WAR REMINISCENCES CHAPTER 34

 

Captain William Saxton, Company C, 157th Regiment, New York Volunteers.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, September 5, 1903.

WAR REMINISCENCES.

By Captain Saxton of the I57th Regiment, N. Y. Vols.

THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.

Fine Work of Union Dismounted Cavalry

Re-enforcements Hurried Forward—Seventy-sixth New York the First Infantry Regiment Engaged—Death of Major Grover—A Change of Front—General Reynolds Killed—A Union Charge and Confederate Prisoners—Union Victory in the First Bout, but at Great Cost.

CHAPTER 34.

   To the Editor of The Standard:

   Sir—Wednesday, July 1, 1863— About 7 o'clock the officer of the picket seat in word that the enemy were advancing in force along the Chambersburg road. Gamble's brigade was formed in line on the left of the pike and Devin's on the right, Buford having decided to resist the advance.

   The opening cannon shot was fired by the Confederates from a little ridge west of Willoughby Run. Gamble dismounted his men and they fought on foot, every fourth man being in the rear holding the horses,

Good Work of Dismounted Cavalry.

   It was Archer's and Davis' brigade of Heth's division of Hill's Corps that were moving to the attack. They had eight regiments, but for two hours these few cavalrymen held in check these two brigades of Confederate infantry until the arrival of Gen. Reynolds with the First Corps.

   Willoughby Run, where it crosses the Chambersburg pike is about 1 1/2 miles north by west of Gettysburg. It flows south into Marsh creek. About half way between it and Gettysburg is a ridge of hills called "Seminary Ridge" on account of the Lutheran seminary being located on it, about three-fourths of a mile west of town, south of the Chambersburg pike.

   On the east of Gettysburg about three-fourths of a mile is another stream called Rock creek, running south. Marsh creek, Willoughby Run, Rock creek, and Pipe creek are the head waters of the Monocacy which flows into the Potomac.

   There is a ridge of hills between Rock creek and Gettysburg called "Cemetery Ridge" on account of the cemetery being located on it. The cemetery itself is on "Cemetery Hill" just south of town, between the Baltimore pike and the Taneytown road. Gettysburg is in the valley between "Seminary Ridge" and "Cemetery Ridge."

   Heth deployed Archer's brigade west of Willoughby Run on the south side of the Chambersburg pike and Davis' brigade on the north. His other two brigades, Pettigrew's and Brockenbruogh's were in reserve and Pegram's artillery was along the pike. This was the formation of Heth's division of Hill's Corps when they advanced on Gettysburg.

An Artillery Duel.

   There was an unfinished railroad running parallel with the Chambersburg pike a short distance north of it. Buford deployed Gamble's dismounted troopers from this railroad cut on McPherson ridge, south across the Chambersburg pike, two regiments north and two south of it. One section of Calef's U. S. horse battery was placed on Gamble's left and one on his right. Devin's regiments were extended from Gamble's right to the Mummasburg road.

   The Confederates advanced with a heavy skirmish line in front, crossed Willoughby Run and soon struck Gamble's dismounted skirmishers.

   The Confederate artillery numbering twice as many pieces as Buford's began firing, to which Calef's U. S. artillery most manfully replied.

   The cavalrymen fought so stubbornly from behind trees, rocks, stone walls and whatever other obstacles they could find, that Heth was under the impression that he had run up against Mead's infantry, consequently his advance was slow and cautious.

Hurrying the Army Forward.

   As soon as it was known that the enemy were advancing in force, Buford dispatched a courier to Reynolds with the information. The First and Eleventh Corps were already on the move for Gettysburg, Wadsworth's small division of the First Corps having bivouacked on Marsh creek five miles away,

   Reynolds, ordering Wadsworth to hurry his division forward, galloped ahead with his staff and met Buford at the Seminary and they rode a together and examined the lines carefully. Reynolds, then ordering Buford to hold the lines till his infantry came up, rode rapidly back and met Wadsworth before he had reached the town, turned the head of the column to the left from the road and led them at the double-quick across the fields past the Seminary and swung them into line as fast as each regiment came up to the relief of Gamble's hard pressed cavalrymen, who retired to the left rear in reserve.

Seventy-Sixth Leads the Van.

   Gen. Wadsworth's division consisted of two brigades, Meredith's and Cutler's. Cutler's brigade was in advance and had present the Seventy-sixth New York, the Eighty-fourth New York, the Ninety-fifth New York, the One hundred and Forty-seventh New York, and nine companies of the Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania. (The Seventh Indiana belonged to it, but was away guarding trains.) Our old friends, the Seventy-sixth New York, had the honor of being the leading infantry regiment into the battle of Gettysburg,

   The Seventy-sixth New York, commanded by Major Andrew Grover, was in the lead followed by the Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania and the One Hundred and Forty-seventh New York. They crossed the Chambersburg pike and the unfinished railroad and continuing north ran right into Davis' Confederate brigade, who were lying concealed in the grass.

   The Confederates opened on them at short range. The Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania, as though their great state had commanded it, was the first infantry regiment to fire a volley at the Confederates in this memorable battle. The fire came so unexpectedly on the Seventy-sixth New York that it was not until the second or third volley was fired that Major Grover fully realized that it was the Confederates and not our cavalry who were firing on him. Then his guns, as though by the order of the great state of New York, seconded the Pennsylvania's.

A Difficult Maneuver.

   Confederate Davis' brigade had four regiments and simultaneously with the firing, he swung his left regiment around the right flank of the Seventy-sixth and was rapidly gaining its rear when Major Grover performed the difficult maneuver of changing front to the rear with his five right companies while under a tremendous fire from both front and flank.

Major Grover Wounded.

   While this movement was being executed Major Grover was hit by a ball and fell mortally wounded. The command devolved upon Captain John E. Cook. Soon after General Wadsworth, seeing the perilous position of these three regiments, gave orders for them to retire to Seminary Ridge. This was obeyed in good order by the Seventy-sixth New York and Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania. In less than half an hour the seventy-sixth, which led the Army of the Potomac in this great battle, lost thirty-two killed, 132 wounded and seventy captured—total loss of 234 out of 369 engaged—63 per cent.

   Just as Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, in command of the One Hundred and Forty-seventh New York received the order to retire, he was wounded in the head and did not repeat the order to the regiment. Major Harney, who succeeded him in command, not knowing the order had been given, held the regiment in position until he was almost surrounded. The order to retire was then repeated, which he accomplished with a loss of sixty killed, 144 wounded and ninety-two prisoners, a total of 296 out of 380 engaged, a loss of 10 per cent.

   Hall's Maine battery, also retired on account of infantry supports falling back, using canister at short range, inflicting as well as sustaining severe punishment.

Victorious, but at Great Cost.

   The other two regiments of Cutler's brigade, the Eighty-fourth and Ninety- fifth New York, did not cross the pike, but went into position to the south of it, temporarily in command of Colonel Flower of the Eighty-fourth. When the others fell back, Flower charged the front of his two regiments to meet Davis' brigade and with the help of the Fifth Wisconsin charged and drove Davis from the field, killing, wounding and capturing nearly the entire brigade. Confederate General Archer's brigade had moved forward nearly in line with Davis' and occupied the McPherson ridge and woods. Wadsworth's other brigade, Meredith's, the "Iron Brigade," followed Cutler's and as soon as it arrived swung into line regiment by regiment, relieving Gamble's cavalry and at once advanced to drive Archer from around the McPherson house and woods. General Reynolds was here in person, and in leading forward the Nineteenth Indiana to a favorable position was shot and almost instantly killed by a Confederate sharp shooter.

   The command of the Corps now devolved on General Doubleday who ordered the "Iron Brigade" to charge and most valiantly did they respond, driving the Confederates out of the woods down across Willoughby Run, capturing General Archer himself and most of his brigade. Meredith advanced his brigade across the run to the west side.

   Thus Wadsworth's small division of the First Corps had gained a most decided victory in this first period of the battle of Gettysburg, but at the tremendous loss of life to those engaged and of General Reynolds, one of the most valiant and capable Corps commanders in the Union army.

   It was now about 11 o'clock and a lull in the fighting occurred for two hours or more. In the mean time the lines of both parties were rearranged and fresh troops hurried forward.

   Meredith was recalled to the east of Willoughby Run and formed in the McPherson woods. Cutler's brigade was brought forward again and joined on his right. W. S.