Today in History:

1030 Series I Volume XXVII-I Serial 43 - Gettysburg Campaign Part I

Page 1030 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

JUNE 19. -LIEUTENANT REDER ON PICKET WITH A SECTION, POSTED ON AN ELEVATION COMMANDING ROADS LEADING TO ALDIE FROM THE NORTH.

JUNE 20. -REMAINED IN SAME COMP. LIEUTENANT RODER RELIEVED AT DUSK BY FIRST SERGEANT NEWMAN.

JUNE 21. -WHOLE CAVALRY AND ARTILLERY FORCE IN MOTION AT 4 A. M. IN DIRECTION OF MIDDLEBURG, VA. MY BATTERY RELIEVED LIEUTENANT FULLER'S FROM POSITIONS ON RIGHT AND LEFT OF TOWN, ON NORTH SIDE. ABOUT 9 A. M. OUR CAVALRY AND ARTILLERY ENGAGED THE ENEMY SHARPLY, AND DROVE THEM IN THE DIRECTION OF UPPERVILLE. MY BATTERY WAS ORDERED FROM ITS POSITION TO THE FRONT ABOUT 1 P. M., AND JOINED THE MAIN BODY OF OUR FORCE NEAR UPPERVILLE. ENEMY MADE A STAND ON EDGE OF TOWN. LIEUTENANT RODER'S SECTION WAS THROWN IN THE EXTREME ADVANCE, POSTED ON RIGHT OF ROAD, AND OPENED ON ENEMY'S CAVALRY ON LEFT OF ROAD WHILE THEY WERE CHARGING OURS. THE ENEMY WAS SOON CHECKED, AND DRIVEN BACK INTO EDGE OF WOODS. HERE THEY REFORMED, AND CHARGED WITH GREAT FORCE ON OUR CAVALRY, WHICH, NOT BEING IN SUFFICIENT FORCE TO RESIST THEM, FELL BACK. AT THIS TIME THE OTHER TWO SECTIONS WERE ORDERED INTO POSITION ON LEFT OF ROAD. AS SOON AS THE ENEMY SAW THEM COMING OUT OF THE WOOD SKIRTING THE ROAD, THEY WERE HEARD PLAINLY TO CRY, "CHARGE THAT BATTERY!" THEY WERE THEN GOING BY A FLANK OFF TO OUR LEFT. ABOUT HALF A DOZEN SHOTS WERE FIRED AT THEM, CHECKING THEM EFFECTUALLY. I THEN CHANGED FRONT FORWARD ON MY LEFT PIECE, TO BE IN READINESS FOR THEM IN CASE THEY GAINED OUR LEFT FLANK, BUT THE MAIN BODY OF OUR CAVALRY ARRIVING ABOUT THIS TIME, THE ENEMY WAS DRIVEN THROUGH THE TOWN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE GAP. THEY WERE AGAIN CHARGED AND DRIVEN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE TOWN, BUT DARKNESS PUT AN END TO FURTHER OPERATIONS FOR THE DAY, AND WE BIVOUACKED FOR THE NIGHT NEAR THE TOWN.

JUNE 22. -COMMAND RETIRED TO OLD CAMP NEAR ALDIE. ENEMY FOLLOWED UP CLOSE AND HARASSED OUR REAR GUARD. BATTERY GOT INTO POSITION AGAIN TOWARD EVENING, BUT AS SOON AS THE ALARM WAS OVER WE RETIRED TO CAMP. ORDERED TO BE READY TO TURN OUT AT A MOMENT'S WARNING.

JUNE 23. -REMAINED IN SAME CAMP, WITHOUT ANYTHING OF INTEREST OCCURRING, TILL JUNE 26.

JUNE 26. -COMMAND MARCHED FROM ALDIE TO LEESBURG, WHERE WE BIVOUACKED FOR THE NIGHT; LONG AND SEVERE MARCH.

JUNE 27. -MARCHED FROM LEESBURG TO EDWARDS FERRY, WHERE WE CROSSED THE POTOMAC INTO MARYLAND. ALSO CROSSED THE MONOCACY NEAR AQUEDUCT BRIDGE, FORDING THE RIVER. BIVOUACKED NEAR PETERSVILLE, MD.

JUNE 28. -MARCHED FROM PETERSVILLE THROUGH JEFFERSON TO MIDDLETOWN, AND BIVOUACKED FOR THE NIGHT NEAR TOWN.

JUNE 29. - MARCHED FROM MIDDLETOWN THROUGH BOONSBOROUGH, CAVETOWN, AND SMITHSBURG, AND ENCAMPED FOR THE NIGHT NEAR MILLERTOWN; VERY LONG AND FATIGUING MARCH; HORSES VERY MUCH USED UP.

JUNE 30. -MARCHED THROUGH EMMITSBURG, MD., TO GETTYSBURG, PA., AND WENT INTO POSITION JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN. HILL'S CORPS OF THE ENEMY REPORT TO BE ABOUT 3 MILES FROM TOWN. STRONG CAVALRY PICKETS THROWN OUT ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF. OUR POSITION ON CARLISLE ROAD.

JULY 1. -ENEMY REPORTED TO BE ADVANCING IN HEAVY COLUMNS ON CARLISLE PIKE, AND PREPARATIONS WERE IMMEDIATELY MADE TO RECEIVE THEM. THIS WAS ABOUT 8 A. M. COLONEL GAMBLE, COMMANDING THE BRIGADE OF CAVALRY TO WHICH MY BATTERY WAS ATTACHED, REQUESTED ME TO SELECT MY OWN POSITION. I ACCORDINGLY SELECTED A POSITION ABOUT 600 YARDS


Page 1030 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.