Today in History:

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

Page 800 Chapter XXXIX. N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC.

of the Eleventh Corps, but afterward, by orders received from General Williams, we retired to an open space beyond the woods, where we encamped for the night. About 4 o'clock on the morning of the 2nd instant, I received orders to be in readiness to move farther to the front, in order to take up a new line. At 6 o'clock I accordingly moved my command to the front by the way of the Gettysburg turnpike, and, after maneuvering a short time, I was ordered to form my regiment in the second line of battle, parallel with and behind a stone wall, some 125 feet in rear of the first line. The Third Maryland Volunteers formed on the left and the Fifth Connecticut Volunteers on the right of my command. I would state that the position occupied by my command was some 200 or 300 yards northeast of the Gettysburg pike, on the crest of a hill covered with heavy timber. The ground was of a rough and rocky nature, and affording good means of defense. About 12 m. I received orders to detach a company of my command as skirmishers. I accordingly detailed Company K, Captain George W. Reid commanding, and said company was afterward deployed in front of the first line along the line of Rock Creek. My command remained in the position before described until 6. 30 p. m. (repairing the stone wall in the meantime, the regiments in the first line building, breastworks), at which time I received orders to follow in rear of the Forty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers toward the left of the general line. My command (excepting Company K, which remained as before stated) then proceeded toward the left a distance of some 2 miles, being exposed to a fire of the enemy's artillery, but without injury to my command. I was then ordered to form my regiment on the left of the Fifth Connecticut Volunteers, in rear of the Fifth Army Corps. Scarcely, however, had my command formed, ere I received an order to return to my former position on the right and follow in the rear of the Fifth Connecticut Volunteers. Upon approaching the former position on the right, it was ascertained that during the absence of our forces the enemy had attacked our skirmishers on Rock Creek, who, after a slight resistance, were driven back, the enemy taking possession of the breastworks built by the regiments in the first line, and the stone wall behind which my command, with other regiments of the same line, had previously formed. I was then ordered to form my command in an open field about an eighth of a mile in rear of my former position, on the right of the Third Maryland Volunteers, and parallel to my former line behind the stone wall. About this time I received an order to detail a company of skirmishers to report to Captain E. J. Rice, acting assistant adjutant-general, First Brigade. I accordingly detailed Company c, Captain S. T. Allen commanding, as skirmishers. During the formation of the line as above described, a volley was fired directly in front of my command (probably by the enemy's skirmishers), wounding 2 of my men and causing some confusion; order was, however, quickly restored. It was now 10. 30 o'clock. In this position my men rested on their arms during the night; nothing unusual occurred. About 4 o'clock on the morning of the 3d, some twelve guns belonging to artillery, posted some 500 paces in rear of my regiment, opened upon the woods in front of my command, and the skirmishers became briskly engaged. This state of affairs continued about


Page 800 Chapter XXXIX. N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC.