The Battle of Gettysburg in Detail: July 1, 1863 - The Battle Begins

On the morning of June 30, a Confederate column under Brigadier General James J. Pettigrew approached Gettysburg on the Chambersburg Road. Halting his men outside of town, the general rode ahead to Seminary Ridge from which he had a clear view of Gettysburg and the land around it. Within a few minutes he was startled by the report of a blue-clad column approaching Gettysburg from the south. Were these men just more bothersome Yankee militia or troopers from their old nemesis the Army of the Potomac? Under strict orders not to engage in any fighting, he ordered his troops to reverse their course, back toward Cashtown, Pennsylvania. What to do about this column of soldiers would be the decision of his corps commander, General A.P. Hill to whom Pettigrew would report that afternoon.

The commander of the mystery column was Brig. General John Buford, whose troops were not "Yankee militia" but a full division of veteran cavalry. His horsemen were the advance of one wing of the Army of the Potomac, moving north from the vicinity of Frederick, Maryland. General Buford also had unanswered questions as he watched the southern column march away- had they found what may be a large portion of the Confederate army then raiding south-central Pennsylvania? Buford's instinct told him these Confederates would return and he decided to keep his troops positioned around Gettysburg. Headquarters were soon established in the Globe Hotel in Gettysburg, where

Buford issued orders for his troopers to picket the roads west, north and east of town. He then penned a message to General John Reynolds, commander of the First Corps, camped at Marsh Creek eight miles south of Gettysburg. Reynolds received the report, which outlined Buford's intention of resisting any southern advance toward Gettysburg. Reynolds replied that he would march to the cavalry officer's support at first light.

John Buford

(U.S.A.M.H.I.)

Meanwhile, Confederate commanders met at Cashtown eight miles west of Gettysburg, to discuss their course of action. Under orders from General Lee not to get involved in a full scale battle, Hill and his officers obviously believed that only troublesome militia were in their way. General Hill received Pettigrew's report of his encounter and decided to send a larger force toward Gettysburg the next day to investigate the Union troops seen there and, if time allowed, look for supplies. Showers and light rain that evening would also help keep down the dust and dirt on the roads, making for a pleasant march.

Lt. Marcellus Jones of the 8th Illinois Cavalry, was in charge of a picket line that intersected the Chambersburg Road three miles west of Gettysburg. Dawn was just breaking on the morning of July 1, 1863, when, in the distance, cavalrymen in the main post on the road could discern the sound of hushed conversations, the clink of metal cups and canteens, and the shuffle of

boots and shoes on the road surface. A sergeant ran to find Lt.Jones, who had just returned to the reserve position with bread and butter purchased from a nearby farm. Jones immediately rode with the sergeant to the post and peering through the early morning haze, he spotted a gray column of soldiers, lazily swinging down the road toward him. Borrowing a carbine from his sergeant, the lieutenant took aim at a mounted figure in front of the column and fired. The column abruptly stopped and the horseman pointed out the Yankee picket post. Behind him, a wisp of wind revealed a red banner. There was no doubt who these men were- Confederates! Jones handed a brief message to a courier, instructing him to ride as fast as possible to General Buford. Seconds later a cannon ball bounded down the road, scattering the Union troopers as Southern bullets whined overhead. The Battle of Gettysburg had begun.

The southerners spotted by Jones' picket post were veteran troops of Major General Henry Heth's division, leading the march toward Gettysburg that morning. Well-liked by General Lee, (Heth was the only Confederate officer Lee addressed by his first name), the plucky general was uncertain of what lay ahead of him, be it Pennsylvania militia or troops from the Army of the Potomac, so he ordered his lead unit to deploy in a skirmish line and drive away the blue-clad troopers. The job was given to the 5th Alabama Infantry Battalion, which advanced in good order and quickly encountered groups of cavalrymen who fired on them from the protection of fences and trees. Three miles away at Gettysburg, General Buford

calmly awaited the report knowing full well that a thin line of cavalrymen were no match against solid ranks of infantry. Though Reynolds' corps had started toward town that morning, Buford had to wonder if they would arrive in time before he was forced to retreat.

Gen. Henry Heth (Miller's History)

The skirmishing continued for over an hour, the troops passing over a series of rolling ridges farm fields until Buford's men reached Willoughby Run, a shallow stream that bordered the Edward McPherson Farm on the Chambersburg Pike. Through the center of the farm is north-south ridge that lies parallel to the run, and was a good position from which to cover the bridge that spans it. From the observatory of the Lutheran Seminary on Seminary Ridge, Buford watched his horsemen gather on McPherson's Ridge

and knew that time was running out. His men had been lucky up to this point- the Confederates had only advanced as skirmishers and not pushed forward in solid battle lines. But southern pressure was steadily growing and the clouds of dust rising from the pike were an obvious sign of more Confederates troops moving toward Gettysburg. Confederate artillery was just then pulling into line on Herr's Ridge west of Willoughby Run, which meant the Confederate commander was done with skirmishing and an infantry attack was sure to follow. General Heth had indeed discovered how slender the Union line was and

The McPherson Farm and ridge.

(Gettysburg NMP)

having arrived at Herr's Ridge, decided it to be the perfect point from which to launch an attack and drive away these pesky Union soldiers once and for all. With his artillery unlimbered and ready to fire, Heth ordered his two lead infantry brigades under Brig. General James Archer and Brig. General Joseph Davis to go forward. With red battle flags unfurled, Archer's and Davis' Confederates set out toward McPherson's Ridge. From his post in the observatory of the Seminary roof, General Buford was intently observing the fighting when he was startled by a familiar voice calling from below: "How goes it, John?" Buford immediately recognized his old friend Reynolds. "The devil's to pay!", he replied and rushed down to meet with the infantry commander. The two officers quickly discussed the situation and rode together to McPherson's Ridge. Reynolds chose the ridge as the best location to establish an artillery and infantry battle line, but southern pressure on Buford's men was mounting and Reynolds knew his men would have to move fast. With a casual salute, Reynolds rode off to hurry his troops forward. It was the last time Buford would see the general alive.

John F. Reynolds (Miller's History)

Within a half-hour, the vanguard of Reynolds' corps arrived near the Seminary and moved toward the McPherson Farm, while more soldiers filed into the field west of the school building. By this time, the advance of General Archer's brigade had reached the woods and field south of McPherson's farm and turned their attention to the blue-clad infantry forming in their front. This was the famous "Iron Brigade", which had won its reputation on the battlefields of Second Manassas, Antietam, and Fredericksburg, and was commanded by Brigadier General Solomon Meredith. Meredith had just ordered the first regiment of the brigade, the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry, to

deploy into battle line when the first volley from Archer's men struck them from the edge of the woods. The black-hatted Wisconsin soldiers had not even had a chance to load their rifles, but with bayonets fixed and little more encouragement required, the 2nd Wisconsin lunged into the woods. Caught off guard by the sudden counterattack, the Confederates fired a few scattered shots and then retreated in disorder through the woods and across Willoughby Run, with the Union soldiers in hot pursuit. A number of southerners found themselves cut off and were taken prisoner including General Archer, grappled from the southern ranks by Private Patrick Maloney of the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry.

James Archer

(Miller's History)

Riding behind the 2nd Wisconsin, General Reynolds cheered the men on as they scrambled into the woods. The general turned toward Seminary Ridge to see what troops and officers were following, when he suddenly slumped in his saddle. A staff officer rushed to the general's side as he toppled from his horse. Cradling the general, the officer felt blood on the back of Reynolds' head and turning him over saw that a bullet had cleanly struck the general in the right temple, killing him instantly. John Reynolds was the highest ranking officer of either side to lose his life at Gettysburg and was the general who had recommended General Meade to

replace General Hooker in command of the Army of the Potomac. The general's body was borne from the field in an ambulance, escorted by his heartbroken staff officers. He was buried in his hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, barely 40 miles away from the battleground where he had lost his life.

A guide points to the site where General Reynolds was killed in the woods that border the McPherson

Farm. Seminary Ridge is in the background. (Brady Collection, Library of Congress)

Fighting also erupted in fields north of the McPherson Farm, where Davis' Brigade of Mississippi and North Carolina regiments routed part of General Lysander Cutler's Union brigade. When success seemed within their grasp, Davis' regiments were thrown back in confusion by a rapid Union infantry charge and accurate artillery fire. Taking refuge in the bed of an unfinished railroad, Davis' troops desperately fought back as Union troops formed in their front and then charged the southerners. At the center of the charge was Lt. Colonel Rufus Dawes whose 6th Wisconsin Infantry, also from the Iron Brigade, successfully trapped many of the Confederates in the deepest section

of the railroad cut. Sgt. Frank Waller wrested the colors of the 2nd Mississippi Infantry from the flag bearer in the railroad bed during the short, deadly struggle. There was no escape for the southerners in the cut soon covered by members of the 6th Wisconsin, 95th New York and the 14th Brooklyn (84th New York), which threw troops across the railroad bed west of the cut. Mercifully the Union troops held their fire and called for the Confederates to surrender. Over 200 men from Davis' brigade were now prisoners.

Rufus Dawes (State of WI)

There was a lull in the battle action while both sides withdrew to restore order and wait for the arrival of additional troops and artillery. Having assumed command of the First Corps, General Abner Doubleday arranged a defensive line along McPherson's Ridge northward onto Oak Ridge, which is the northern extension of Seminary Ridge. Casualties in this early contest were severe for both sides. Despite the loss of General Reynolds, Confederate losses were more severe. General Archer was captured and the better part of two brigades were knocked out of action for the remainder of the day. Realizing that he was facing more than Pennsylvania militia, Heth wisely

decided to wait for the remainder of his division and artillery to arrive and then to ask permission of General Hill to continue the attack.

Abner Doubleday

(B&L)

Major General Oliver Otis Howard, commander of the Eleventh Corps, arrived on the battlefield that morning at approximately the same time that Reynolds was killed. Howard climbed to the roof of a building in Gettysburg where he spotted some Union troops break through the woods on Seminary Ridge and run toward town. Believing that the First Corps had broken and was in retreat, Howard fired off a desperate message to General Meade at Taneytown, Maryland, that the situation was bad and reinforcements were needed. (The message had unfortunate consequences for General Doubleday, whose generalship on July 1 would later be called into question.) Howard

ordered General Carl Schurz to take command of the Eleventh Corps as he assumed command of all Union troops on the field, vice Reynolds, and then sent the Eleventh Corps into the fields north of Gettysburg to bolster the First Corps right flank. One division of the corps was placed on Cemetery Hill just south of town as a reserve force. This proved to be a very important decision that day, securing what was to be a vital position for the Union army.

O.O. Howard

(Miller's History)

General Meade was still at Taneytown when he received Howard's disturbing message that included news of Reynolds' death. Though shaken at the loss of one of his closest friends in the army, Meade immediately decided to send another trusted corps commander, Major General Winfield Scott Hancock, north to Gettysburg to investigate the situation and take charge of the troops there. Hancock immediately set out for the battlefield.

The brief noon-time lull gave commanders on both sides time to plan and augment their battle lines. Union troops followed a jagged line extending northward from the McPherson Farm along Oak Ridge and then east to a small knoll near the county Alms (Poor) House. Confederate forces were arrayed against this line in heavier numbers with more troops expected to arrive at any moment. Though the Union infantry was outnumbered, the First

Corps artillery, commanded by Colonel Charles Wainwright, did have an advantage in positions where they could sweep the routes of Confederate attacks with shell and canister.

General Hill did not accompany Heth's troops that morning, so was unaware of his dilemma near Gettysburg. Shortly before noon a small entourage of mounted officers arrived at his headquarters, led by a stern-faced General Lee. The generals were discussing the location of Hill's corps and possible enemy sightings when they were interrupted by the boom of cannon coming from the direction of Gettysburg. Concerned, Lee chose to ride ahead toward the sound of the guns accompanied by Hill and both staffs. It was on the Cashtown-Gettysburg Road where they met a courier from General Heth, bearing news that a large Union force had been encountered and stating confidence they

could be driven off. Lee hurried on toward the battle that he was not yet ready to give on Union soil.

A. P. Hill

(Miller's History)

The Battle is Renewed

Captain James Hall's 2nd Maine Battery opens fire on

Confederate batteries on the Chambersburg Pike. (Battles and Leaders)

Heth renewed his attack against the Union positions on the McPherson Farm between 1:30 and 2 o'clock. Supported by Maj. General William Pender's division, Heth sent his two remaining brigades forward to hit a re-enforced line posted behind strong farm fences and in the woods above Willoughby Run. Doubleday's line was stretched thin, but his division and brigade commanders shifted troops around to strengthen weak areas of the line. His determined Union troops stood their ground and would not budge no matter how much pressure the Confederates exherted. On the McPherson Farm and adjacent Herbst Farm, the Iron Brigade fought toe to toe

with Brig. General James J. Pettigrew's North Carolina Brigade. At one point in the battle, opposing lines blazed into one another barely twenty paces apart. Two regiments were especially hard hit- the 24th Michigan Infantry and the 26th North Carolina Infantry both suffered losses of 70%. Twenty one year-old Colonel Henry Burgwyn Jr., commanding the 26th North Carolina, was mortally wounded while leading one of the last charges against the 24th Michigian, shot, "through both lungs. He fell with the colors (of the 26th) wrapped around him."

Fighting swirls around the

McPherson buildings. (Battles & Leaders)

Spread out between York and Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Lt. General Richard S. Ewell's Corps had been ordered to consolidate in the Gettysburg area on July 1. Setting out early that morning, Ewell's 8,500 troops closed in on Gettysburg from the north and northeast. Maj. General Robert Rodes' Division was the first to arrive and attacked the right flank of the Union First Corps on Oak Ridge, the northern extension of Seminary Ridge. Colonel Henry Baxter's brigade of New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania regiments repulsed the assaults and annihilated one North Carolina brigade commanded by Brig. General Alfred Iverson. Iverson's soldiers marched into an open field unsupported, not realizing the strength of the Union position behind the stone wall that lay ahead on Oak Ridge. Over 1,100 Union soldiers rose and fired into the southerners from less than 100 feet away. Few escaped the terrible fire unscathed. Many surrendered to Baxter's men as they rushed into the field to take prisoners and capture flags. Brigadier General Samuel Paul's brigade replaced Baxter's brigade on Oak Ridge, just before General Rodes renewed his attack. Paul's men were soon fighting for their lives. General Paul was horribly wounded when a bullet struck him in the face, passing through both eyes. Remarkably, he survived this horrific wound. Ammunition began to run out. A Confederate brigade succeeded in reaching woods behind Paul's regiments, threatening to cut them off from the rest of the First Corps. A retreat was ordered to follow Oak Ridge and rejoin the corps. The brigade withdrew, all except for one regiment, the 16th Maine Infantry. The Maine soldiers stubbornly held onto their corner of the stone wall and did not leave until the last moment. Many of the regiment were taken prisoner, including its commander Colonel Tilden. So that their flag would not be taken, the 16th's soldiers ripped the standard into small pieces, each of which were taken by the men.

Robert E. Rodes (Miller's History)

While Rodes dealt with Baxter and Paul on Oak Ridge, Brig. George Doles' brigade of Georgia troops sparred with Schurz's Eleventh Corps positioned in the fields north of Gettysburg. Though he was outnumbered, Doles' superb generalship kept the Yankee troops, who appeared shaky from the beginning, off guard. Poor morale, exhaustion, and the exposed position of the Eleventh Corps troops, many who were German and Polish immigrants, contributed to the disaster about to befall them. Another division of Ewell's infantry under Brig. General Jubal Early, arrived via the Harrisburg Road at approximately 3 P.M. Understanding the advantage of his position, Early deployed his troops and artillery so that he could sweep behind the Union line.

A thunderous roar of artillery announced his arrival as ranks of southern infantry set out across Rock Creek. Seeing his opportunity, General Doles sent his brigade forward and the two wings of the Confederate column came together around "Barlow's Knoll". Though some regiments fought with determination, the Confederate attack broke the line and retreat turned into a panicked rush into Gettysburg. A single Union brigade under Colonel Wladimir Kryzanowski, a Polish immigrant, attempted to make a stand, but were swept aside by overwhelming numbers. Victorious Confederates overran the remaining feeble resistance, a small brigade of Union troops under Colonel Charles Coster, and entered Gettysburg.

West of town, General Doubleday and his First Corps were also in deep trouble. After several hours of fighting marked by great gallantry on both sides, casualties had whittled down the corps' effective force to less than half of the Confederates who seemed to continually be sending in fresh troops. Doubleday withdrew his command into a consolidated position on Seminary Ridge where the men threw down fence rails for a barricade and waited as the Confederates formed on McPherson's Ridge for a final assault. But driving Doubleday's command from Seminary Ridge proved more deadly than Hill and his division officers had planned. The initial Confederate attack met a storm of

concentrated artillery and musketry fire that nearly destroyed General Alfred Scales' North Carolina brigade and severely crippled part of a South Carolina brigade commanded by General Abner Perrin. Outnumbered, low on ammunition and with his rear threatened, there was nothing more Doubleday could achieve by holding Seminary Ridge. There was no alternative but to retreat through Gettysburg to Cemetery Hill.

Union troops of the First Corps delay Hill's advance near the Seminary. (Battles and Leaders)

The Union line collapses

Despite the heavy casualties suffered during their charge, a number of Perrin's South Carolinians raced onto Seminary Ridge just as the Union troops pulled out. What began as an orderly retreat soon turned into a confused race through Gettysburg as soldiers trotted through unfamiliar streets and alleys while other lost souls ploughed into the crowd from intersecting streets. Adding to the chaos was the lack of orders to direct the refugees to Cemetery Hill, the Union rally point. Lost soldiers ran from one street to another to find themselves confronted by armed Confederates. Others took refuge in cellars and buildings, only to be rooted out and taken prisoner. Wounded soldiers collapsed in doorways and churches where Gettysburg civilians, such as 21 year-old Sallie Myers, tried to tend to their wounds. Terrified civilians took to their cellars while above them the floors creaked with the heavy sounds of boots. Rifle shots echoed through the streets. Peering from his cellar window, one man was horrified by the sight of a Union soldier shot down in the street in front of his home. Everywhere there were Confederate soldiers with rifles and fixed bayonets, looking for Yankees who had not made their escape.

Christ Lutheran Church on Chambersburg Street was one of the first churches in Gettysburg to be used as a hospital. Wounded were laid on boards set on top of church pews while operations took place in one of the front rooms. The monument in front of the church is to Chaplain Thomas Howell of the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry. Confronted by Confederate soldiers during the Union retreat, Howell refused to surrender his sword and was shot dead on the church steps.

(Gettysburg NMP)

Those who did find their way to Cemetery Hill were confronted by General Winfield Scott Hancock, sent to Gettysburg by General Meade to assume command after the death of Reynolds. Galloping onto Cemetery Hill at 4:30, Hancock beheld a depressing sight: streets filled with masses of Union troops without order, lathered teams of horses pulling artillery limbers forcing their way through the crowd, and wounded soldiers limping or staggering along as if drunk. For all purposes the entire Union force at Gettysburg had been routed. Joined by General Howard, Hancock rode into the center of the Baltimore Pike and immediately barked orders for officers to rally their commands and find shelter on the hillside. Hancock's commanding presence and stern demeanor was enough for most of the exhausted soldiers to search for their regiments and fall into ranks. Hancock paused just long enough to send a report to General Meade before returning to the task of establishing a strong center for the remainder of the Union line to form upon. By nightfall, reorganized regiments had established a line of defenses from Cemetery Ridge to Culp's Hill with Cemetery Hill at the fortified center.

W.S. Hancock

(Miller's History)

Once he arrived on the battlefield that afternoon, General Lee appreciated the advantages gained by the sweat and toil of his troops and gave his consent for the attack to continue. He entered Gettysburg on the trail of his soldiers, very concerned with the growing Union strength on Cemetery Hill and the adjacent Culp's Hill. Lee sent a message to General Ewell to take the hills "if practicable"; but Ewell was unable to consolidate his forces to attack before nightfall and the battered Union troops remained undisturbed throughout the evening. Additional Union troops arrived to bolster the Union defenses, followed by General Meade who reached the field around midnight. Thanking Hancock for his services, Meade set about planning for the next day's battle. Though two corps had been defeated and thrown back, their heroic stance had bought time for the remainder of the Army of the Potomac to close on Gettysburg and camp on a position so strong that Lee would be hard pressed to break it. Whether he was fully ready or not, Lee had been drawn into battle and Meade was prepared to fight it to the finish at Gettysburg.

General Lee's headquarters tent was pitched near the Thompson home on the Chambersburg Pike, an ideal location adjacent to the Lutheran Seminary building where the general could utilize the rooftop observatory. Seating himself by the light of a candle in his tent, Lee pondered the day's events. Though his soldiers had driven the Union forces from the field in disarray and captured the town, he certainly had not won the battle necessary to accomplish all of his objectives in Pennsylvania. Losses in Heth's and Rodes' Divisions had been staggering, but the remainder of his army was within a day's march, defiantly confident and fit to fight for another day at least. Against his desires, the ground for the great battle had been chosen and the growing strength of the Union position on Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill concerned him. More fighting clearly lay ahead and Lee had to satisfy himself that the hills would be taken the following day. If only he knew more of where the rest of the Union army was located and how close they were to Gettysburg. That had been "Jeb" Stuart's job and Lee had not heard from him for almost two weeks.

In more than twelve hours of fighting, approximately 16,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured during the first day of battle.

"A MOST TERRIBLE DAY." It was a restless night for both armies as troops marched to the field and generals plotted strategy. What had been a day of heavy fighting for both sides was just a preliminary to the events of July 2, "A most terrible day...".

1. McPHERSON'S RIDGE 2. THE RAILROAD CUT 3. OAK HILL 4. OAK RIDGE 5. THE ELEVENTH CORPS LINE

Gettysburg National Military Park Virtual Tour - Day One

McPherson's Ridge

The Edward McPherson farm is situated on the Chambersburg Road (US Rt.30) one half mile west of Gettysburg. Typical of many Pennsylvania farms, it included a house, barn, several outbuildings, pasture and cropland as well as a small orchard. Nearby was a small forest (often referred to as "woodlots" by farmers), owned by a neighbor named Herbst. Most of McPherson's farm was pasture though two fields were planted in corn and wheat. A significant feature of the farm is the two ridges that run perpendicular to the Chambersburg Pike and offered Union cavalry and infantry a good position to

defend against the Confederate attacks which took place here on the afternoon of July 1. It was on the McPherson Farm that Brig. General John Buford's Cavalry Division camped while pickets and scouts stood watch from posts between the farm and Cashtown, Pennsylvania, eight miles away. At approximately 8 A.M. on the morning of July 1, a Union picket post manned by the 8th Illinois Cavalry on the Chambersburg (or Cashtown) Pike near Seven Stars confronted Confederate infantry commanded by General Henry Heth. Heth's men brushed aside the first Union pickets and continued their advance toward Gettysburg while outnumbered Union troopers slowly fell back toward town. Buford had wisely posted the bulk of his troops along Willoughby Run on the western border of the McPherson Farm, with his artillery and other dismounted troopers resting on the ridge overlooking the stream and the bridge that crossed it. "The two lines soon became hotly engaged," Buford reported, "we having the advantage of position, he of numbers. The First Brigade held its own for more than two hours, and had to be... dragged back... to a position more secure and better sheltered. The Brigade maintained this unequal contest until the leading division of General Reynold's corps came up to its assistance."

Aerial view of the McPherson Farm looking north. The historic McPherson barn stands in the center of this view.

The Chambersburg Pike is just north of the barn. Gettysburg NMP

The Union infantry was from the First Corps commanded by Maj. General John F. Reynolds. Arriving on the scene at about 10 A.M., the Union troops threw back Heth's soldiers in a furious counterattack. General Reynolds was shot dead while leading his troops into the woods south of the farm. Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Reynolds was a highly respected officer in the Army of the Potomac and well known by his Confederate counterparts.

The vicious Union counterattack inflicted heavy losses on the Confederates, a brigade commanded by Brig. General James Archer who taken prisoner by Private Patrick Maloney, a member of the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry. General Archer was

being led to the rear when he encountered General Abner Doubleday, his old West Point classmate. Seeing the Archer for the first time in many years, Doubleday thrust out his hand and remarked how glad he wto see him. "Well, I'm not glad to see you by a damned sight, Doubleday," Archvehemently replied before he was escorted back and eventually into a prisoner of war camp.

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North of the Chambersburg Pike, Brig. General Joseph Davis' Brigade routed a portion of

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At 1 o'clock that afternoon, the Confederate assault was renewed. General

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The western edge of Herbst Woods adjacent to the McPherson Farm. The large monument marks the

location where General John Reynolds was killed on July 1.

Gettysburg NMP

Gen. Archer

Generals in Gray

Cutler's Brigade, opening the right flank of the Union troops battling Archer's men. Quick thinking Union officers ordered a counterattack and Davis' men were driven back after a desperate struggle in an unfinished railroad bed where the Confederates had taken refuge from Union fire. A short lull in the battle gave both sides time to re-organize. Major GenerAbner Doubleday of New York assumed command of the Union First Corps and established a defensive line through the McPherson Farm, northward along Seminary Ridge to Oak Hill. Other troops arrived and marched into the fields north of Gettysburg. Meanwhile, two additional Confederate divisions under Robert Rodes and William Dorsey Pender arrivand went into battle formations west and north of the Union line.

Heth sent his two fresh brigades to press the attack on the McPherson Farmand heavy fighting quickly spread north and south along the ridge. Colonel John M. Brockenbrough's Virginia Brigade splashed through Willoughby Run and moved toward the McPherson buildings, surrounded by Colonel Roy Stone's Pennsylvania "Bucktail" Brigade. Positioned behind stout railfences, Stone's men threw back repeated attacks from Brockenbrough's menforced to march across several hundred yards of open meadow in front of the Pennsylvanians. Brockenbrough mistakenly sent in one or two

me, attempting to reserve some of his strength to exploit a break. ThVirginians suffered a withering shower of Union rifle and artillery fire, and each attemforce the Union troops out was met with renewed defiance. Pinned by this murderous fire, Brockenbrough could only hold on and hope for support from Brig. General James J. Pettigrew's North Carolina Brigade, advancing on his right into the trees on the southeedge of the McPherson property.

Col. Brockenbrough

CWL&M

Brockenbrough's troops at the McPherson Farm Battles & Leaders

The scene today. Gettysburg NMP

Yet Pettigrew's men had also run into a stone wall. When his "tarheels" waded Willoughby Run and ascended the wooded slope of the Herbst Farm woods (mistaken called "McPherson's Woods" by some participants), they ran headlong into the "Iron Brigade". Major Jones of the 26th North Carolina recalled: "The fighting was terrible- our men advancing, the enemy stubbornly resisting, until the two lines were pouring volleys into each other at a distance not greater than 20 paces." During one of the last charges, the 26th's twenty one year-old colonel, Harry Burgwyn, grasped the regimental flag and led his men up to the faces of the 24th Michigan Infantry. As Burgwyn turned to see his men follow him, he was struck through the side by a bullet that spun him around and flat to the ground. Lt. Colonel Lane picked up the flag and continued to encourage his men in the charge leaving the 26th's mortally wounded commander to the care of others. Within minutes, Lane was also shot, the bullet passing through his neck muscles, shattering his jaw and knocking out several teeth. Remarkably Lane survived his horrible wound, though Colonel Burgwyn died that evening.

The Iron Brigade's soldiers were down to their last cartridges and the position was beginning to break. Heavy losses and the arrival of fresh Confederate units compelled the Union regiments to give way, but losses in the Confederate ranks were equally bad and included many regimental and company officers. Among those severely injured was General Heth, wounded while directing his troops around the stubborn Union defense on the McPherson Farm. A Union bullet struck the general a glancing blow to the head though it could have been much worse- he was wearing a new hat that he had stuffed the interior sweat band with newspaper for a proper fit. The bullet hit at such an angle that it ringed the inside of his hat, knocking him senseless and leaving a mark around his scalp similar to a burn. General Pettigrew took command of the division as the dazed Heth was helped from the field.

General Lee arrived on the field by mid-afternoon, disturbed that a major battle had been initiated against his orders. Despite the fact that a large portion of his army was still miles away from the battle site, the general quickly realized that he had an advantage in numbers and was anxious to press the attack on the Union positions. Lee immediately ordered his generals to continue the attack and drive back the Union troops north and west of Gettysburg. After several hours of bitter fighting, the northerners withdrew from the McPherson Farm area to Seminary Ridge where they made one final stand prior to retreating to Cemetery Hill south of Gettysburg.

The fighting which swirled around this farm was heavy and bloody for both sides. After the battle, the McPherson buildings were used as a temporary hospital by Confederate surgeons. Of the original McPherson buildings only the McPherson Barn remains. Time and the elements had taken a heavy toll on the barn until 1978 when it was restored by the National

Park Service. The barn is currently under lease to a local farmer who also uses land around it for pasture under a Park Service lease agreement.

"The Old Gettysburg Hero"

One of the more interesting personalities to participate in the battle that day was Gettysburg civilian John Burns. The 70 year-old veteran of the War of 1812 took up his flintlock musket and walked out to the scene of the fighting that morning. Approaching an officer of a Pennsylvania Bucktail regiment, Burns requested that he be allowed to fall in with the officer's command. Not quite believing his eyes nor ears, the officer sent the aged Burns into the woods next to the McPherson Farm, where he fought beside members of the Iron Brigade throughout the afternoon until he was wounded. Injured and exhausted, the old man made his way through groups of victorious Confederates who remarkably allowed him to go home unmolested. After the battle, he was elevated to the role of national hero. Hearing about the aged veteran, Mathew Brady photographed Burns while recuperating at his home on Chambersburg Street and took the story of Burns and his participation in the battle back home to Washington. Others

soon became interested in the story and when President Lincoln came to Gettysburg to dedicate the Soldiers National Cemetery that fall, it was John Burns who the president wished to meet. Burns' fame quickly spread and a poem about his exploits was published in 1864. His notoriety faded after the war, but Burns was proud of his service to his country and his hometown. John Burns died in 1872 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Gettysburg.

John Burns

Library of Congress

"John Burns, although past his three score years and ten, learning of the enemies army approach took down his flintlock rifle, joined our troops in defence of his home and fireside..." The popularity of John Burns' participation in the battle grew in the post war years. His home on Chambersburg Street was razed after his death and veterans of the battle remarked that something should be done to commemorate his services. Reacting to a proposal by a Pennsylvania chapter of the Sons of Union Veterans, the state enacted legislation to provide funds for a fitting monument. The Pennsylvania Board of Commissioners on Gettysburg Monuments desired that the monument be placed on the field where Burns had fought with the 150th Pennsylvania and 2nd Wisconsin regiments, and a site was chosen on McPherson's Ridge next to Herbst Woods. Sculptor Albert G. Bureau chose to depict a defiant Burns with clenched fist, stubbornly carrying his flintlock musket in battle. In reality, Burns used a rifle musket borrowed from a wounded

Union soldier. Placed upon a boulder taken from the battlefield, the monument was dedicated on July 1, 1903, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the battle.

Monument to John Burns

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Gettysburg National Military Park Virtual Tour - Day One

The Railroad Cut

North of the McPherson Farm and the Chambersburg Pike lay an excavated railroad bed, complete except for the placement of stone, ties and rails. The bed ran west from Gettysburg and cut through Seminary and McPherson's Ridges, and proved to be both a helpful and hazardous obstacle for both sides. After the opening infantry shots were

fired on the McPherson Farm, Brig. General Lysander Cutler's brigade moved north of the railroad bed where they were engaged by Brig. General Joseph R. Davis' brigade of Mississippi and North Carolina regiments. Cutler's men were flanked and forced to retreat to Seminary Ridge. One regiment, the 147th New York Infantry, was nearly annihilated when the regimental officers did not receive the order to retreat until it was too late and the Mississippians pounced upon them in overwhelming numbers. Driving back Cutler's men, Davis turned his regiments southward to attack the Union units around the McPherson Farm. One lone regiment, the 6th Wisconsin Infantry, blocked their way.

Commanded by Lt. Colonel Rufus Dawes, the 6th Wisconsin had been detached from the Iron Brigade as a reserve and seeing the retreat of Cutler's troops, Dawes had moved his regiment to the Chambersburg Pike where they rested behind a solid rail fence that lined the road. The opponents immediately opened fire as the southerners crossed over the railroad bed. Colonel Dawes recalled: "The regiment halted at the fence along the Cashtown Turnpike, and I gave the order to fire. In the field, beyond the turnpike, a long line of yelling Confederates could be seen running forward and firing and our troops of Cutler's brigade were running back in disorder. The fire of our carefully aimed muskets, resting on the fence rails, striking their flank, soon checked the rebels

in their headlong pursuit. The rebel line swayed and bent, and suddenly stopped firing and the men ran into the railroad cut. I ordered my men to climb the over the turnpike fences and advance."

The railroad cut through McPherson's Ridge. Gettysburg NMP

Col. Dawes Hist. Soc. of

WI

The 95th New York Infantry arrived and moved adjacent to the 6th Wisconsin as the men clambered over the fences. Colonel Dawes approached Major Edward Pye, commanding the New Yorkers: "I said, 'We must charge.' The gallant major replied, 'Charge it is.' 'Forward, charge!' was the order I gave, and Major Pye gave the same command. We were receiving a fearfully destructive fire from the hidden enemy. Men who had been shot were leaving the

ranks in crowds. With the colors at the advance point, the regiment firmly and hurriedly moved forward." The two regiments charged across 400 yards of open field toward the blazing railroad bed, filled with soldiers of Davis' Brigade. The 2nd and 42nd Mississippi regiments and 55th North Carolina were intermingled in the confusion, but turned their rifles toward the Union troops with deadly accuracy. Colonel Dawes could only shout encouragement to his men: "The only commands I gave as we advanced were, 'Align on the colors! Close up on the colors! Close up on the colors!' The regiment was being so broken up that this order alone could hold the body together. The colors fell upon the ground several times but were raised again by the heroes of the color guard. Four hundred and twenty men started in the regiment from the turnpike fence, of whom about two hundred and forty reached the railroad cut."

As Dawes' dwindling ranks closed in on the southern line, many Confederates turned and ran into the deep portion of the cut through McPherson's Ridge. Others retreated across the field from which they had driven Cutler's men only minutes before, while the majority of the 2nd Mississippi held their ground near their flag. Sergeant William B. Murphy, the flag bearer of the 2nd Mississippi Infantry, stood near the railroad bed: "I did all that was in my power to prevail upon the boys to come on and take the battery, not knowing at the time that we were

overpowered by those regiments of the enemy in our front, right, and left. Just about that time a squad of soldiers made a rush for my colors and our men did their duty. They were all killed or wounded, but they still rushed for the colors with one of the most deadly struggles that was ever witnessed during any battle in the war. Over a dozen men fell killed or wounded, and then a large man made a rush for me and the flag. As I tore the flag from the staff he took hold of me and the color. The firing was still going on, and was kept up for several minutes after the flag was taken from me." The large soldier was Corporal Francis A. Waller, who wrestled Murphy and his flag to the ground, and then continued to fight those Confederates who refused to give up. Waller would later receive a promotion to sergeant and the Congressional Medal of Honor for the capture of the 2nd Mississippi's flag.

The deep portion of the railroad cut. Gettysburg NMP

Just west of the melee around the Confederate colors, Colonel Dawes heard his soldiers at the brink of the cut shouting to the southerners, "'Throw down your muskets! Down with your muskets!' Running forward through our line of men, I found myself face to face with hundreds of rebels, whom I looked upon in the railroad cut, which was, where I stood, four feet deep. I shouted, 'Where is the colonel of this regiment?' An officer in gray, with stars on his collar, who stood among the men in the cut said, 'Who are you?' I said, 'I command this regiment. Surrender, or I will fire.' The officer replied not a word, but promptly handed me his sword and his men, who still held them, threw down their muskets. The coolness, self-possession,

The surrender of Davis' Confederates in the railroad cut

as sketched by Alfred R. Waud after the battle. National Archives

and discipline which held back our men from pouring in a general volley saved a hundred lives of the enemy, and as my mind goes back to the fearful excitement of the moment, I marvel at it."

Joined in the charge by the 14th Brooklyn, the Union regiments rounded up their captives and marched back to Seminary Ridge over a field strewn with the dead and wounded of both sides. The bloody contest at the railroad cut, "was a critical one, involving the defeat, perhaps the utter rout of our forces," as General Doubleday reported. The crucial charge prevented the loss of the McPherson Farm positions which would play an important role in the Union defense that afternoon. The shattered remnants of General Davis' brigade were taken out of the battle for the remainder of the day, but would fight again on July 3. The loss was especially heavy in the 2nd Mississippi- one soldier wrote that only 60 men could be mustered that evening. The 6th Wisconsin Infantry remained in the battle through the afternoon until forced to retire with the remainder of the corps through Gettysburg.

"Those damned black hats!"

Soldiers of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry wore the regulation headgear of the United States Army, a stiff, broad-brimmed hat made of black felt that was originally meant to be worn on formal occassions. General John Gibbon, the first commander of the brigade to which the 6th belonged, preferred the appearance of the regulation hat accompanied by the skirted dress coat, and ordered his Wisconsin and Indiana regiments to wear it in place of the cloth forage cap. Their appearance soon earned Gibbon's command the title of "The Black Hat Brigade" and the westerners appreciated how it was their headgear that set them apart from other Union regiments in the Army of the Potomac. Even after General Gibbon left the brigade and the more comfortable blouse was worn in lieu of the dress coat, the regulation dress hat remained and was worn with great pride as the brigade symbol. It was soon after the Battle of South Mountain during the Antietam Campaign when the more lasting nickname "Iron Brigade" was first coined by General Joe Hooker. Yet, Gettysburg would be the battle that would truly test their mettle. The Iron Brigade mustered 1,883 members on July 1, of which 1,212 soldiers were casualties before nightfall. The young soldier shown here is Private Charles A. Keeler of St. Joseph, Michigan, who served in Company B, 6th Wisconsin Infantry.

He wears the Union dress coat and dress hat, fully adorned with brass numerals and black ostrich feather. Private Keeler fought at Gettysburg and was terribly wounded in both legs during the battle. (Image courtesy of Alan Nolan, The Iron Brigade, A Military History, State Historical Society of WI, 1975.)

Gettysburg National Military Park Virtual Tour - Day One

Oak Hill Oak Hill was an important position for the Confederates on July 1st. The gentle slope of this hill and open terrain to the south offered an excellent field of fire for artillery that could send shells into the Union positions at the McPherson Farm and Seminary Ridge, with little opportunity for the Union gunners to reply. A part of the John Forney Farm, Oak Hill rises just north of the Mummasburg Road and in 1863 had an expansive apple orchard on its

southern slope. Some time after noon, the Confederate infantry division of Major General Robert E. Rodes arrived and deployed behind the hill, using trees to screen their movement from Union observers. Having received word that troops from A.P. Hill's Corps were going to attack at 1 P.M., Rodes moved his infantry southward to attack from this hill and threaten the Union forces in positions on the McPherson Farm and Oak Ridge.

Confederate gunners set up their artillery pieces amongst the fruit-laden trees of Forney's orchard and opened fire on the Union positions approximately one-half mile to the south once the infantry had passed through. Rodes watched his formations go forward. "(The enemy) had apparently been surprised;" Rodes reported, "only a desultory fire of artillery was going on between his troops and General Hill's; but before my dispositions were made, the enemy began to show large bodies of men in front of the town." Seeing Union troops move up the ridge toward Oak Hill, Rodes quickly ordered three of his brigades to attack. But the movement was uncoordinated and two of his brigades faltered when they encountered stiff Union resistance, heavy artillery fire and

unforseen obstacles. Brig. General Alfred Iverson's Brigade of North Carolina troops set off to strike the flank of Union positions located on Oak Ridge, the northern extension of Seminary Ridge and southwest of this hill. The Carolinians moved southeast toward Oak Ridge in perfect alignment with flags swaying, closing on the suspected Union line without actually seeing the Union positions. Suddenly a host of Union soldiers, the regiments of Brig. General Baxter's brigade, rose from behind a stone wall on the ridge and loosed a volley into the Confederate ranks, knocking down scores of men and officers and stopping the brigade in its tracks. For the survivors of the initial volley, the ensuing fifteen minutes were filled with horror. Every musket shot aimed toward the Union line was

Oak Hill from the west. The Eternal Light Peace Memorial sits on the summit of the hill.

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Gen. Rodes

Miller's History

View south from Oak Hill toward the McPherson Farm. The main Union line was

positioned on the farm and along the Chambersburg Pike.

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answered by a storm of musketry. A number of soldiers in one regiment were able to evade the deadly fire by taking cover behind a slight rise of ground, but the others were frozen as if locked in place while Union fire unmercifully rained down on them.

Captain Lewis Hicks of the 20th North Carolina recalled, "We carried three hundred (soldiers) in(to) action. (The) result of two and one-half hours battle forced us to surrender, and only sixty-two men left. A little ravine in the hillside saved this number. In the absence of white flags the wounded men hoisted their boots and hats on their bayonets to show their desperation. The firing continued about ten minutes, our firing ceased and the Federals moved on us to effect our capture. The smoke was so dense you could not perceive an object ten feet from you. The awful gloom of the moment is beyond description... We felt and heard the tread of the enemy, our minds were in tumult, whether to lie still, to yield, or to die fighting. I jumped up and found myself confronted with a bayonet of a Union soldier pointed at my breast. I grasped the blade and reversed the handle of my sword in a twinkle and offered to surrender. The soldier said in the excitement, he thought I had run him through and he dropped his gun. By that time I was almost over-powered by other Federals rushing at me, so to protect myself I grabbed up the half-dazed Yankee... In a few more seconds their passions cooled and they gave me my life. A long hard imprisonment was ahead of me at Johnson's Island." (from the Agnes Paton Memoir, collection 362, East Carolina University)

Hicks and other survivors were herded to the rear as more troops rushed into the field. Despite efforts to get support to his trapped regiments, General Iverson was helpless to stop the destruction of his command. He had made the error of not scouting the ground in front of his brigade nor had he gone in with them to provide orders and extract them from the trap. The general reported afterward that "no greater gallantry and heroism has been displayed during this war."

Only General Junius Daniel's North Carolina Brigade was successful in bypassing the disaster that befell Iverson's men, and engaged in the fighting near the railroad bed and McPherson Farm.

Confederate batteries on Oak Hill renewed their fire on the Union positions while General Rodes reorganized his troops for another effort, sending forward his reserve brigade to strike Oak Ridge and support Daniel's men. Outnumbered and out of ammunition, Union troops eventually abandoned Oak Ridge, allowing Rodes' troops to push southward toward the Seminary and Gettysburg.

The field where Iverson's North Carolinians were trapped by Union troops firing from Oak

Ridge on the left of this picture. The erson Farm is in the dista

Gettysburg NMP McPh nce.

By 5 PM, Oak Hill had been abandoned for more favorable positions on Oak Ridge, your next stop.

"Peace Eternal in a Nation United."

Located on the summit of Oak Hill and surrounded by guns that mark Confederate artillery positions, the Eternal Light Peace Memorial overlooks the July 1st battlefield. The memorial was the sentimental brainchild of Union and Confederate veterans who first proposed the monument during the 1913 Anniversary and reunion celebration at Gettysburg. Funds for the project were difficult to find and the Great Depression postponed its construction. Through the personal efforts of governors, veteran groups and several state legislatures, the

memorial project was revived and finally came to fruition.

The Eternal Light Peace Memorial Gettysburg NMP

It was a torridly hot afternoon on July 3, 1938, when former Union and Confederate soldiers met to dedicate this memorial to "Peace Eternal in a Nation United" during the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the battle. A Union and a Confederate veteran pulled the ropes to unveil the memorial shaft that towers 47 1/2 feet above Oak Hill. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the featured speaker at the ceremony and pushed the button which lit the gas flame on top of the monument shaft. "Immortal deeds and immortal words have created here at Gettysburg a shrine of American patriotism," the president began. "We are encompassed by 'the last full measure' of many men and by the simple words in which Abraham Lincoln expressed the simple faith for which they died." The president went on to compare the task set before Lincoln and the American people in 1863, with the task set before Americans in 1938. Of the veterans in blue and gray, Roosevelt reminded the audience, "All of them we honor, not asking under which Flag they fought then- thankful that they stand together under one Flag now."

The crowd at the dedication ceremony for the Eternal Light Peace Memorial on July 3, 1938.

PA at Gettysburg

President Roosevelt waves to the crowd before his introduction by Governor Earle of

Pennsylvania. PA at Gettysburg

Pennsylvania State Police estimated that 250,000 people attended the dedication while another 100,000 remained stuck on automobile-packed highways. The memorial cost $60,000 with contributions from many states including New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia. The dark colored stone base was constructed of Maine granite and the lighter colored shaft of Alabama Rockwood Limestone. The memorial has undergone two restoration projects since its construction, the last in 1988 when the gas flame was restored and the monument rededicated with an appropriate ceremony that featured Dr. Carl Sagan as the keynote speaker. Except for a period during the energy crisis of the mid-1970's followed by a nine-year span when it was electrified, the gas-fueled flame has burned continuously twenty four hours a day.

The dedication of the memorial by President Roosevelt was the highlight of four days of activities commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the battle and hosted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. More than 1,800 aged Civil War veterans attended the last great reunion, much of which took place on the Gettysburg College campus. Veterans were housed in white canvas tent camps erected in the fields north of the college, each camp having wooden boardwalks, electric lights, and large mess tents for food service. Parades and military demonstrations by the United States Army featured mounted cavalry charges, infantry demonstrations, and a display of army tanks and vehicles.

Gettysburg National Military Park Virtual Tour - Day One Oak Ridge

Union troops from General John C. Robinson's Division of the First Corps were aligned on this ridge during the afternoon of July 1, 1863, and stubbornly held this position against repeated attacks by General Robert Rodes' Division. Brig. General Henry Baxter's Brigade, composed of Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania regiments, was posted at the apex of the ridge where the Mummasburg Road intersects the summit, with a portion of the command in line southward toward the Lutheran Seminary. In the opening phases of the afternoon battle, Baxter's soldiers threw back one determined southern assault and then destroyed General Alfred Iverson's North Carolina Brigade in the field west of this ridge. By 2

o'clock they were running low on ammunition and energy, and General Robinson replaced them with Brig. General Gabriel Paul's Brigade. Within minutes the Confederates reappeared in the Union front, sweeping around the Union position in a more coordinated attack. The pressure grew on Paul's men as the afternoon wore on and General Paul was severely wounded by a musket ball that passed through both eyes. (Remarkably, he survived this debilitating wound.) By 3:30 P.M., however, the entire Federal line from here to McPherson Ridge had begun to crumble and Paul's regiments were ordered to retreat to the Seminary where other troops of the 1st Corps were making a final stand. To give the brigade time to get away, the 16th Maine Infantry remained on Oak Ridge, holding off the Confederates until they were trapped and forced to surrender. The men gave up their weapons only after they had taken down and destroyed the regimental flag so that it would not be captured. To prevent the humiliation of surrendering his sword to the Confederates, Colonel Charles W. Tilden, the 16th's defiant commander, drove his sword into the earth and snapped it in two, leaving only the guard and grip for a southern trophy. The sacrifice of the 16th Maine gave the rest of the brigade valuable minutes to make their way down Oak Ridge to a point where the railroad bed cut through the ridge. The men followed the embankment toward Gettysburg with other troops and ran a gauntlet of Confederate fire before dashing into the borough streets.

The eastern side of Oak Ridge overlooked the plain north of Gettysburg. Union troops were

posted on the summit and behind fences bordering the Mummasburg Road at right.

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A modern day view of Gettysburg from Oak Ridge. Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill, the Union rallying points, are in the distance. The campus

of Gettysburg College is on this side of Gettysburg.

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Placed in the fields east of Oak Ridge were two under strength divisions of the Eleventh Corps. General Carl Schurz, placed in temporary command of the corps, deployed his regiments in the fields around the "Alms House", which was the county home for the poor. Fighting began when Georgians of General George Doles' Brigade moved down the Carlisle Road and engaged the Union troops on the county farmland while southern batteries sent shells into the Union positions. Union artillery replied and drove some of the Confederate batteries to cover. The front appeared to be stable when suddenly, Confederate artillery boomed from the east and shells whirred into the exposed Union right flank. General Jubal Early's Division had arrived from the direction of York and immediately attacked the open Union flank anchored on a small hill, today called "Barlow's Knoll". Schurz's corps collapsed and the town was soon full of retreating Union troops, pursued by victorious Confederates.

From the Oak Ridge observation tower, visitors can get a great view of the entire first day's battlefield, Gettysburg College and the town. The tower is located near the point where the two Union corps (the First and Eleventh) connected. This is one of three surviving War Department-era towers, constructed at the turn of the century. This particular tower was modified in the 1960's due to a structural failure in the upper section.

There are also some interesting and unique monuments placed here by veterans of the battle that help tell the story of the action here on that warm July 1st. One in particular is that which commemorates the services of the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry,

sculpted in the shape of a large oak tree. Veterans of the 90th recalled the large stump of the tree that stood near this spot during the battle, and voted to place its likeness in granite, adorned with the bronze accoutrements of war, to mark the site where the regiment fought that day.

The summit of Oak Ridge and the 1895 observation tower, reduced in height by the

National Park Service in 1960. Gettysburg is in the background. Gettysburg NMP

The Loyal Mascot

One of the most symbolic monuments on Oak Ridge is that to the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, upon which stands the full-size bronze likeness of a Union soldier overlooking the fields where Iverson's North Carolinians made their fateful charge. This monument has a unique addition at its base, a bronze statuette of of a small, mixed breed dog named "Sallie", a stray that one day wandered into the camp of the 11th Pennsylvania and became attached to one of the regiment's soldiers. Her appearance in the ranks while on dress parade or during the march was a curious site to many, though it was not uncommon

for soldiers to informally "adopt" a pet of some sort, and the men in the rank and file evidently enjoyed Sallie's companionship. Sallie made the long trek from Virginia to Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863 and went into the fighting on July 1st alongside her human comrade. When the Union line collapsed that afternoon, survivors of the 11th Pennsylvania staggered through Gettysburg to Cemetery Hill, where they reformed and counted their losses. Among the missing was the small dog, lost in the confusion of battle or during the retreat. Late on July 5th, a burial detail from the regiment made their way back to the scene where the regiment fought on Oak Ridge. Here they discovered Sallie lying among the corpses of the regiment which had adopted her. Very much alive and loyal to a fault, she had remained with her fallen master. Sallie was taken by the detail back to the regiment and informally adopted by the men as the regiment's mascot. Sallie remained with her regiment, sharing in the dangers and duties that her masters faced until she was killed at the Battle of Hatcher's Run, Virginia, in 1864.

The 11th Pennsylvania Infantry's loyal mascot. Gettysburg NMP

When the veterans of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry erected their monument at Gettysburg in 1890, they chose to add the likeness of the homely little dog that brought happiness to their lives as soldiers, for she was the most humble symbol of loyalty they had experienced during the war.

Gettysburg National Military Park Virtual Tour - Day One The Eleventh Corps Line

The Eleventh Army Corps of the Army of the Potomac was organized in 1862 under General Franz Siegel. A number of the regiments in this Union corps were composed of immigrants from Europe, mostly Germans and some Poles, and had served admirably up until the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia in May 1863. Led at that battle by Maj. General Oliver O. Howard, the corps was assigned to a position on the right flank of the army's line centered around the Chancellor crossroads. No one realized the precarious position they were in, except for the Confederate commanders! Late on the afternoon of May 2, Howard's men were relaxing, playing

cards, cooking or sleeping when suddenly waves of screaming Confederates broke from the woods around them. It was General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's Corps, which had marched around the Union position to hit the "open flank". Thousands of Confederates bore down on the Eleventh Corps regiments, outnumbered and unable to rally much of a defense. Men wearing the Eleventh Corps badge stampeded in panic from the field of battle. The coming of night and other Union troops finally slowed the Southern attack, but accusations of cowardice had already begun, growing in intensity after the close of campaign. Officers in the corps argued that they had been surprised, were outnumbered, and pointed out that some units had held out as long as possible but morale plummeted. The men knew they were good soldiers and could fight well if led well, but a stigma of shame hung like a cloud over the corps. The disaster at Chancellorsville was caused by a poor choice of position. As events were to turn out, the position assigned them at Gettysburg on July 1 was not any better than the one from which they ran two months prior.

After the death of General Reynolds on July 1, General Howard assumed command of all Union forces at Gettysburg. Command of the Eleventh Corps fell upon the shoulders of Major General Carl Schurz. After conferring with Howard near Cemetery Hill, Schurz joined the two divisions of the corps that had rushed through Gettysburg and into the fields north of the college. Here they massed on the right flank of the First Corps. Quickly taking advantage of what ground was available, Brig. General Francis Barlow ordered part of his 1st Division to occupy a small hill overlooking Rock Creek. While doing so, the Union troops drove back Confederate skirmishers from Brig. General George Doles' brigade. It was not long before Doles' men returned and skirmishing broke out along the entire front as Confederate batteries on Oak

Ridge and north of Gettysburg began to send shot and shell into the Union regiments. The men lay down, using every small ridge or ditch as cover from the artillery fire.

Barlow's Knoll at sunset with the statue to General Barlow at right. This small hill was

the right of the Eleventh Corps line on July 1.Gettysburg NMP

Gen.

Howard Miller's History

Three Union batteries responded to the destructive Confederate fire. Captain Hubert Dilger's Battery I, 1st Ohio Light Artillery was placed on a small knoll west of the Carlisle Road. Dilger was known amongst his men as "leather breeches" for the leather pad sewn to the seat of his riding trousers. Yet this was not all he was known for; Dilger was an expert artilleryman with a keen eye for placing artillery where it could do the most good and his battery had gained a reputation with their fighting skills which they had displayed at Chancellorsville. (Dilger

eventually received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions there.) From his position north of Gettysburg, Dilger believed he could use his guns to flank Confederate artillery positions on Oak Ridge. The gunners methodically set to work and succeeded in shattering one of the southern batteries on the ridge before another retreated to save their guns from the accurate Union fire. Soon joined by the 13th New York Battery, Dilger's artillerymen fought throughout the afternoon and were some of the last Union troops to leave this portion of the field. The battery even fought within the town limits until finally being withdrawn to a position near Cemetery Hill as the last Union soldiers retreated that evening.

Battery I, 1st Ohio Monument on Howard Avenue

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Though outnumbered three to one, General Doles decided to again send his Georgia regiments forward. The rattle of musketry echoed over the fields as the lines closed to within 100 yards of each other. The 4th and 44th Georgia regiments marched headlong toward Union troops on the small hill known today as "Barlow's Knoll". At approximately the same time, General Early's division arrived northeast of Gettysburg and immediately formed to charge the Union position. His artillery announced the arrival with a barrage of shells. "The enemy soon opened on us with his artillery," General Barlow wrote. "His number of guns was superior to mine and though another battery was furnished me, I never got it. The captain of my battery had one leg carried away, one gun disabled and several horses killed, but still kept in position." Barlow was referring to Lt. Bayard Wilkeson and Battery G, 4th US Artillery. Though mortally wounded, Wilkeson continued to direct his gunners as the infantry units gave way all about him.

A solid line of southern infantry appeared from the shrubs beside Rock Creek east of the knoll and rushed up the hill. The Union troops fought back with volleys of rifle fire and blasts of canister, none of which seemed to halt the southern onslaught. Doles' Georgians were quick to take advantage of the confusion and charged into Barlow's men, breaking the line west of the knoll near the Alms House cemetery.

Among those fighting on the knoll that day were Private William Issemoyer and Sgt. Charles Issemoyer, brothers serving side by side in Company D, 153rd Pennsylvania Infantry. The 153rd Pennsylvania was resisting a Confederate charge in their front when Confederates suddenly appeared behind them. The line bent and then broke, the brothers moving with others off of the hill and toward Gettysburg in a retreat that quickly became a rout. Though Charles made his way to Cemetery Hill, William was captured during the retreat.

(photo courtesy of the Lehigh County Historical Society)

Union reinforcements rushed to help Barlow's collapsing line. Brig. General Kryzanowski's brigade had been in reserve near the Carlisle Road when it was ordered forward to help. The brigade moved rapidly toward two Confederate regiments from Doles' command, which turned and pounced upon Kryzanowski's soldiers. The fight was brief and the Union troops were thrown back in confusion. The Eleventh Corps line fell apart. "A force came up against our front in line of battle with supports in the rear," Barlow continued. "We ought to have held the place easily... but the enemy's skirmishers had hardly attacked us before my men began to run. No fight at all was made. I started to get ahead of them to rally them and form another line. Before I could turn my horse I was shot in the left side, dismounted and tried to walk to the

rear. I then got a spent ball in my back which has made quite a bruise. Soon I got too faint to go any further and lay down. I lay in the midst of the fire some five minutes as the enemy were firing at our running men. I did not expect to get out alive."

Gen.

Barlow Generals in

Blue

Luckily for Barlow, a Confederate officer chanced upon the wounded general. General John B. Gordon, whose brigade had just destroyed Barlow's position on the knoll, found the wounded officer, pale and weak. Gordon dismounted and gave Barlow water and a sip of spirits to revive him. Barlow was almost delirious with pain and exhaustion, but asked Gordon to destroy a packet of letters for him and get word of his fate through the lines to his wife who accompanied the Union army. Gordon ordered that Barlow be carried to a nearby farm for shelter. This remarkable act of compassion probably saved Barlow's life. Confederate surgeons treated the wounded officer, who appeared to be close to death. A message was passed between the lines to General Barlow's wife and she made her way through the picket lines the following day to find her wounded husband. With her help, the general slowly recovered from his wounds, returned to the army the following year, and led a division of the Second Corps in the Wilderness Campaign.

The last two brigades of Early's Division, one commanded by General Harry Hays and the other by Colonel Isaac Avery, charged around and toward the rear of the wavering Union line. Climbing a gentle knoll, Avery's North Carolinians encountered a Union brigade commanded by Colonel Charles Coster posted behind a split rail fence by a brickyard. Ordered forward from Cemetery Hill by General Howard, Coster's regiments arrived just as the battle north of town reached a fever pitch. Almost at once both sides caught a glimpse of

each other and muskets blazed in a storm of smoke and lead. Avery's troops overran Coster's position. His men fled through the brickyard and into the streets of Gettysburg.

The overwhelming attack collapsed the fragile Union line and a retreat ensued through the streets of Gettysburg. No threats, pleas, or orders could stay the men from leaving the field. "We ran them through the town," wrote Colonel Clement Evans of the 31st Georgia, "and drove them back to their entrenched hills. The victory on the first day was of the most complete character." Victorious Confederates appeared in every alley and street, shooting and yelling for the Union troops to surrender, the majority of whom had not heard the order to rally on Cemetery Hill. Many simply followed the men in front who blindly stumbled through Gettysburg, into dead end alleys or points of southern bayonets. Others hid in homes and outbuildings. Brig. General Alexander Schimmelfennig took refuge in a pig shed where he hid for several days. Some of the retreating soldiers panicked, leaving equipment and wounded comrades to the fate of the Confederates. Eventually those exhausted Union survivors who could, made their way back to Cemetery Hill where General Howard and General Winfield Scott Hancock were then organizing defenses. The end of the day appeared to be a humiliating Union defeat, but the soldiers had bought time for General Meade to concentrate his forces and march them to the Gettysburg battlefield.

The fading sunlight, combined with confusion in the streets of Gettysburg, slowed the Confederate pursuit and gave Union commanders on Cemetery Hill time to organize and rally their troops. Though General Lee was satisfied with the day's results, he was concerned about the advantages of the new Union position south of town. Lee sent orders for General Ewell to follow up his attack through Gettysburg with an attempt to take this new Union-held position. Believing that opportunities for complete victory were in his grasp, the general rode into town to inspect the lines. Within a few hours, Lee would have enough information to decide on a strategy for the next day's battle. Meanwhile, aides established the general's headquarters in a small apple orchard on Seminary Ridge, just across from the Widow Thompson's house.

The first day of battle was a resounding Confederate victory. Nightfall brought a grateful lull to the fighting while both armies planned for another day of battle on Thursday, July 2.

The Commander of Jackson's Old Corps

After the death of General "Stonewall" Jackson, his corps was split between two officers- General A.P. Hill and Lt. General Richard Stoddart Ewell. Ewell was given command of Jackson's old "Second Corps" and may have been an unlikely choice for such an important post. Considered by some to be erratic and having "an air of eccentricity about him," Ewell was a proven leader and veteran of the Valley Campaign, Seven Days, and Second Manassas where he lost a leg at the Battle of Groveton. Returning to the army with a brand new wooden leg, Ewell undertook his command with vigor and led his troops into the Shenandoah Valley that June where they crushed the Union forcunder General Milroy at Winchester. Ewell's men were the first southern forces to cross the Potomac River into Maryland and Pennsylvania where they marched as far east as the Susquehanna River bridge at Wrightsville and as far north as Carlisle. Upon receiving orders from General Lee to concentrate his troops at Cashtown, Ewell

coordinated the march back to Adams County and the timely arrival north of town. Though

General Richard S. Ewell

Generals in Gray

es

his troops would win the day and drive the Union soldiers from the field, the general would be later criticized for his lack of making a commitment in following up his victory with an attack on Cemetery Hill. General Ewell deferred much of his command decisions to his division commanders for the remainder of the battle. It was on July 1 while following up his troops into Gettysburg that the general escaped injury. Accompanied by General John B. Gordon, the two rode into town when the crack of a bullet followed by a sickening thump was heard by General Gordon. Gordon asked Ewell if he were injured to which the general replied, "No, no, I'm not hurt. But suppose that ball had struck you: we would have had the trouble of carrying you off the field, sir. You see how much better fixed for a fight I am than you are. It don't hurt a bit to be shot in a wooden leg."

The Gettysburg Address Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled, here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln