Today in History:

1051 Series I Volume XXVII-I Serial 43 - Gettysburg Campaign Part I

Page 1051 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.

I ORDERED UP THE SECTION OF ARTILLERY UNDER COMMAND OF LIEUTENANT CHESTER, OF THE FIRST U. S. ARTILLERY, ATTACHED TO MY BRIGADE, WHO OPENED UPON THEM. I THEN IMMEDIATELY SENT WORD TO THE GENERAL THAT A LARGER FORCE WOULD BE REQUIRED THAN MY BRIGADE. IN CONSEQUENCE, GENERAL CUSTER'S BRIGADE WAS DETAINED, AND I WAS ENABLED TO STRENGTHEN MY LIVE OF SKIRMISHERS WHO WERE THEN HOTLY ENGAGED. I PLACED THE THIRD PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CAPTAIN TREICHEL'S SQUADRON, IN A WOODS TO OUR RIGHT, AND HAD THAT PART OF THE REGIMENT MOSTLY DISMOUNTED AND DEPLOYED AS SKIRMISHERS, WHERE THEY DID GOOD SERVICE IN HOLDING IN CHECK THE ENEMY'S SKIRMISHERS, WHO WERE ADVANCING UPON OUR LINE FROM THAT DIRECTION. CAPTAIN TREICHEL'S SQUADRON WAS MOSTLY DISMOUNTED AND PLACED IN THE FRONT LINE OF THE PURPOSE OF DRIVING BACK OUR LINE. THAT MOVEMENT WAS IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED TO BY A REGIMENT OF GENERAL CUSTER'S BRIGADE, THE SEVENTH MICHIGAN, ADVANCING TO MEET THEIR CHARGE. I REGRET TO STATE THAT IN THE ENCOUNTER THE ENEMY SUCCEEDED IN THEIR CHARGE, AND COMPELLED THE SEVENTH MICHIGAN REGIMENT TO FALL BACK. I WAS AT THAT TIME BUSILY EMPLOYED WITH THE DISMOUNTED SKIRMISHERS, HOLDING THEM UP TO THEIR LINE, BUT WHEN OUR CAVALRY WAS DRIVEN BACK, I IMMEDIATELY ORDERED CAPTAIN TREICHEL TO CALL IN AND MOUNT HIS SQUADRON AT ONCE, WHICH WAS SOON DONE, ALTHOUGH SOME FEW WERE CUT OFF. THIS SQUADRON THEN CHARGED UPON THE HEAD OF THE ENEMY'S COLUMN. IT WAS GALLANTLY LED BY CAPTAIN TREICHEL AND CAPTAIN NEWHALL, MY ACTING ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL. EVERY OFFICER OF THE SQUADRON WAS WOUNDED, AND I WOULD PARTICULARLY CALL ATTENTION TO THEIR GALLANT CONDUCT. THEIR NAMES HAVE ALREADY BEEN HANDED IN. THE FIRST MARYLAND REGIMENT WAS PLACED IN RESERVE DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE ACTION, BUT WAS REMOVED TO A POINT ON THE EXTREME RIGHT, WHICH WAS REPORTED THREATENED, BY ORDER OF THE GENERAL. THE WHOLE OF MY BRIGADE WAS EMPLOYED, AND ALL BEHAVED VERY HANDSOMELY. I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MENTION THE VALUABLE SERVICES OF MY STAFF, CAPTAINS NEWHALL, THOMAS, AND LIEUTENANT WARD, WHO WERE AT ALL TIMES VERY ACTIVELY ENGAGED. CAPTAIN NEWHALL, MY ACTING ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED IN THE CHARGE WITH CAPTAIN TREICHEL'S SQUADRON. A LIST OF THE KILLED AND WOUNDED HAS ALREADY BEEN FURNISHED. *

I AM, VERY RESPECTFULLY,

JOHN B. MCINTOSH,

COLONEL, COMMANDING FIRST BRIGADE.

Captain H. C. WEIR,

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL.

REPORTS OF Colonel HORACE B. SERGEANT, FIRST MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY. HEADQUARTERS FIRST MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY,

NEAR WARRENTON, VA., SEPTEMBER 5, 1863.

CAPTAIN. IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDER FROM BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS, I HAVE THE HONOR TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING REPORT OF THE PART TAKEN BY THIS REGIMENT IN THE BATTLES OF ALDIE, MIDDLEBURG, AND UPPERVILLE: THE REGIMENT, LIEUTENANT-COLONEL CURTIS COMMANDING, THEN IN

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*SEE P. 958.

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Page 1051 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.