Today in History:

327 Series I Volume XXVII-I Serial 43 - Gettysburg Campaign Part I

Page 327 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.

the Hagerstown road, where it formed in line of battle, at 10. 30 a. m., on the left flank of the First Corps. The One hundred and fifty-first Pennsylvania, being on the left of the brigade, formed the extreme left of the corps. Our arrival at this point was greeted by the booming of cannon, Buford's cavalry, dismounted, with some artillery having engaged the enemy-the advance of Pender's division of A. P. Hill's corps-a short time previous. Without delay the brigade advanced obliquely to the right, over a small open hollow, to the edge of a ridge west of the Theological Seminary. Here, by the order of General Rowley, knapsacks were unslung, after which we advanced to the top of the ridge. About the same time, General Reynolds having been killed, General Doubleday, our division commander, took command of the corps, General Rowley of the division, and Colonel Biddle, of the One hundred and twenty-first Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, of the brigade. All firing now ceased for perhaps an hour, when, about noon, the enemy opened on our right. As this was a flank fire, we were soon ordered back into the hollow. Here, guarding the batteries, we were subject to a constant fire of shot and shell for two hours and a half, frequently changing our position. About 2 p. m. the One hundred and fifty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers was detached from the brigade by General Rowley, and ordered to take a position behind a fence running along the south end of the seminary grove. Shortly after this it occupied a temporary breastwork made of rails, stumps, &c., by the Second Brigade, Second Division, through the west edge of the grove, and parallel with the seminary. By this time a line of battle was forming in our front, which soon after advanced to the ridge west of the seminary, occupied earlier in the day. In this line there was a gap or interval left immediately in our front between the balance of our own brigade and General Meredith's brigade, of the First Division, on the right. Into this interval the One hundred and fifty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers was ordered by General Rowley in person, and, crossing the breastwork behind which it lay, it advanced and closed the interval. The position of the regimental was now such that a little more than one-half of its left wing extended beyond the strip of woods on the ridge directly west of the seminary. The enemy greeted me with a volley which brought several of my men down, ere I had halted in position. Having previously cautioned the men against excitement and firing at random, and the enemy being partly concealed in the woods on lower ground than we occupied, I did not order them to fire a regular volley, but each man to fire as he saw an enemy on which to take a steady aim. This was strictly observed, and during the next hour's terrific fighting many of the enemy were brought low. I know not how men could have fought more desperately, exhibited more coolness, or contested the field with more determined courage than did those of the One hundred and fifty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers on that ever-memorable day. But the fire of the enemy, at least two to one, was very severe and destructive, and my gallant officers and men fell thick and fast. This was especially true after he, while moving to outflank the forces on my left, suffered very heavily from our deliberate oblique fire; for exasperated, no doubt, by this, his fire was now concentrated upon us. Notwithstanding this, the regiment held its ground and maintained the unequal contest


Page 327 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.