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

Page 581 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.

Since, the Third Brigade has marched with the Third Corps to a point near Williamsport, Md. ; thence, by way of Sharpsburg, Pleasant Valley, and Harper's Ferry, and along the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, to Manassas Gap, arriving on the 23rd ultimo, constituting a portion of the line of supports during the engagement at that time. It was not found necessary to bring these supports into action. From manassas Gap returned to Piedmont. Marched by way of Warrenton, arriving at the present camp on August 1.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. F. SMITH,

Colonel One hundred and twenty-sixth Ohio Volunteers.

Brigadier General S. VILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Hdqrs. Army of the Potomac.


Numbers 181. Report of Captain George E. Randolph, First, Rhode Island Light Artillery, commanding Artillery Brigade, Third Army Corps.


HDQRS. ARTILLERY BRIGADE, THIRD ARMY CORPS,
September 2, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the artillery of the Third Army Corps, from June 28 to July 3: On the morning of June 28, the batteries of the corps, with one exception, were encamped near Middletown Md. Clark's battery was near Crampton's Pass, with one brigade of infantry. Early in the day, in compliance with the order of Major-General Birney, commanding the corps, I marched to Frederick, where I encamped and fed about noon, and where I was joined by Clark's battery an hour or two later. In the afternoon the corps marched to Woodville, and, on June 29, to Taneytown, encamping a mile north of the town. On the afternoon of the 30th, the corps, including batteries, marched to Bridgeport, a place about 2 miles from Taneytown, on the road to Emmitsburg, and pushed on the next morning to the latter place. In the afternoon of July 1, by command of Major-General Sickles, who had resumed command of the corps at Frederick, three batteries-Randolph's, FE, First Rhode Island; Clark's, B, First New Jersey, accompanying the First Division, and Seeley's, K, Fourth U. S. Artillery, accompanying the Second Division-marched to Gettysburg, and encamped on the left of the town, near the Taneytown road. Early on the morning of July 2, Randolph's and Clark's batteries were placed in position on the line held by General Birney's division, running from near the left of the Second Corps to the base of Signal or Round Top Mountain. The positions of both were low, unprotected, and commanded by the ridge along which runs the road from Emmitsburg to Gettysburg. Seeley's battery remained in the field where it had encamped, and, as there were no desirable positions on our part of the line, Smith's and Winslow's batteries, on their arrival from Emmitsburg, were parked near Seeley's until some better disposition could be made of them. Between 1 and 1 p. m. Major-General Sickles notified me that he was about to change his line, throwing his right forward to the high


Page 581 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.