Today in History:

559 Series I Volume XXVII-II Serial 44 - Gettysburg Campaign Part II

Page 559 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.

this crossing combined to make it an affair not only involving great hardship, but one of great danger to the men and company officers; but be it said to the everlasting honor of these brave fellows, they encountered it not only promptly, but actually with cheers and laughter. We crossed without the loss of a single man, but I regret to say with the loss of some 25, 000 or 30, 000 rounds of ammunition, which were unavoidably wetted and spoiled. After crossing, I marched, by orders, a short distance beyond Falling Waters, and then bivouacked; and there ended the Pennsylvania campaign, so far as this division was concerned. I cannot, however, close this portion of my report without expressing my pride and admiration of the conduct of the men and officers of this division from the time it left Grace Church until our return to Virginia. Better marching, lees straggling, hardships more cheerfully borne, conduct in an enemy's country more commendable, and more generally marked by gentlemanly and soldierly characteristics, and, finally, better behavior in battle, than was exhibited by this division during that period has not been, and I believe will never be exhibited by any other troops in the service, By their conduct at Gettysburg, I claim to have won the expression from the general commanding the army, who saw their attack on July 1, "I am proud of your division. " Earnestly do I wish that the name of each officer and private who distinguished himself during this eventful campaign could with reason be enrolled here, to be transferred to history. I hope it will yet be done in a different manner. While I cannot mention all who won distinction during this campaign, it is my duty to record here the names of those officers whose conduct, either from my own observation or from the voluntary testimony of many competent witnesses, I know to have been such as to entitle them to the admiration of brave men and to the gratitude of a good people. First among them are Brigadier Generals Junius Daniel. George Doles, and S. D. Ramseur, Lieutenant Colonel T. H. Carter, Captain D. P. Halsey, assistant adjutant-general of Iverson's brigade, Colonel D. H. Christie, Twenty-third North Caroline (who has since died from the wounds he received), and Lieutenant Harney, Company [F], Fourteenth North Carolina, of my division, and Brigadier General A. G. Jenkins and Major Seeney, of the cavalry brigade. All the field officers, with one exception, are spoken of highly on all hands for their conduct. Appendix B will show what general, field, and staff officers were under fire during the engagements. Company officers did their duty nobly. The men generally acted in a manner worthy of all praise. Many valuable lives were lost during the bloody fight at Gettysburg; among them Colonel Christie, already mentioned; Lieutenant Colonel D. R. E. Winn, Fourth Georgia; Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews, commanding Second North Carolina Battalion, and many others. Among the wounded, I regret to have to record the names of Colonel F. M. Parker, Thirtieth North Carolina; Lieutenant-Colonel Lumpkin, Forty-fourth Georgia, a most valuable and estimable officer, who lost a leg; Lieutenant Colonel R. D. Johnston and Major C. C. Blackmall, Twenty-third North Carolina; Colonel J. N. Lightfoot, Sixth Alabama; Colonel R. T. Bennett, Fourteenth North Carolina; Captain Page, commanding battery; Colonel Thomas S. Kenan, Forty-third


Page 559 Chapter XXXIX. THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN.