Today in History:

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

Page 639 Chapter XXXIX. THE Gettysburg CAMPAIGN.

direction of Gettysburg. Leaving the city on our right, we halted at about 1 p. m. at about 2 miles from the position of our first line of battle. We lay on our arms here until 4 p. m. ; then moving to the front down a road, we took up position in line of battle below the crest of a slight eminence lying between the two ranges of hills occupied, respectively, by our own and the enemys forces. We remained here about half an hour, when, in consequence of the troops on our right retiring and thus exposing us to a flank fire, we were ordered to fall back. Retiring across the open ground, we formed line of battle in the edge of the woods skirting the hills occupied by our forces, where we remained until 7 p. m., and then changed our position to one about 300 yards to the left, where we encamped for the night. In this position we remained all of the 3rd and until 10 a. m. on July 4, when we were ordered on a reconnaissance. Forming in line of battle, supporting a line of skirmishers, we advanced to a position about 1 1/2 miles beyond our camp. The object of the reconnaissance being accomplished, we fell back to our original position. From this we moved at 3 p. m., and relieved the Third Division, Fifth Corps, on picket, throwing our picket line half a mile beyond the position previously occupied by them. Here we remained until 5 p. m. on July 5, when we took up our line of march for Emmitsburg, Md. Our loss in the engagement of July 2 was 9 enlisted men killed, Second Lieutenant George Williams and 27 enlisted men wounded. Our casualties on the 4th were, Second Lieutenant Samuel T. Crowley and 2 enlisted men wounded. The officers engaged were, Captain J. W. Adams, jr., commanding regiment; Second Lieutenant John Simons, adjutant; First Lieutenant A. R. Benedict, commanding Company C; First Lieutenant Thomas A. Martin, commanding Company H; First Lieutenant Alexander Carolin, commanding Company F; First Lieutenant William S. Collier, commanding Company K; First Lieutenant Alexander E. Sheldon; First Lieutenant Henry W. Patterson, regimental quartermaster, on temporary duty at brigade headquarters; Second Lieutenant Samuel T. Crowley, wounded slightly July 4; Second Lieutenant George Williams, severely wounded July 2, right leg amputated; Second Lieutenants John Miller, J. J. Scipio Hassler, George W. Dost, George Atcheson, Gerhard L. Luhn, and Captain S. M. Sprole, unattached. I have the honor to state that both the officers and enlisted men behaved with great gallantry during the engagement.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JULIUS W. ADAMS, JR.,

Captain Fourth U. S. Infantry, Commanding Regiment.

Captain F. WINTHROP,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, First Brigade, Regular Infantry.


Numbers 207. Report of Captain Levi C. Bootes, Sixth U. S. Infantry.

CAMP NEAR BERLIN, FREDERICK COUNTY, MD.,

July 17, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to report for the information of the colonel commanding the First Brigade, Second Division, Fifth Army Corps,


Page 639 Chapter XXXIX. THE Gettysburg CAMPAIGN.