Today in History:

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

Page 343 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.

Colonel Langhorne Wister, of the One hundred and fiftieth Regiment, now commanded the brigade. The enemy in the meantime broke over the hill, partially to our front and flank, in large force, whereupon they received such reception at the hands of the right wing of the One hundred and fiftieth and my regiment that they soon retired with heavy loss. The enemy had also, under face of a heavy fire from the One hundred and forty-third, succeeded in occupying the railroad cut I had just vacated, and were giving us much trouble. Whereupon Colonel Wister ordered me to charge them out, which our boys and the right wing of the One hundred and fiftieth did in gallant style, completely clearing them out. We again occupied our original position, but were fearfully decimated in both officers and men, not having at this time one-half the number we went into the engagement with. The One hundred and fiftieth were as badly off as ourselves, all its field officers being compelled to leave the field from severe wounds, although they had up to this time gallantly remained, cheering their men on to noble deeds by their actions, although wounded. Early in the engagement my acting major was also compelled to leave the field on account of wounds received in the head. Having no other field officers, and myself suffering severely from a wound through the thigh, received at the railroad cut early in the action, the enemy slowly closing up on our rear in large force, also working in rapidly on our flanks, owing to the withdrawal of the First and Second Division and the breaking way of the Eleventh Corps on our right flank, we had no other resort left but to retire in the direction of the town, which we did slowly, contesting the ground inch by inch back to the Gettysburg Seminary, where we made a most desperate stand with the fragments of the brigade, and succeeded in holding the ground against vastly superior numbers until one of our batteries stationed here could limber to the rear, when the brigade was taken from the field by Colonel Dana, who did most gallant work on the retreat from McPherson's barn to the seminary, he protecting the flank resting on the railroad cut against great odds by the hardest fighting. I was compelled, from exhaustion and loss of blood, to drop down at this latter point. I would here mention Captain Glenn, of my regiment, commanding provost guard, Third Division, as having conducted his command very gallantly, he after the first day commanding the regiment until the return of Captain Irvin, acting major, wounded in the head the first day. The regiment, although under fire the remaining three days' fight, lost but slightly. Their actions-everywhere commendable, knowing, as every man did from the beginning of the engagement that we were fighting vastly superior numbers, with no reserve, the contest being hand to hand, and in the face of all this every man obeying every order cheerfully, and in every instance every man performing his whole duty-certainly must challenge the admiration of all. Where all did so well it is impossible for me to discriminate in favor of any single individual. However, of the line officers, I would particularly speak of Captain A. J. Sofield, Company A, who fell while gallantly leading his command on the railroad cut in the second charge. As a gentleman and man possessed of true courage and coolness he had no superior. We deeply regret his loss. I would also mention Captain Brice H. Blair, of Company I, as having partic


Page 343 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.