PENNSYLVANIA AT GETTYSBURG

THE FIRST BRIGADE AT GETTYSBURG.

BREVET BRIGADIER-GENERAL ROBERT A. McCoy.

ON the 3d of June, 1863, Brigadier-General S. W. Crawford, of the regular army, an able and gallant Pennsylvanian, who had won distinction at Fort Sumter, in 1861, and later, as an officer on General Rosecrans' staff, and also as a brigade commander in Banks' army, was assigned to the divi­sion and proceeded to prepare it for active service in its camps, near Washington, D. 0., to which it had been withdrawn at the urgent solicitation of Governor Curtin, who always vigilantly looked after the welfare of Pennsylvania troops, in order that its ranks might be repleted after the many hard-fought battles in which it had participated.

All then existing vacancies in field and line officers were filled. With some recruits, and the return of many from the hospitals who had been absent, wounded or sick, the division was soon in good condition for the field; and both Reynolds, of the First Corps, and Meade, of the Fifth, applied to the War Department to have it assigned to his individual command. After four months of monotonous picket duty experienced on the outposts of the defenses of Washington, it became irksome to the spirit of the corps, accustomed, as it had been, to most active and severe service at the front, and when rumors of a threatened invasion into Maryland and Pennsylvania followed close upon the battle of Chancellorsville, fought on the 3d of May, 1863, which were made significant by a call for the militia of the state by Governor Curtin, on the 12th of June for her defense, the old veterans became restive and petitioned the general government to return them to the Army of the Potomac. On the l2th of June, coincident with the state proclamation, though no danger was then apprehended at Washington of any invasion, Lee flushed and emboldened by his past

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successes, which he believed augured well for the success of other plans that were far-reaching in their effect, left his position south of the Rappahannock, and started on a cautious movement toward the Shenandoah Valley tending towards the north. By the next day Hooker was also on the move, closely watching the unfolding of the enemy's plan. After capturing Winchester, on the night of the 34th, the advance rebel cavalry, under Jenkins, crossed the Potomac and pushed rapidly through to Chambersburg, Pa., followed by Ewell's Corps, on the 16th, that raided by division, north upon Chambersburg, York and Carlisle, and also westward up the Potomac to Cumberland, Md. By these several movements Lee had hoped to draw the Army of the Potomac into Maryland and Pennsyl-vania, and then with the balance of his army he would move by Snicker's and Ashby's gaps, in the Blue Ridge, upon Washington, and strike from the south side. But the plan not having the desired effect upon Hooker, he suddenly pushed forward his whole army into Maryland on the 24th and 25th, and rapidly advanced into Pennsylvania with the purpose to plunder and destroy, if he could not succeed in transferring the battleground from Virginia. Hooker, who had advanced according to the movements of Lee, then started in pursuit, and on the 25th crossed the Potomac at Berlin and Edwards' Ferry, and proceeded to Frederick, Md., thus keeping between Washington and the enemy, who had crossed at Williamsport and Falling Waters. On the 23d, orders were issued from the War Department for the Pennsylvania Reserves to join the main army at Frederick, though the Second Brigade was detained for defense at Washington. The regiments of the First and Third Brigades were withdrawn from their various outposts, and by five o'clock that afternoon were on the move. On the 27th, the Potomac was crossed at Edwards' Ferry; and on Sunday, the 28th, the division reached the army at Frederick, and was assigned as the Third Division, Fifth Army Corps, the same position it held through the Peninsular campaign. To their surprise they found General Sykes taking command as successor to General Meade, who, that morning, had received the appointment of commander of the Army of the Potomac, in place of Hooker, suddenly relieved at his own request. The same breath that heralded to the astonished troops the retirement of the one, through his own farewell

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order to the army, announced the appointment of the other, and his acceptance of the command. And whatever may have been the private individual judgment, not a murmur of discontent arose from that well-disciplined and loyal body of men to question the wisdom that decided the rise and fall of its commanders. Space will not permit going into the details of this sudden change on the eve of a great battle, nor the cause that inspired it; suffice it to say that they were neither just nor generous to "fighting Joe Hooker," nor creditable to General-in-Chief Halleck.

As a part of the secret and unwritten history, of the selection of a successor to Hooker, when it had been determined to relieve him, it is worthy of record that from the long list of able generals in the Army of the Potomac, the only names voted upon by the Cabinet for the position were Reynolds and Meade, both of whom had risen into fame as commanders of the Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps. No greater compliment could have been paid to the corps than this, and the fact, that in consideration of its two great chieftains, a single vote alone decided which should wear the highest honors. From Frederick the division moved at noon on the 29th, as rear guard to the long artillery and ammunition trains, which at times greatly impeded progress, but after long delays, it moved so rapidly forward that lost time was recovered in very severe marches, reaching Uniontown, Maryland, on the evening of the 30th, where it encamped for the night. On the afternoon of July 1st, the division was halted at the state line to hear a most patriotic and stirring address from General Crawford. Looking over into their own loved state with all the pride of their patriotic hearts, the enthusiasm of the men became almost unbounded, and as they crossed the line with cheer after cheer there was determination to fight as they had never fought before to drive the in­vader from the soil of their native state. The march from the state line to Gettysburg, via Hanover and McSherrystown, was almost continuous and very fatiguing, and, as but little time could be allowed for either sleep or rest, sorely tried the physical endurance of the men. But they were in most excellent spirits, and but little straggling took place. Perhaps never was greater effort made to keep up, and as they approached Gettysburg, knowing that the battle had already

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been forced and that General Reynolds had fallen, it proved, a stimulus to more than ordinary power to overcome fatigue, and helped the sick and the weak to force their waning strength. The death of General Reynolds was received with demonstrations of sincere sorrow by the old Reserves. He was the only one of the original quartette of her commanders that death had summoned, and from the battlefield. Brave, generous and true, his courage never failed where duty called. It was while conspicuously prominent in posting his troops, July 1st.—a target for the enemy's fire, that the fatal bullet pierced his neck and he fell—dying almost instantly. His remains were taken to Lancaster, the city of his birth, where, on July 4th, midst tolling bells and muffled drums, and solemn requiems sadly chanted—all that was mortal was laid away in quiet rest until that day when carnal strife is lost in everlasting peace. The division arrived on the field of battle on the morning of Thursday, the 2d of July, and joined the Fifth Corps at a point where the Baltimore pike crosses Rock creek, and was posted in the rear of the right of the line of the army as a support, that position being then threatened by the enemy. About three o'clock the Fifth Corps was moved from its position near the extreme right to the left of the line where General Crawford was ordered to mass the division near the east slope of Little Round Top, where guns and ammunition were inspected. The men were impatient to engage in the terrible conflict raging in their front, and into which they knew they would soon be ordered, but for the time being the

topography hid from them the panorama of bloody war taking place in their front.

The line of battle for the second day lay along Cemetery Ridge from Culp's Hill, on the right, to Round Top, on the left, and the disposition of the troops was as follows: On the extreme right, on Culp's Hill, with its right flank extending to Rock creek and the Baltimore pike, lay the Twelfth Corps, with Wadsworth's division of the First on its left; connecting on the left flank of this division, and along Cemetery Ridge, lay the Eleventh Corps, with the First, Second, Third and Fifth Corps prolonging the line to Round Top, or rather such appears to have been the plan of the original line. But in taking position that afternoon the Third Corps, General Sickles, advanced to a ridge about three-quarters of a mile to the

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front, along and beyond the Emmitsburg road, into the presence of a large body of the rebel army, with his line on the right stretching along the front of a part of the Second Corps, and the left down through the peach orchard, wheatfield and woods to the Devil's Den, in the ravine in front of Round Top. The position was one of extreme peril, and troops less brave and disciplined than the gallant old Third Corps would not have battled as they did against such odds until relief came. General Hancock placed his First Division to cover its right flank, and sent Caldwell's division to strengthen the line on the left. Fortunately the Fifth Corps had just arrived, and Griffin's division, commanded by Barnes, and Ayres' division, regulars, were also thrown in on the left, where the most desperate struggle ensued for the possession of Round Top. While this contest was raging, and the Union forces battled and held their ground as a wall of iron, General Sykes ordered General Crawford to the slope of the rocky ridge to the right  and front of Little Round Top, to cover the troops engaged in the front should it become necessary for them to fall back. This movement placed the Third Brigade pretty well down the rocky slope with the Eleventh Regiment in the rear of the brigade and in front of the First Regiment of the First Brigade.

At this juncture, and while the division was being massed left in front, an order was received by General Crawford to send one of his brigades to the assistance of Vincent, then closely engaged with the enemy on the slopes of Big Round Top; Fisher's Third Brigade was designated for this service, and filed out by regiment to the left. While this movement was being executed our troops in front, borne down by superior numbers and pressed back, though contesting every inch of ground from the peach orchard to the wheatfield and  stone wall suddenly broke and fell back in confusion across Plum run, closely pursued by the enemy who sought to cut through the Union forces and seize the batteries on the left with Weed's Hill and Round Top. The moment of time was most critical. On it hung the destiny of the day, and the fate of the battle of Gettysburg—for a two days' loss of position would scarcely insure victory for the third. To stem the tide of disaster, General Crawford personally ordered Colonel Jackson not to move the Eleventh Regiment out with the

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Third Brigade, but to remain in position where he was, in front of the First Brigade. The First Brigade then moved rapidly forward to the ground vacated by the four regiments of Fisher's- brigade. This placed the men within the range of the enemy's musketry fire, which was particularly severe on the Eleventh Regiment. Here Lieutenant John O'Hara Woods and a number of enlisted men were killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel Porter and Lieutenant Fulton and many men wounded, with casualties in each of the other regiments of the bri­gade.

It was a position requiring the highest qualities of the veteran soldier, but the men who fought at Dranesville, Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mill, New Market Cross Roads, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg held it unmovable with their comrades falling about them, only eager and impatient to meet the enemy and add new laurels to those already won. During this time Colonel McCandless was forming his brigade into two lines of battle—the first line composed of the Sixth, Colonel Wellington Ent, which was to the right and rear of the Eleventh, Colonel S. M. Jackson, and the First Regiment, Colonel William Cooper Talley, on the left. The second line being massed on the first—the Second Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel George A. Woodward, and the First Rifles (Bucktails), Colonel Charles Frederick Taylor, on the left.

But before this movement could be fully carried out, and our front being practically uncovered by the broken masses of troops retreating past us, and the enemy being at close range, the front line opened fire.

The Eleventh was armed with smoothbore muskets, and, in addition to the usual charge of "buck and ball," the men, realizing that the engagement would be at close quarters, had added additional charges of "buckshot." Never before in the history of its service did the Eleventh deliver a volley with such terrible effect, each musket sending, as it were, a handful of death-dealing balls into the ranks of the exultant enemy advancing so confidently with shouts of victory. But it was only to receive a volley that sent many of them reeling in the agonies of pain and death, while their comrades, broken and dismayed, had no time to reform before the order was given, Forward, double quick—CHARGE.

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With the furious battle yell peculiar with the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, and well-remembered by "Stonewall" Jackson's men, against whom they were so often matched, the brigade swept down the declivity, following their gallant leader, General Crawford (who carried the colors of the First Regiment on horseback), over the boulders of granite and swampy ground of Plum run, deploying as they went and hurling back the enemy, drove him across the plain, over the stone wall, through the woods and wheatfield, until the lateness of the hour made it imprudent to push farther into the enemy's lines. But it was enough, the tide was turned, a portion of the lost ground regained, many prisoners taken, and the day saved, and by this charge, so daring, effective and decisive, was an inspiration given to the whole line that brightened hope and renewed confidence in the ultimate success that so gloriously crowned the field of Gettysburg.

With the exception of a strong skirmish line, the command was withdrawn to the stone wall and fence skirting the woods to the right. As they charged the regiments deployed so that when the stone wall was reached, the Sixth was on the extreme right, with the Eleventh, First, Second and Bucktails to its left. The Bucktails, in the charge, were met by a heavy fire on their front and on their left flank from the Devil's Den. Their brave leader, Colonel Charles Frederick Taylor, brother of the late Bayard Taylor, was instantly killed as his regiment took and crossed the stone wall.

The regiments remained in position back of the stone wall until late in the afternoon of the 3d, when General Crawford, under personal direction from General Meade, who anticipated another movement on his left, ordered Colonel McCandless to move his brigade, with the Eleventh Regiment of Fisher's brigade, forward, and capture the battery uncomfortably near his line, and ascertain the position and strength of the enemy be­yond and skirting the wheatfield. This movement was one of the brilliant dashes of the war, and is modestly and tersely told by Colonel McCandless in his official report: "On the evening of the 3d instant, I was ordered to advance and clear the woods on my front and left, to do which the command had to cross an open field about eight hundred yards wide. The enemy, noticing this movement, opened a battery directly in front. I pushed the Sixth Regiment through the woods on the

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right, and drove out the enemy's skirmishers and annoyed the gunners, causing the battery to slacken its fire, and as the remaining regiments of the brigade charged in line, and at a run across the open field, they compelled the enemy to retire. Having cleared the woods in front, and finding a line of the enemy in the woods on my left and at right angles therewith, I charged the enemy directly on the left flank, routing him, capturing nearly two hundred prisoners, among them a lieutenant-colonel, also a stand of colors. The field was strewn with small arms, two or three thousand in number, the majority of which had been piled on brush heaps ready to be burned. The enemy took up a new position on a wooded ridge about a half a mile in advance on our front, and were busy during the night chopping timber and fortifying." The second charge of the First Brigade was a fitting close for such heroic deeds, and when the strength of position of the rebel right, with its great number of batteries playing over their heads, the intrepid push into the enemy's lines away from all supports, thus recovering that entire part of the field covered thickly with the dead and wounded, that from their numbers only revealed how fearful and desperate the conflict, had been the day before, was truly a deed of humanity as well as of great courage. The enemy believed such dash could only be inspired by the advance of a heavy force, for it was made, as will be remembered, at a double quick, with only occasional pausings to fire on the resisting though retreating foe, and the woods alone prevented the enemy from discerning the insignificant number pursuing. As it was now dusk and too late to follow up the advantage gained, the command rested for the night on the position won. The men of the ambulance corps were soon upon the field with stretchers, and began as rapidly as possible to transport the suffering victims of the lost ground of the previous day to the care of the field hospitals, where their wounds were dressed and water and nourishment supplied for the first time in more than twenty-four hours. Such are some of the vicissitudes and terrible sufferings that war imposes. The night was passed in the woods in impenetrable darkness, as any fire or lights would have revealed our position, and well is remembered the sensations of that strange weird experience among the dead. Hardly a step could be taken without fear or danger of treading on some body cor-,

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poreal, whether living or lifeless, and the horror of ghostly thoughts that intruded was anything but composing to exhausted nerves and aching muscles. While feeling around for a comfortable place to rest, the hand was just as likely, as was the case more than once, to touch a form whose face was icy cold in death, as that of a comrade in whom the life blood was warmly and strongly pulsating in vigorous life. When the early dawn permitted, a look around, the first sight that greeted the eye, close at hand, was the ghastly one of more than one hundred dead Confederates laid out in line for the rude battlefield burial, from which their living comrades had been driven the evening before. The next day, the 4th of July, no advance of any importance was made by either army; beyond reconnoitering the position of the enemy in the immediate front, and sending the cavalry out on the flanks to watch and report the movements of the rebel force. Each army maintained picket lines, which kept up the usual exchange of shots, generally without results. Otherwise all was quiet. Meanwhile the time was energetically employed in burying the dead, caring for the wounded and distributing ammunition. After being under fire for forty-three hours, the command was called in from the skirmish line and relieved, about ten o'clock, and withdrawn to the stone wall, where it was again relieved, at one o'clock, by the Second Division, regulars, and ordered to the vicinity of Round Top, where it joined the Third Brigade.

The Confederates were elated with their past successes and confident of a present victory, upon which they expected immediate foreign recognition and aid from the disloyal element in the North, and to transfer the seat of war from the exhausted fields of Virginia to the fertile valleys of Maryland and Pennsylvania. They fought with unusual bravery and hopefulness until after Pickett's charge, when the legions under Meade, instead of a dispirited army were found immovable and equally determined to win success; so that defeat, after most desperate and sanguinary fighting for three days, with an aggregate loss in both armies of 54,000 men, left the Confederate army and people of the South more dejected over their cause and less sanguine of final success than ever before. Thus was the backbone of the great rebellion broken, and the

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historian has found in Gettysburg the decisive battle of the war.

England has "her Waterloo, France her Austerlitz and Germany her Sedan, but the loyal North with equal pride can hand from sire to son for generations yet to come her glorious field of Gettysburg. The days preceding the 4th of July, 1863, found the darkest period in the history of the rebellion for the North. Every interest was at stake, and gloomy fears pervaded cabinet councils and hearthstones. But when on that memorable afternoon the lightning telegraph flashed from the Atlantic to the Pacific: "Gettysburg and Vicksburg are ours," despair vanished and hope again sprang into life with a vigor never to be quenched until final victory crowned our arms at Appomattox.

Glorious 4th of July, 1776—glorious 4th of July, 1863—may their memories thus intertwined in the nation's heart, ever call forth our warmest gratitude. May the enjoyment of our world-renowned heritage of civil and religious liberty ever keep fresh the debt we owe to those who, through great tribulations, established our Declaration of Independence, and those who eighty-seven years later sealed the blood-bought treasure with a second sacrifice of blood-bought victory.