Today in History:

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

Page 544 N. C., VA., W. VA.,, D., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

I may be pardoned, perhaps, for referring in my report to the conspicuous courage and remarkable coolness of the brigadier-general commanding the division during this terrific struggle. His presence was felt by the officers and men, as the enthusiastic manner in which he was greeted will testify. At daybreak on the morning of Friday, July 3, the enemy opened with his artillery, and kept up continuous fire for an hour or more with but little injury to my command. At 6 a. m. I was ordered to the rear, where the balance of the corps was in bivouac. After replenishing my supply of ammunition, I was ordered to the front and left of the line, to support a division of the Fifth Corps, which was in the first line. At 3. 22 p. m. I was ordered to the center of the line, to support the Second Corps, which was engaged with the enemy. As i lay in column of battalions, closed in mass, IS suffered severely from the artillery fire of the enemy, losing several valuable officers and a number of men. At dusk I was ordered to my former position, where I remained until 3. 30 a. m. on Tuesday, July 7, at which hour my brigade moved from bivouac and marched to Emmitsburlg, where we rested until 1. 15 p. m., when we pushed on to Mechanicstown, going into bivouac about 1 mile from the town. At 6 a. m. on Wednesday, July 8, marched to Frederick, going into camp outside the city at 10 p. m. At 4 a. m. on Thursday, July 9, Major Hamlin, assistant adjutant-general, turned over to me the command of the division, Bridagier-General Humphreys having accepted the position of chief of staff to the major-general commanding the army. In closing, I desire to call the attention of the general commanding the division to the gallant and meritorious conduct of Colonel Robert McAllister, commanding Eleventh New Jersey Volunteers, twice wounded; Lieutenant Colonel Porter D. Tripp, commanding Eleventh Massachusetts Volunteers; Lieutenant Colonel Waldo Merriam, commanding Sixteenth Massachusetts Volunteers, wounded; Major Robert L. Bodine, commanding Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers; Major Philip J. Kearny, Eleventh New Jersey Volunteers, seriously wounded (since dead); Major McDonald, Eleventh Massachusetts Volunteers, wounded; Captain Tomlinson, Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, acting lieutenant-colonel; Captain Goodfellow, Twenty-sixths Pennsylvania Volunteers, Wounded; Adjt. John Schoonover, Eleventh New Jersey Volunteers, who was twice wounded, but remained in command of his regiment; and to the following officers of my staff, to whom my sincere thanks are due for valuable services rendered: Captain Le Grand Benedict, assistant adjutant-general; Captain George E. Henry, First Massachusetts Volunteers, acting aide-de-camp, and Lieutenant John Oldershaw, Eleventh New Jersey Volunteers, acting assistant inspector-general. Lieutenant James Johnson, aide-de-camp and acting assistant quartermaster, and Lieutenant James A. Cook, acting commissary of subsistence, are entitled to great credit for the promptness and efficiency displayed in the execution of the duties pertaining to their respective departments. In justice to the surviving officers and men of the veteran brigade, who have on many hard-fought battle-fields distinguished themselves for gallantry and undaunted courage, I cannot close this report without expressing my admiration for their soldierly conduct on this


Page 544 N. C., VA., W. VA.,, D., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.