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

Page 738 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.


Numbers 258. Report of Lieutenant Colonel W. H. H. Bown. Sixty-first Ohio Infantry.

NEAR WARRENTON JUNCTION, VA., August 21, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit to you, in accordance with orders this day received, a detailed report of the operations of the Sixty-first Regiment Ohio Volunteers, from Jun 28 to July 25 ultimo, the time of the arrival of the regiment at Warrenton Junction, Va., viz: June 28. -Remained in camp, near Middletow, Md., until about 4 p. m., when we marched to Frederick City, Md. ; weather rainy during the night.

June 29. - Marched from Frederick City to Emmitsburg; weather rainy. June 30. - Remained in camp at Emmitsburg all day; weather rainy. July 1. - Still in camp at Emmitsburg. At about 8 a. m. Lieutenant-Colonel Bown was sent to mechanicstown with 4 commisioned officers and 100 enlisted men. At 9 a. m. the regiment marched from Emmitsburg, and arrived at Gettysburg, Pa., at about 1. 30 p. m. The First Corps was already engaging the enemy when we arrived at the town. Having the honor to be the advance regiment of the Third Division, we were ordered on the double-quick through the town and into the open fields. As soon as we arrived on the field, were ordered to deploy as skirmishers. We were no sooner deployed than we engaged the enemy. After a severe skirmish of about ahlf an hour, we drove them from the open field into the woods. We remained in this position enearly all the afternoon covering a section of Captain Dilger's battery, which he had posted near the line of our skirmishers. Late in the afternoon, the enemy's massed column could be seen emerging from the woods in overwhelming numbers, and being so inferior in numbers compared to the enemy, we were ordered to fall back to the cemetery, upon the south of Gettysburg.

July 2. - Still in position behind the breastwo4rks; very heavy skirmishing in our front. The expedition sent to Mechanicstown returned this morning at 8 o'clock; very heavy cannonading and skirmishing in our front all day. At. 1 p. m. 3 commissioned officers and 50 enlisted men were sent on picket, anbd 3 commissioned officers and 50 enlisted men were sent on picket, and 3 commissioned officers and 50 enlistssesd men were sent ot support Captain Dilger's battery, leaving for duty about 90 enlisted men in the line of the regiment. In the evening, the Sixty-first Ohio and One hundred and fifty-seventh New York Volunteers, under command of Colonel McGroarty, were ordered to our old position behind the breastworks, after having been severely repulsed by the enemy.

July 3. - Still in our old position.

July 4. - Still in our old position, with rain.

July 5. - Still in our old position behind the breastworks; marched at 6 p. m., and halated in the woods at 12 midnight.

July 6. - Marhced to Emmitsburg, and encamped for the night.

July 7. - Marched from Emmitsburg to Middletown, Md.

July 8. - Marched to Boonsborough, Md.

July 9. - In camp at Boonsborough, Md.


Page 738 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.