Today in History:

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

Page 604 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

opened, and kept back the enemy until dark, when our troops were withdrawn. The enemy displayed one battery and 12, 000 or 15, 000 infantry. Total loss kin killed, wounded, and prisoners, 65.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant.

THOS. H. CARTER,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Artillery Battalion.

Colonel J. THOMPSON BROWN, Chief of Artillery, Second Corps.


Numbers 532. Report of Captain Willis J. Dance, First Virginia Artillery, commanding battalion Reserve Artillery.

--- --, [1863].

SIR: I beg leave to submit the following report of the operations of the First Regiment of Virginia Artillery during the battle around Gettysburg: The regiment arrived on the ground on the evening of July 1, too late to participate in the engagement of that day. As soon as we arrived, Captain [A.] Graham was ordered to report with his battery to Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, and was moved around to the left, and placed in position. The rest of the regiment bivouacked for the night, and, early the next morning, three batteries, viz, Captains Dance's (Lieutenant[John M.] Cunningham commanding), [David] Watson's, and [B. H.] Smith's jr., were placed in position, under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Carter, Captain [A.] Hupp's battery (Lieutenant [C. B.] Griffin commanding) being held in reserve. Captain Watson's battery was placed on the left of the railroad cult, on the front, Captain Smith on his right, near the seminar used as a Yankee hospital, and Lieutenant Cunningham on the left of the Fairfield road. At about 4 p. m. they all opened on the enemy's batteries, and continued the cannonade until about dark. They all remained on the ground during the night, and the next day Captains Watson and Smith were moved to the right of the Fair field road and placed in position. Two rifled guns of Captain Hupp were also put in position there, and, when the attack was made on the extreme right, they all opened fire on the enemy's batteries on our right, which were silenced for some time. In this position it was impossible to say what damage was inflicted on the enemy, because, for fear of injuring our infantry in front, we were ordered to fire only solid shot, but the firing was believed to be accurate and effective. The firing commenced at this position about 2 o'clock, and was continued for several hours, until the assaults made by generals A. P. Hill and Longstreet were abandoned. The night of the 3d, the batteries all withdrew to camp in the rear, and, on the morning of the 4th, two Napoleon guns of Captain Hupp were placed in position on the right of the railroad cut, and remained there till after dark, but did not fire. The rest of the Batteries were carried to the rear, out of range. During the night of the 4th, the regiment moved in the direction of Hagerstown, following General Johnson's division. Captain


Page 604 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.