USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > Gettysburg > Notes on the Rebel invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania and the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1st, 2d and 3d, 1863. > Part 2
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).
Our citizens, with a few exceptions, kept at a re- spectful distance from them during their stay amongst us, avoiding as much as possible communicating any information which might prove advantageous to them; so much so, that they said: "It is a very strange thing that you people know so little."
SATURDAY, JUNE 27.
Whilst the Rebels were going to Hanover and to Hanover Junction, to destroy the bridges and rolling stock of the Northern Central Railroad, three scouts of our advance cavalry, near Emmittsburg, came dash- ing into town, at 9} A. M., to our great joy. We felt that we were once more within the Federal lines, and more than one person exclaimed, "Thank God
1
19
MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA.
for that." Two despatch-bearers, one of whom was a chaplain, sent by General Ewell, then at Shippens- burg, to General Early, were captured in our streets by these scouts. The purport of their despatches was, that General Early should not advance his division too rapidly, as that might be attended with some danger, in an enemy's country. In fact, some of Early's men were overheard, in the streets of Gettysburg, early on this morning, to say to each other, that they were afraid that they had ventured too far into Pennsylvania, and had been led into a trap.
On this day, A. P. Hill's corps reached Chambers- burg, and thence went to Fayetteville, where they halted until Tuesday, the 30th of June.
SUNDAY, JUNE 28.
Two regiments of Federal cavalry, numbering about 2,000, under the command of General Cowp- land, entered our village from the direction of Emmittsburg, at 12 M., amidst the rejoicings of the people, who distributed bread and pies amongst them, whilst some of the youth sang patriotic songs. They encamped east of the town, until the next morning, when they all left, and moved towards Littlestown. They had been sent forward on a re- connoisance. At Fairfield, there was a slight skir- mish between the Rebels and some of our cavalry.
On this evening, the camp-fires of an advance party of A. P. Hill, then halting at Fayetteville, were to be seen on the eastern slope of the mountain, about a mile above Cashtown.
20
THE REBEL INVASION OF
General Early to-day also entered and occupied York. A portion of his command was sent forward to Wrightsville, probably to take and hold the Co- lumbia bridge. A skirmish took place between them and some of our troops under Colonel Frick. The Colonel, finding that he would not be able to drive them off, and hold the bridge, crossed over to Co- lumbia, and permitted the bridge to be consigned to the flames ; thus cutting off their hope of crossing the river at this point, and ravaging the portion of the State east of the Susquehanna. Whilst they destroyed the bridges of the Northern Central Rail- road, they forbore destroying the depot, and other railroad property located in the town of York, only because such an act might lead to a general confla- gration of the town ; which they had pledged them- selves to spare, in consideration of the bonus paid them by its citizens. A skirmish also took place at Oyster's Point, three miles from Harrisburg, with no further result than that the Rebels retired.
MONDAY, JUNE 29.
General Longstreet's corps having crossed the Potomac, at Williamsport, and followed those of Ewell and Hill, reached Fayetteville on this day. We now began to see that the invading army was concentrating itself on the turnpike road leading through Gettysburg to Baltimore. At the same time, also, the Union army was gradually moving towards a point near our village. This, then, was the focus towards which all these hostile rays tended, and at which they at length became concentrated.
21
MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA.
The Rebel encampments, by the aid of a field- glass, were seen to have been considerably enlarged. Hill had thrown a large portion of his corps, proba- bly the whole of Heath's division, over the mountain. Until the day of the battle, these were employed in foraging and gathering provisions for the army amongst the farmers in the vicinity of Cashtown. They seized beef-cattle, flour, and grain, took pos- session of the mills near at hand, for the purpose of grinding the stolen grain, and compelled the farmers' wives to bake the flour into bread. They were thus gathering stores, resting, and feeding them- selves and their animals, and placing themselves in readiness for an encounter with our forces.
TUESDAY, JUNE 30.
At 9} A. M., a portion of Hill's corps advanced on the Chambersburg turnpike, as far as the crest of the Seminary hill, one-half of a mile northwest of Gettysburg, throwing about two dozen of infantry pickets as far down as Mr. Shead's house. Several officers on horseback were seen reconnoitring with their field-glasses, and engaged in conversation with the people residing near the road on the hill, elicit- ing, no doubt, as much information as they could obtain. They brought with them 15 wagons, proba- bly with the intention of coming to town and robbing us of such merchandise and provisions as might have been gathered or brought to light since Early's raid. They were also accompanied with artillery, and thus came prepared for any resistance which they might encounter. This was also, perhaps, intended
22
THE REBEL INVASION OF
to be a reconnoisance in force, or a movement for the purpose of taking possession of Gettysburg. There must have been several thousand men in this advance, for their line of march extended at least a mile and a half in length. At 10} A. M., they again withdrew towards Cashtown, undoubtedly aware of the near approach of General Buford's Federal cavalry, which arrived in about an hour afterwards. This is shown to be highly probable, by the fact that they attempted to form a decoy for him at Marsh creek, where two regiments defiled under cover of a hill, one to the right of the road, the other to the left, whilst a third was sent a short distance forward to induce pursuit by our men. In this position they remained for about two hours, after which they with- drew farther towards their camp.
At 11} A. M., 6,000 Federal cavalry, under General Buford, arrived, passing through Washington street to the Chambersburg turnpike, and by it one mile and a half northwestward, as far as Hon. E. Mc- Pherson's farm, where they encamped, and placed their artillery in position. During the afternoon, the First corps of infantry, numbering about 8,000 men, under General Reynolds, and the Eleventh corps, numbering about 15,000, under General Howard, also came from Emmittsburg to the right bank of Marsh creek, four miles southwest of Gettysburg, and encamped there for the night.
By order of General Lee, Hill's corps,-consisting of three divisions, in the following order: General Heath, 10,000; Pender, 10,000 ; and Anderson, 15,000, -- were moved to the vicinity of Marsh creek. On this
MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 23
day Longstreet's corps followed, in the order of, first, McLaws, 12,000 ; then Hood, 12,000 ; whilst Pickett, 7,000, delayed until Thursday, at Chambersburg, to protect the rear, and the wagon trains. Two divi- sions also of Ewell's corps, viz. : Rhodes' and Early's, the former numbering 10,000 men, and the latter 9,000, according to Rebel accounts, had encamped for the night at Heidlersburg, nine miles from Get- tysburg, whilst the third, Johnston's, 12,000, had been delayed at Carlisle. Thus there were encamped, that night, within a short distance of our town, 23,000 Union infantry, and 6,000 cavalry-29,000; and 76,000 Rebel infantry, and a large number of cavalry, ready to meet each other in deadly conflict on the next day.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1.
At 9} A. M., skirmishing began between Buford's dismounted cavalry and the advancing Rebels; and at 10 A. M., the artillery was brought into play. In half an hour the First corps began to come up, General Reynolds dashing through the town, whilst his men moved over the fields from the Emmittsburg road, in front of McMillan's and Dr. Schmucker's, under cover of the Seminary hill. The right moved to the east of the turnpike and railroad, and formed a line of battle behind a grove, and the left formed on the crest of the hill near the Seminary. Both wings then advanced, and the cavalry gradually fell back to the rear. The extreme right rested on the Chambersburg turnpike, and that of the left on the Hagerstown road. For two hours these 8,000 men
,
24
THE REBEL INVASION OF
stood like a wall against a powerful enemy, glorying in his strength. In the Rebel advance was Heath, with his 10,000 men,-they pressed upon our right. Later came Pender, with as many more, and pressed our left. But though the enemy attacked us with two men to our one, our left was able, during the forenoon, and until 3 P. M., not only to hold its own, but to drive back the enemy in their fearful charges ; and in an effort of General Archer to flank and capture one of our brigades, (the Iron Brigade) they captured him and his whole brigade, now re- duced to about 1,500 men. This took place in the rear of the Seminary, near Wiloughby's run, at about the middle of the day. The right, which was compara- tively weak, having been opposed by a much stronger force, although holding its position for a long while, was several times driven back through the grove and adjacent fields, down to the eastern base of the Sem- inary ridge. It lost heavily in killed and wounded. During these alternate advance and backward move- ments, it lost, at one time, 1,900 prisoners, which were afterwards retaken, and took a Mississippi regiment of 800 men prisoners, who were sent to our rear.
It soon became apparent that our right was the main object of the enemy's attack. As early as 10 A. M., the divisions of Rhodes and Early had moved from Heidlersburg, by a rapid march, to within a short distance of our right, and formed in a suitable manner in a secluded valley, and under cover of a hill, for the purpose of supporting Heath, and making a flank movement on our men. Rhodes' division, which was in the advance, entered the fight
25
MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA.
about noon ; Early's did not participate until after 2 P. M. Our little Spartan band, being so hard pressed, was about giving way on our right, when a portion of the Eleventh corps, which had been unaccountably delayed, came to its support. At 1 P. M., two divisions of this corps, under Generals Schurz and Barlow, hurried through the town, and took position on our extreme right, resting on the Mummasburg road; and by their support the tide of battle was stayed, until
Early's division took part in the fight. The other division of the Eleventh corps, under General Stein- wehr, by the prudent forethought and wise general- ship of General Howard, was at once sent forward to occupy Cemetery hill, on the south of the town, and to provide for the contingency which happened three hours afterwards, and which he must have
foreseen. Early in the morning, the hills surround- ing Gettysburg had been carefully examined by the General and his signal officers. At 8} A. M., one of these officers was on the College cupola making ob- servations, when his attention was specially directed to that hill by one of the officers of the College, as being of the highest strategic importance, and com- manding the whole country around for many miles. Doubtless he had satisfied himself of the pre-eminent advantages it offered as a position of offence and defence, and therefore determined to take and hold it. To his happy forethought we may, in a great measure, under God, attribute the favorable results of the battles of the two succeeding days.
After Early's division had entered the fight, it soon became evident that our right would be turned, and 4
26
THE REBEL INVASION OF
O
that our men must retire, or all be killed or captured ; it was evident that the First corps, and the two divisions of the Eleventh corps, numbering together not more than 16,000 to 18,000 men, could not long stand before the 40,000 of Heath, Pender, Rhodes, and Early, combined. Before, however, the ordinary observer would have thought of retreat, General Howard ordered the heavy artillery to be removed to the Cemetery hill, and a proper disposition of Steinwehr's division to be made, with a view of sup- porting our retiring men. As the pressure of the advancing columns of the enemy became greater, our men were forced to yield before them. The First corps, for the most part, fell back through the southwestern outskirts of the town, and took posi- tion on the left and rear of Steinwehr; whilst the Eleventh mostly crowded through Washington and Baltimore streets to the Cemetery hill, and took position in front and on the right centre. Being very much crowded in passing through the streets, and somewhat confused, they were unable to repel the enemy who were pressing hard upon them; and, as a consequence, about 2,500 were taken prisoners.
Almost in the very beginning of the engagement, General Reynolds fell a victim to his cool bravery and zeal. As was his custom, he rode in front of his men, placing them in position and urging them to the fight, when he was shot through the head, as was supposed, by a Rebel sharpshooter, and died shortly afterwards. He has been charged with rash- ness, with foolhardiness, and with prematurely bring- ing on the battle. But it would, perhaps, be more just
27
MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA.
to say that he had but little direct agency in bringing it on; that it was unavoidable; that it was forced on us by the Rebels ; that if they had not been held in check that day, they would have pressed on and obtained the impregnable position which we were enabled to hold; and that, most of all, the hand of Providence, who gave us at last a signal victory, was in the arrangements of that day. After the fall of General Reynolds, the chief command devolved on General Doubleday until the arrival of General Howard at 11} A. M.
During the fight of the first day, which lasted from 9} A. M. to 4 P. M., our killed, wounded, and prisoners greatly exceeded in number that of the enemy. They called it a glorious victory ; but, considering the disparity of numbers, and the relative condition of the men - theirs being fresh, and ours wearied by hard marching-they had not much reason to boast.
At the close of the fight, Ewell's corps occupied the town, and formed a line thence southeast to Rock creek; Rhodes' division lay on the right, occupying Middle street as far west as the Seminary hill; Early lay on the southeast of the town; and Johnston, who did not arrive until Thursday, occu- pied the extreme left of the line. It was Gordon's and Hay's brigades of Early's division, of which the former had paid us a visit on the Friday preceding, that pressed our men through the eastern part of the town. Hill's corps took position on the Seminary ridge, in the following order : on the left, and resting on the Chambersburg turnpike, was Heath; next came Pender; and then Anderson, who had halted
28
THE REBEL INVASION OF
too long at Cashtown to participate in the fight of to-day. McLaws' division of Longstreet's corps, which also came late on Wednesday, was advanced still further to the right. On the next morning, when Hood's division of the same corps came, it took a position to the right of McLaws'. (See the accompanying map, from which it will appear that this was substantially the disposition of the Rebel forces on Thursday, July 2.)
That portion of Rhodes' division which lay down before our dwelling for the night, was greatly elated with the results of the first day's battle. And the same may be said of the whole Rebel army. They were anxious to engage in conversation -to com- municate their views and feelings, and to elicit ours. They were boastful of themselves, of their cause, and of the skill of their officers; and were anxious to tell us of the unskilful manner in which some of our officers had conducted the fight which had just closed. When informed that General Archer and 1,500 of his men had been captured, they said, " To- morrow we will take all these back again; and having already taken 5,000 (!) prisoners of you to-day, we will take the balance of your men to-morrow." Hav- ing been well-fed, provisioned, and rested, and successful on this day, their confidence knew no bounds; they felt assured that they should be able, with perfect ease, to cut up our army in detail,- fatigued as it was by long marches and yet scattered, for only two corps had as yet arrived. Resting under this im- pression, they lay down joyfully on the night of the first day.
29
MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA.
What the feeling of our little army, as yet con- sisting of only two corps, was on Wednesday even- ing, we are unable to state. To us it seemed as if the Rebels would really be able to accomplish their boast. We were disheartened, and almost in despair. But our men, who, whilst retreating through the town, seemed to be confused and frightened, coolly and quietly fell into position on the hill, when they found themselves supported by two lines of battle formed by Steinwehr, and by a sufficiency of artillery already , in place. They saw the pursuing Rebels suddenly brought to a stand by the raking fire poured into them by our men on the hill.
Soon after the battle had begun, the residents of the west end of the town were advised by General Reynolds to leave their residences, that the shot and shell of the enemy might not reach and injure them, and to retire to a position to the north and east of the borough. Some, who in accordance with this advice left their houses, found to their sorrow, when afterwards they returned, that they had been pillaged by the Rebels during their absence ; whilst most of those who remained at home during the battles of the three days, were enabled to save their property from indiscriminate robbery and destruction. Whilst actual fighting was going on, many of the women and children went into the cellars as places of greatest security ; and nothing can be more remote from the truth than the gratuitous slander put forth by some reckless newspaper scribblers, and extensively published abroad, that the male inhabitants ran off like a set of cowards, and permitted the women and
1
30
THE REBEL INVASION OF
children to do as best they could. The truth requires us to state that only a few of the male inhabitants were absent from home, and they were either Govern- ment officers, or such as had gone away with their goods or horses to places of security. No one, as far as we know, had forsaken his home and family through fear or cowardice.
THURSDAY, JULY 2.
Wednesday night and Thursday morning were devoted, by both armies, mostly to making active preparations and arrangements for a renewal of the terrible and bloody conflict. Breastworks were constructed, rifle-pits dug, and artillery and the dif- ferent corps placed in position.
General Slocum arrived with the Twelfth corps before midnight. Upon him now devolved the chief command, until the arrival of General Meade, early in the morning (1 o'clock A. M.). General Meade entirely approved the act of General Howard in the selection of his position. General Slocum immediately placed his corps on the right flank; the second division, under General Geary, occupying Culp's hill; the first, under General Williams, taking position near Spangler's spring, and the third being thrown across Rock creek to Wolf hill. Soon after the arrival of the Twelfth corps came the Third, under General Sickles; and, at 6 A. M., came Hancock, with the Second corps and the Re- serve Artillery. Sickles at first took position on our left centre, but when Hancock came he took the place of Sickles, whilst the latter moved his corps
31
MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA.
to our extreme left, resting on the rocky ridge imme- diately north of Round Top, and generally called Little Round Top. At between 4 and 5 P. M. the balance of the Fifth corps, under General Sykes, reached the battle-field, two brigades of the Penn- sylvania Reserves, under General Crawford, and now attached to this corps, having arrived in the morning ; and at about sunset came the Sixth corps, under General Sedgewick, and Lockwood's brigade, from Maryland, which was temporarily attached to the Twelfth corps. (For the positions of these several corps the reader will do well to consult the accompanying map.)
Early on Thursday morning, the Rebels began to give evidence of an impression on their part, that they might possibly have some hard work to do on that day, although, on the previous evening, they had spoken so lightly of it. They had ascertained that our little band had been strongly reinforced during the night and early morning. They com- menced barricading Middle street, on its south side, from the Seminary ridge on the west to Strat- ton street on the east; they also broke down the fences, on the north side, in order to enable them to bring up reinforcements and to send back their men, without subjecting them to a raking street fire from ours, the houses and stables serving as a protection to them. On the previous evening they had ex- pected to attack and cut up our army in detail. But as the great body of the army of the Potomac had already arrived, this hope had vanished, and they saw that the contest would be a hard and bloody
32
THE REBEL INVASION OF
one between the two armies in their united strength.
The morning was pleasant, the air was calm, the sun shone mildly through a smoky atmosphere, and the whole outer world was quiet and peaceful, - there was nothing to foretoken the sanguinary struggle that was to close the day. During the ear- lier part of the day the enemy kept perfectly quiet, and not a sound was to be heard, except the firing between the pickets, and an occasional artillery shot from our guns, for the purpose of feeling the where- abouts and the strength of the enemy.
Having perfected his plans in silence, at twenty minutes past 4 P. M. the enemy began the battle of the 2d, by opening a terrific artillery fire upon our guns, and soon afterwards by an infantry attack upon our left. It had been suspected, from some indications, that he was meditating a decisive stroke on this wing. It became the duty of Sickles to break the ominous silence, by throwing himself in the way of the Rebels, and, if possible, to frustrate their scheme. Soon the cannonading became gen- eral along our left and centre, answered by the guns of the Rebels, of which more than 100 were placed in a circuit of more than three miles, on the Semi- nary ridge round to the Harrisburg road, and on the hills to the east of the town. Sickles' corps, supported by a portion of the second, went forward with determination to meet the advancing enemy, and engaged them in a most terrific struggle at Sherfy's peach-orchard and the adjoining grounds, near the Emmittsburg road. Both parties fought
33
MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA.
with a desperate determination to win, but at last Sickles' men began to give way. Rallied by him in person, they arrested and hurled back the advancing column for a short time; but finding themselves opposed by an overwhelming mass of the enemy, consisting of Anderson's and McLaws' divisions, numbering about 26,000 men, and being hard pressed, they gave way a second time. This was a most critical moment for our army. The point aimed at by the enemy was to break our left and flank us ; and this they would be able to accomplish, if succor would not arrive speedily. The Fifth corps of Sykes, arriving at this juncture, 5 P. M., was brought into action by a cross-road leading from the Taneytown to the Emmittsburg road, at Sherfy's peach-orchard, and passing to the north of Little Round Top. But even with this support, and other aid that was sent over from our right during the terrific struggle, the enemy were near being successful. Four pieces of Bigelow's battery were taken, after having expended all his grape, but afterwards they were recovered. The enemy had driven our men before them, and, endeavoring to come in between Round Top and Little Round Top, they advanced to the summit of the latter. At 6 P. M., General Crawford's division of the Fifth corps, consisting of two brigades of Pennsylvania Reserves, having until this time been held in reserve, went into a charge with a terrific shout, and drove the Rebels down the rocky front of that hill, across the valley below, and over the next hill into the woods beyond, taking 300 prisoners. This was 5
34
THE REBEL INVASION OF
the favorable moment, and the whole Rebel column was forced to retire. Our left was saved from disas- ter; the fight, on that part of our lines, was glori- ously ended for the day, and Little Round Top was ours. It is true our line, which, in the morning, had rested on or near the Emmittsburg road, had receded one-third of a mile, but the enemy had been signally repulsed ; he was foiled in his plans, and our men firmly held that natural fortress, Little Round Top. The front of this our men immediately began to cover with a network of breastworks, and on the summit they placed twelve 30-pound Parrott guns. When the next morning dawned, it was a second Gibraltar. The Pennsylvania Reserves, of whom one company was from our town and county, and fought in sight of their homes, did most effective service under General Crawford, and held this strong-hold for 45 hours, until the close of the battle. The fighting here ended at 6& P. M. On this day, the Rebel General Barksdale fell near Hancock's ex- treme left.
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.