stage. General Geary, who had occupied Little Round Top on the night of the first, had been ordered to the right of the line, and soon after day- break (5 a. m.) vacated the position, which was the vital point of the whole line, and to regain and keep posses- sion of which, brought on one of the most desperate struggles of the whole war. Sickles' orders were to prolong the line of the Second Corps, his left to rest upon Little Round Top .* This is the great bone of
* General Meade, in his official report says: "The Second and Third Corps were directed to occupy the continuation of the Cemetery ridge on the left of the Eleventh Corps."
The Comte De Paris, in his work on Gettysburg, says :
" Between six and seven o'clock in the morning Meade sent his son to Sickles with orders to take the position which Geary had just left. The order was most positive, and Meade has been blamed for not hav- ing attended to the execution of said order in person. * * When Colonel Meade arrived between eight and nine o'clock, to ascer- tain if the order which he had brought from his father had been executed, Sickles answered him that he could not distinguish the posi-
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contention : What were Meade's orders to Sickles? Without entering into the discussion, which has devel- oped a wonderful amount of misunderstanding, it is clear that General Sickles did not deem his orders so explicit as to prevent the exercise of his own judgment in the matter.
The ridge on which Sickles was directed to form
tion in which he was to replace Geary. Nevertheless, like an obedient lieutenant, he had not waited for fresh orders, to extend his line to the left, and before nine o'clock Birney was deploying Graham's and Ward's brigades in the direction of Little Round Top.".
Doubleday gives this version : "Sickles, however, denies that any position was ever marked out for him. He was expected to prolong Hancock's line to the left but did not do so for the following reasons : First, because the ground was low, and second on account of the com- manding position of the Emmetsburg road, which ran along a cross ridge oblique to the front of the line assigned him, and which afforded the enemy an excellent position for their artillery ; third because the ground between the valley he was expected to occupy, and the Emmets- burg road constituted a minor ridge, very much broken and full of rocks and trees which afforded excellent cover for an enemy operating in his immediate front."
Swinton in his History of the Army of the Potomac, says : "Sickles had been instructed to take position on the left of Hancock, on the same general line, which would draw it along the prolongation of Cemetery Ridge toward the Round Top. Now the ridge is, at this point, not very well defined; for the ground in front falls off into a con- siderable hollow. But at the distance of some four or five hundred yards in advance it rises into that intermediate crest along which runs the Emmetsburg road. General Sickles, thinking it desirable to occupy this advanced position - which he conceived would, if held by the enemy, make his own ground untenable-assumed the responsibility of pushing his front forward to that point."
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descended into low ground which extended for four or five hundred yards to Little Round Top. In his front the ground ascended gradually, and on the crest of this rising ground ran the Emmetsburg road. Sickles first formed his line as directed, Birney's left resting at the base of Little Round Top and connecting with Humphrey's division on the right.
The Second New Jersey Brigade (Burling's) of Humphrey's division and De Trobriand's brigade of Birney's division, which had been left at Emmetsburg to guard the mountain passes, received orders at two o'clock a. m. to rejoin the Third Corps, and began their hurried march. To them also had come the startling intelligence of a battle at Gettysburg, the death of General Reynolds, and that the First and Eleventh Corps had been driven back. At three o'clock, the column was marching quietly and swiftly through the streets of Emmetsburg. A short halt was ordered after a brisk march to enable the men to make coffee. The heat of the day before, and the sultriness of the morning, together with the long fast and the rapid marching had well-nigh exhausted the men, and the prospect of a "rest" was joyously welcomed. The little fires were soon blazing cheerily, but before the first cup of water had reached boiling point, an aide came galloping down the road with peremptory orders to push forward as rapidly as possible. Not a moment was to be lost. "Fall in!" "Take arms !" "Right, face !" "Forward, march !" rang out over the field from the throats of regiment and company com-
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manders. There was a speedy mounting of horses, the rumbling of artillery was heard on the pike, and once more the column of Jerseymen pushed rapidly on. Crossing Marsh Run, Berdan's sharpshooters, who had been ordered to reconnoitre the rebel position, were seen lying along the fence in the road and firing occasionally at the enemy's skirmishers, in the edge of the strip of woods at the west. The column had reached the Union line just in time. Soon after the brigade had passed this point Longstreet had extended his lines across the road preparatory to his fierce charge upon Sickles' position. It was a narrow escape from isolation, if not capture, as the small brigade would have been overwhelmed had they come in con- tact with the rebel column, which would have been the inevitable result had they remained long enough at " rest" to have cooked and drank their coffee. Moving leisurely up the pike to about the point where Pickett's division crossed it the next day in making his famous charge, the rail fence was thrown down, and marching across the fields to the slope of Cemetery Ridge, Burling's brigade halted, and at nine o'clock ate their breakfast without interference. In the mean time men were sent forward to throw down the rail fences that stood between the ridge and the pike. The brigade was once more at home with its old command.
When General Meade had completed his reconnois- sance and given his orders to the several corps, Geary was ordered to take position on the right of the line, where Williams' division was to join him. By this
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move the Twelfth Corps was to be again united. Promptly on receipt of his orders Geary moved out and took position on Culp's Hill, joining Wadsworth's division of the First Corps. At eight o'clock, Williams' division (commanded by Gen- eral Ruger) crossed Rock Creek and moved up the west bank of that stream forming on the westerly side of Culp's Hill, and then moving by the right flank took position as follows: McDougall's brigade (the First) join- SIE SLOPE CULP'S HILL - ing Geary, the One N. J 13TH - 1 IST POSITION ( JULY 2. 1863. Hundred and Seventh 1 SPANGLER'S 3. WIS SPRING. CO New York of Col- grove's brigade extend- MARSH or OVERFLOWOP LAND. ing the line to the edge CREEK of the woods, while the MARSH. OVERFLOWED LAND. - ISEN J. Thirteenth New Jersey 2'MASS Regiment was formed ROCK J. in rear in close column 27 IND. A LISTER'S WOODS. by division. On the 1 2º POSITION JULY 2. 1863 RUGER MAPA right of the Thirteenth New Jersey was an open space of about one hun- dred yards, through which coursed a small stream having its rise at Spangler's spring west of the Thir- teenth Regiment's position. This open ground was marshy, and the rest of Colgrove's brigade was formed in the edge of McAllister's wood, on the south. As soon as the line was established the men began con- structing lines of breastworks out of the fence rails, old stumps, dead limbs of trees, stones and whatever
PALL PIKE
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could be found that would impede the progress of a bullet. Lockwood's brigade, which had joined the Twelfth Corps on the morning of the second, was posted to the right of Colgrove, its right resting near the junction of the Baltimore pike with Rock Creek. The Fifth Corps was massed near the bridge over Rock Creek, on the Baltimore pike, in supporting dis- tance of the Twelfth Corps. By twelve o'clock the Union line of battle was intact, extending from Culp's Hill on the right to the base of Little Round Top on the left, the summit of which was used as a signal station. The Sixth Corps was still on its long march from Manchester.
The line of battle as formed resembled more closely than anything else, an immense hook, Cemetery Ridge forming the shank, Cemetery Hill the heel, and Culp's Hill the end of the hook. It was an admirable defen- sive position, as it could be easily reinforced at any point by short marches, and its vulnerability was not to remain long untested.
The course of Lee in so long remaining silent was a source of mystery to the Union commander, and he determined to assault the enemy on the right with the Twelfth and Fifth Corps, supported by the Sixth Corps on its arrival, and the order for the move- ment was given. General Slocum and General War- ren made a reconnoissance of the position and reported against it, and it was abandoned.
General Lee, though quiet, was not inactive. He had visited Ewell during the night and ordered him to
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attack the Union right, but that officer objected on the ground that the Federals were massed in his front, and said that he should intrench his position. The rebel army kept coming into line as the night advanced, and they were exultant over the victory of the day before, and confident of a more glorious result on the morrow. General Lee himself was infected with the same spirit, and awaited the approach of daylight with every expectation of success. Knowing of the great alarm the presence of his army in Pennsylvania had occa- sioned throughout the North, it only needed a victory over the Army of the Potomac on northern soil to bring about the full realization of his hopes. He saw peace won at last, the Southern Confederacy an estab- lished fact, his army victorious and marching triumph- antly to their homes. Infused with such a spirit, army and commander felt themselves invincible. At daylight the rebel line extended from Benner's Hill, where John- son's division was posted, Early joining him and front- ing the ridge between Culp's and East Cemetery Hill, while Rodes' division occupied the town, and con- nected with Hill's corps on Seminary Ridge, which was disposed as follows: Pender's division on the left, Heth on the right, Anderson in rear between Marsh Creek and Willoughby Run. Longstreet with two divisions of his army were close by and moving for- ward, and by nine o'clock the rebel forces were all at hand and ready for action, except the division of Pick- ett, which was on its way from Chambersburg, and Stuart's cavalry who were moving to take position on the left.
BVT. BRIG .- GEN. EZRA A. CARMAN, Colonel Com'd'g 13th Regt. N. J. Vols., Inf. (From a War-time Photograph.)
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On the Union side the same confidence was mani- fested by the troops, and as each corps came upon the field they reëchoed the words of Doubleday's heroes of the day before, "We've come to stay !" Thus both sides were nerved to the most desperate resolve, and how well they maintained it the record of the next two days gives abundant testimony.
Small things produce remarkable results at times. As the Thirteenth New Jersey Regiment with the First Division of the Twelfth Corps was making their exhaustive march on July first under a broiling sun from Two Taverns, men fell out of the ranks in squads by the roadside for a brief rest. Four or five women from Gettysburg, who had fled on the approach of the rebel army stood by the side of the road, and involun- tarily began waving their bonnets and aprons. The men at first waved their hands in token of recognition, next they took off their caps to them, and finally the column broke into a hearty cheer. Tired and exhausted men rallied under the inspiriting huzzas, rejoined the column and moved briskly toward the enemy.
At two o'clock in the afternoon the advance brigade of the Sixth Army Corps, came upon the field, and at 6 p. m. the entire corps had reported after a forced march variously estimated at from thirty to thirty-five miles. This corps had done some remarkable march- ing during the past three days, and with their presence on the field, the whole Army of the Potomac was now at hand. The First New Jersey Brigade, General A. T. A. Torbert, commander, comprising the First,
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Second, Third and Fifteenth Regiments (The Fourth Regiment was on duty at division headquarters, three companies serving as Provost Guard and seven com- panies guarding the ammunition trains) composed the First Brigade, of the First Division, and reached the battlefield at 4 p. m. The brigade with its corps had marched fifty-five miles in three days, bivouacking on the night of June 30th at Manchester after a march of twenty-three miles on that day. The brigade was encamped in a meadow near the town, and the tired, weary men sought their soft and rich beds at an early hour expecting to have a good night's rest, but it was not to be. About 10 p. m. the camp was suddenly aroused by the shrill, clear notes of the "Assembly." Every man jumped to his feet and seized his arms. Soon the order came to march, and the " Forward " sounded. " Where ?" " What is all this for?" were the ques- tions asked but no one could answer. The orders had been to march to Taneytown, and the observant men in line noticed that the column was countermarching on the same road they had gone over. Ere long the column turned into the broad Baltimore pike and headed westward. All night long the steady tramp, tramp, was kept up, and when daylight broke, the march was still continued. There was no halt for break- fast, or coffee, but no one murmured or complained, and on they went, until about one o'clock, when to the joy of every one the head of the column was seen to be filing into an open field. A shout went up! This meant coffee and a little rest. Long lines stretched
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across the field, and the smoke of small fires soon showed what was being done, but hardly had the rear of the column gained its place before a horseman was seen coming at full speed down the pike; his horse white with foam told all; his mission was one of urgent importance. Riding up to where General Sedgwick was standing he delivered his dispatch-the Adjutant- General promulgated it orally : " The Corps is wanted at Gettysburg in the shortest possible space of time." A thrill went through every man's heart. Coffee in various stages of brewing was emptied on the ground, and stacks were broken ere the message was finished. , From mouth to mouth went the summons: "Our comrades at the front want us," and but one thought animated all. Away the column went, and on gaining the pike, the stride of the men in their eagerness to get forward kept the officers' horses on a dog-trot. No more glorious sight ever met the eye of a soldier than this one as he looked back over that magnificent body of men as they marched up that pike on the afternoon of July the second. Ten miles were passed over and Rock Creek was reached, but one mile from the line of battle. A short halt to fill canteens with water was made. The great journey was over. The most wonderful march ever made by so large a body of troops had been accomplished-thirty-five miles in eighteen hours! The New Jersey Brigade rested near the centre of the line of battle for nearly two hours, when they were ordered to the left of the line where they arrived at dark. General Torbert reports that
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there were but twenty-five men absent when the march was ended and these reported to their commands during the night.
A strong picket line was sent out from the brigade, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Wiebecke of the Second Regiment, composed of Company D, Captain Lipfert, and Company E, Lieutenant Gustavus Peine, of the Second Regiment, and details from the First, Third and Fifteenth Regiments. They became warmly engaged with the enemy during the third and sustained a loss of eleven men. Colonel Wiebecke with the gallantry and heroism that always character- ized him in action won high encomiums from his superior officers for the gallant services rendered on this occasion.
BYT. BRIG .- GEN. FRED. H. HARRIS, Captain Co. E, 13th Regt. N. J. Vols., Inf. (From a Recent Photograph.)
CHAPTER XL.
THE SECOND DAY'S BATTLE-SICKLES' NEW LINE - LONGSTREET'S ATTEMPT TO TURN THE FEDERAL LEFT - THE SECOND NEW JERSEY BRIGADE, THE ELEVENTH REGIMENT, AND BATTERY "B," FIRST NEW JERSEY ARTILLERY IN ACTION - HOOD RE- PULSED AT LITTLE ROUND TOP-A GALLANT AND SUCCESSFUL CHARGE BY THE TWELFTH NEW JERSEY REGIMENT-CASUALTIES AMONG THE NEW JERSEY TROOPS.
W HEN the line of the Third Corps had been established by the deployment of Birney's division in the position vacated by Geary, its right rested on the left of the Second Corps and its left at the base of Little Round Top. This rocky eminence, owing to the indefinite instructions given to General Sickles remained unoccupied, and its importance was apparently not then appreciated by him, or he may have thought other troops would form on his left to cover it. But, whatever the cause, it was unoccupied except by the Signal Corps. Randolph's, and Clark's (" B," First New Jersey) batteries were placed in position in Birney's front, and were commanded by the ridge along which ran
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the Emmetsburg road. Seeley's, Smith's and Wins- low's batteries of the Third Corps were parked within convenient distance. The skirmishers placed along the Emmetsburg road and to the front of it had been engaged in a desultory firing during the entire morning, and the army was momentarily expecting an attack from the enemy. The firing kept increasing in volume along Birney's front, and at noon he sent forward one hundred of Berdan's sharpshooters, sup- ported by the Third Maine Regiment, with instruc- tions to push as far forward as possible and feel the enemy's right. They advanced promptly to their work and soon became heavily engaged. The rebel skirmish line was driven back and a large body of men were found moving in column toward the Federal left. The reconnoitering force were in turn driven back with great loss, and General Birney informed General Sickles of his discovery, who ordered him to change front to meet the expected attack.
This movement, which led to such important results, has now become the subject of an excited controversy among military critics. The simple facts in the case seem to be these: Between Cemetery Ridge, on the prolongation of which the Union line of battle was formed, and Seminary Ridge, occupied by Lee's army, was a subordinate ridge of ground, along the crest of which ran the Emmetsburg road. The low ground, between Cemetery Ridge and Little Round Top which Sickles occupied, was commanded by this inferior ele- vation. The trend of this rising ground is southwest-
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