Today in History:

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

Page 566 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

to Shippensburg, as General Jenkins was threatened by the enemy. I commenced the march about l o'clock, and arrived there about 5 a. m., and relieved General Jenkins in command. On the 26th, the remainder of the division came up. On the following day (June 27), we marched upon Carlisle, where we remained until the 30th, when we marched upon Gettysburg, by way of Heidlersburg, and arrived within 2 1/2 miles of the town about 12m. At this time I received orders to turn to the right, and follow the trail of the troops that had preceded me. After moving some three-quarters of a mile, I received orders form my brigade in line about 200 yards in rear of General Iverson, my left in rear of his right wing, with instructions to protect the right of the division, and to support Iverson's right. I was also informed that Colonel O'Neal, commanding Rodes' brigade, was on the same line with myself, and would support General Iverson on the left. After remaining in this position for some hour and a half, I was notified by General Iverson that he was about to advance. Immediately after commencing his advance, and when he had reached the open field a short distance in his front, he changed his line of direction considerably to the left, thus unmasking such of my regiments as were in his rear. After advancing a short distance, General Iverson became engaged with the enemy. Having received no notification of his change of direction, I allow my line to move on, and rode to the front to reconnoiter. Here I ascertained that General Iverson had changed his direction, and was engaging the enemy, strongly posted in some woods in his front, and also that the enemy was threatening his right. This change of General Iverson's caused me to execute a corresponding change to the Second Battalion and Forty-fifth Regiment, was moved some distance by the left flank. I immediately moved the Second Battalion and the Forty-fifth Regiment forward, and engaged the enemy, very strongly posted along a railroad cut, and in the edge of the woods in rear of the cut, their line of battle being nearly at right angles with General Iverson's line, and supported by two batteries of artillery posted near a stone barn on the right of the railroad cut, and another on the hill to the left of the railroad. This line of the enemy brought a very strong fire both of artillery and musketry upon my own and a portion of the right of General Iverson's line. Seeing that the enemy was strong, and other troops coming up to their support, I ordered the Forty-third and Fifty-third Regiments from my center and right to the left, to support General Iverson and my left. The Forty-fifth Regiment and Second Battalion, under command of Lieutenant-Colonels [S. H.] Boyd and [H. L.] Andrews, moved forward under a murderous fire of artillery in the most gallant manner to a fence, under cover of a slight eminence, and engaged the enemy at short range, and by their steady and well-directed fire soon forced them to fall back. After seeing the Forty-third and Fifty-third Regiments (which had been moved from the right) in position, I ordered the Second Battalion and Forty-fifth Regiment, supported on the left by the Forty-third and Fifty-third Regiments, to charge the enemy, at the same time ordering the Thirty-second Regiment, Colonel Brabble commanding, to move forward on the right, and get a position where he could reach the flank of the enemy, posted about the barn and in the woods in the rear of the barn.


Page 566 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.