Today in History:

1059 Series I Volume XXVII-I Serial 43 - Gettysburg Campaign Part I

Page 1059 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.

MENT TO MAJOR-GENERAL PLEASONTON, AND WAS STATIONED IN REAR OF A BATTERY IN THE CENTER OF OUR LINE BY A CAPTAIN ON GENERAL PLEASONTON'S STAFF. ON REPORTING TO GENERAL PLEASONTON IN PERSON, I WAS ORDERED TO RETURN TO GENERAL GREGG, THERE BEING SUFFICIENT CAVALRY AT THAT POINT, WHICH WAS DONE. ABOUT 9 P. M. I RECEIVED ORDERS TO REPORT AGAIN WITH MY REGIMENT TO GENERAL PLEASONTON, WHO ORDERED ME TO PICKET THE WHOLE OF THE LEFT OF OUR LINE TO THE EAST OF HIS OWN HEADQUARTERS AND IN ADVANCE OF OUR INFANTRY PICKETS. REMAINED HERE UNTIL 2 P. M. OF THE 3D, WHEN THE ENEMY BEING REPORTED ADVANCING ON THE LITTLESTOWN ROAD IN OUR REAR, I WAS ORDERED BY GENERAL PLEASONTON TO ADVANCE TOWARD THE RIGHT AND REPORTED TO COLONEL GREGG, WHO WAS ENGAGED WITH HIS BRIGADE, AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL ORDERED TO CAMP. ON THE 4TH, ADVANCED UNDER COLONEL GREGG ON THE RIGHT. ON THE 5TH, WAS ORDERED INTO GETTYSBURG BY THE YORK ROAD. ON THE ROUTE TOOK POSSESSION OF FIVE HOSPITALS AND ABOUT 300 WOUNDED REBELS. ADVANCED SAME EVENING TO STEVENS' FURNACE UNDER COLONEL GREGG, WHERE 1 MAN OF THIS REGIMENT WAS KILLED BY THE REBEL REAR GUARD. ON THE 6TH, WAS ORDERED TO ADVANCE TOWARD GREENCASTLE. CAPTURED 100 REBELS, 8 HORSES, DESTROYED ABOUT TWENTY CAISSONS AND GUN CARRIAGES, AND A LARGE QUANTITY OF AMMUNITION AND WAGONS. THE MOVEMENT WAS SO RAPID THAT OUT OF 250 HORSES WITH WHICH I LEFT GETTYSBURG, ONLY 60 HAD BEEN ABLE TO KEEP UP AT MARION, NEAR WHERE I FELL IN WITH THE REBEL REAR GUARD, UNDER GENERAL FITZHUGH LEE, AND ACCORDINGLY WAS ORDERED TO FALL BACK, REJOIN THE BRIGADE, AND MARCH TO CHAMBERSBURG.

I AM, RESPECTFULLY, YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT,

W. E. DOSTER,

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL, COMMANDING.

LIEUTENANT MAITLAND,

ACTG. ASST. ADJT. GENERAL, THIRD CAVALRY BRIGADE.


Page 1059 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.