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

Page 640 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

the part taken by the Sixth U. S. Infantry in the operations around Gettysburg, Pa. The regiment left its bivouac a bout 4. 30 o'clock on the morning of the 2d, and marched to a wood in front of the enemy, where it lay in line of battle for a considerable time. About 4. 30 o'clock I received an order to march the regiment by the left flank to the front and near the pickets of the enemy, where a line of battle by the whole brigade was formed preparatory to advancing on the enemy. The position occupied by the regiment was the extreme left of the line of battle. The order being soon thereafter given to march, we advanced in line through a small valley to the high ground a short distance in front, under a severe fire from the enemys pickets and sharpshooters, posted on the hills above us, and protected by trees and rocky cliffs. The casualties in the regiment were as follows: 4 killed; 1 commissioned officer (Second Lieutenant T. Britton) and 39 enlisted men wounded. The following officers were present, and behaved very well: Captain J. McCleary, acting field officer; Captain J. J. Upham, First Lieutenants D. D. Lynn and A. H. Freeman, and Second Lieutenants J. P. Schindel, G. Anderson, regimental adjutant, J. McKim, T. Britton, and J. W. Clous.

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

LEVI C. BOOTES,

Captain Sixth U. S. Infantry, Comdg. Regiment.

ACTING ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

First Brigade, Second Division, Fifth Army Corps.


Numbers 208. Report of Captain Thomas S. Dunn, Twelfth U. S. Infantry.


HEADQUARTERS TWELFTH INFANTRY BATTALION, Camp near Berlin, Md.,
July 16, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the battalion composed of Companies A, B, C, D, and G, of First Battalion, and Companies A, C, and D, Second Battalion, Twelfth U. S. Infantry, under my command, during the operations near Gettysburg, Pa., commencing July 2: The First Brigade, Second Division, Fifth Army Corps, of which the battalion formed a part, was moved to the front about 5 p. m. on the 2nd instant, and took position at the foot of hill near our extreme left, and immediately in rear of a marsh dividing it from a wood held by the enemy. After remaining in this position under a slight fire of musketry for about fifteen minutes, the brigade advanced through the marsh to a hill immediately under the wood in front, there forming three lines, the Twelfth U. S. Infantry in rear. The men were ordered to lie down. In this position they were exposed to a severe fire from the enemys sharpshooters, holding a hill to our left and slightly in our rear. The battalion remained in this position until I received an order to move by the right flank a distance equal to my front. During the execution of this order, the troops on our right having fallen back in


Page 640 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.