PENNSYLVANIA AT GETTYSBURG
SERVICES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RESERVES AT GETTYSBURG.
Whereas, On the second day of
the battle of Gettysburg the Pennsylvania Reserves, then forming part of Meade's reserve,
were ordered to Little Round Top to save that position, the key of the line of battle,
from the then victorious enemy who had driven back the Third Corps under General Sickles
and the regulars of their own, the Fifth Corps, under General Sykes; and,
Whereas, By a counter-charge
of the Reserves they met and drove the enemy from said position and across the meadow
beyond the stone wall, which they wrested from them, and thus saved the day, if not the
battle;
and,
Whereas, In many of the
accounts of that day's fighting great injustice has been done the services of the
Reserves, they being in said accounts represented as occupying a position farther to the
right and not on Little Round Top, and taking but little part in said action; now that
justice be done to the memory of the grand old division,
Pennsylvania at Gettysburg. 101
Resolved,
By the Pennsylvania Reserve Association, that a committee of seven be appointed by the
president to prepare a full and truthful account of the part taken by the division in said
battle and submit the same to the association at its next annual meeting.
The
president appointed the following-named as the committee:
MAJOR E. M.
WOODWABD, Second Reserves, Chairman-
COLONEL W.
ROSS HARTSHORNE, Bucktails.
COLONEL
ROBERT A. McCoy, Eleventh Reserves.
MAJOR J. A.
McPHEERAN, Fifth Reserves.
COLONEL R.
BRUCE RICKETTS, First Reserve Artillery.
WALLACE W.
JOHNSTON, Sixth Reserves.
COLONEL P.
McDONOUGH., Second Reserves.
JOHN TAYLOR, Secretary.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
THE committee, recognizing the
importance of the trust confided to them, the many years that had elapsed since
102
Pennsylvania at Gettysburg.
with chain
and compass, accomplished the work, the results of which have been embodied in the report.
In regard to the misstatements that
have appeared in print from time to time, and the injustice done our division, the
committee deem it unnecessary to refer, believing the true history of that great battle is
yet to be written, and trusting with full confidence to the ultimate prevailment of truth.
They, however, deem it proper to refer, to some extent, to the articles published in the
Philadelphia Press of August 4, 1886, entitled “The Federal Disaster on the
Left," and on October 20, 1886, entitled "McLaws’ Division and the
Pennsylvania Reserves on the Second Day at Gettysburg," by "Lafayette McLaws,
Major-General commanding McLaws Division, Longstreet's Corps." The first article was
a reply to Major-General Sickles' Gettysburg address, delivered in that town July 2, 1886.
In it Sickles says, ‘When the battle of the 2d ended * * * Crawford's division of
Pennsylvania Reserves held the advanced ground I had occupied as far as the stone fence 'beyond
the wheat-field (italics the com.) ; and this ground, so gallantly won by Crawford and his
splendid division, he held all night and next day, and until the retreat of Lee."
(Crawford's official report.) One of the maps, prepared by Brevet Major-General Charles K.
Graham, accompanying Sickles' speech, as printed in the National Tribune, July 22,
1886, also places Crawford's Division on the west side of the wheatfield, which
doubtlessly was an unintentional mistake, as we will show we occupied the stone wall on the east side of the
wheat-field. This error must be kept in mind in reading both articles of McLaws'. General
McLaws, after quoting the above in his article of August 4, utterly denies the charge of
the Reserves and the capture of the stone wall. Quoting from him, he says, "I saw
Wofford's Brigade * * * emerge from the woods (evidently Rose's on the west side of the
wheat-field) through which it had charged, and I halted it, and asked what was the matter.
He said that he had been ordered back by General Longstreet; that he had driven everything
in his front and was resting under shelter of a stone wall at foot of Round Top when
ordered back; that there was no necessity for his coming." Further on he says,
"Up to 11 p. m. there was no advance made against Semmes' Brigade (evidently at the
Devil's Den), and as that command could see all over the ground from which Gen-
Pennsylvania
at Gettysburg. 103
eral Wofford
retired, they could tell if any Pennsylvania Reserves or any other body of men advanced on
that day, the 2d, to reoccupy the ground left vacant by Wofford. I feel warranted in
saying that there was no advance on the 2d by the Federals to retake the positions won
from them on that day." This article was
ably replied to by General Crawford, in the press, in which he gave the movements of our
division on both days with accuracy. His reply evoked from General McLaws his second
article of October 20, in which he substantiates, in his own opinion, his statements in
his first article. The general says, "I accordingly formulated a series of questions
which would cover the claim made by General Crawford, and sent a copy to General Wofford,
whose reply was never received; to General Humphreys, who commanded the Twenty-first
Mississippi, in Barksdale's Brigade; to General Bryan, who commanded a regiment in General
Wofford's Brigade in the charge of the 2d; * *' * to Colonel McGlosking, [McGlashan],
colonel in Semmes' Brigade on the 2d, and others." General Humphreys is quoted as
saying, "Wofford's Brigade was not driven back, nor did they go back because they
were afraid to fight. Wofford must have gone back by order from some superior authority. *
* * I did not know of the Pennsylvania Reserves under Crawford."
General Goode Bryan says, "I can
and do most positively assert that my command was not driven back, * * * and I further
assert that I received the order to fall back from a courier of General Longstreet. * * *
I also positively assert that there was no enemy on our right or front to cause us to
fall -back." (Italics McLaws'.)
Colonel McGlosking, or McGlashan, who
evidently was at the Devil's Den, or to their right of it, says, "It was now dark,
but we could distinctly hear great confusion on Little Round Top,—the men hastily
throwing up rock intrenchments, the officers cursing * * *."
He mistook Little for Big Round Top,
where he heard the tumult of Fisher's assault. Further on he says, "At no time after
the first struggle were our lines attacked by any fresh troops of the enemy. * * * I
positively assert that no attack was made by General Crawford's Division on any portion of
the line.
"I am aware that Wofford, at the
extreme line of his ad-
104
Pennsylvania at Gettysburg.
vance,
received by some mistake (?) an order from General Longstreet to retire. * * * General
Crawford may have made such advance, but there was no serious fighting at the stone fence.
Wofford's retreat was by order, and executed without fighting or being pursued, as far as
I could see, and was stopped by General McLaws in person, as soon as the mistake was
discovered, * * * but it left me powerless to continue the advance."
McLaws says, "On our left was
Wofford, but separated from us by the 'wheatfield,' which was thinly covered by straggling
men from Wofford and Semmes, and possibly a few of Kershaw's."
We have quoted in full to give
General McLaws the advantage of his own statements, but the committee can hardly
comprehend how honorable gentlemen, who doubtless sincerely believed in the correctness of
their statements, could have allowed the dust of time to so completely settle on their
memory. The committee recognizes that in weighing the conflicting statements, fair-minded
people will consider the evidence of General McLaws as entitled to as much credence as
that of General Crawford; that the Confederate officers's statements equals that of your
committee. Therefore, the scales being thus equally balanced in the minds of impartial
readers, the committee had to seek other testimony to substantiate their position, and
they are happy to say that it is of such a nature that the positive assertions of General
McLaws will be laid out as flat as the Reserves laid out his regiments and brigade on
those memorable days.
Captain George W. H. Stouch, Third
Regiment, U.S. Infantry, now stationed at Fort Shaw, Montana Territory, who, at
Gettysburg, was Sergeant-Major of the Eleventh U. S. Infantry, writes to the committee:
"On the 2d of July our regiment, then belonging to the Second Brigade, Second
Division, Fifth Corps, moved from the northwest slope of Little Round Top nearly to the
wheatfield, when it changed direction to the left and was advancing in this new direction,
when our right flank was turned by the Confederates. We fell back in great confusion, and
were driven to Little Round Top, followed by the enemy that had been in our front, and
also by those on our flank. While falling back, I, with Lieutenants Pettee and Elder, and
others, were captured by Wofford's Brigade and
Pennsylvania
at Gettysburg. 105
ordered
behind a large rock, for shelter. I could see distinctly over the wheatfield, and am
certain there was no organized bodies of Confederates in support of those who had charged
past us, nor were there any considerable bodies of stragglers. Some twenty of the enemy
were with us behind the rock for some ten minutes, when they were ordered to advance. Some
of them said they belonged to the Tenth Georgia, Semmes’ Brigade. Some twenty minutes
after our capture I heard the cheers of our men as they charged from Little Round Top, and
in a few minutes the rebs ran past us, and in such haste as not to take us with them. A
sharpshooter, posted behind a rock, immediately opened fire on us, killing one and
wounding myself and Sergeant Price. In a few minutes, however, we were recaptured by the
Bucktails. Seeing that this man loaded, aimed and fired as rapidly as possible, and
conceding even that it took two minutes for him to fire the three shots mentioned, viz.,
from the time we were uncovered by the enemy until we were recaptured, it would hardly be
conceived that a body of organized troops, falling back in obedience to orders, and in
regular formation, would be followed by the enemy at such a close interval of time.
General Crawford's forces at this time charged beyond the stone wall and reoccupied the
ground from which the Second Division, Fifth Corps, had been driven,"
Professor M. Jacobs of the
Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg, who was within the Confederate lines during the battle,
and who published "Notes of the Rebel Invasion," J. B. Lippincott Company,
Philadelphia, 1864, in speaking of that day, says, on page 37, "To us, however, who
were at the time within the rebel lines, the
result seemed doubtful. * * * At about 6 p.m. it is true, we heard 'cheering' different
from that which had so often fallen dolefully upon our ears, and some of the rebels said
to each other, 'Listen! the Yankees are cheering.' But whilst this—which we
afterwards found to be the cheering of General Crawford's men, as they charged and drove
the rebels down the face of Little Round Top—afforded us a temporary
encouragement." * * *
We will now see what General McLaws
says of July 3d. In his article of August 4th we find:
"As for the assertions that the
Pennsylvania Reserves drove Hood's Division back on the 3d, I know that no such thing was
done, as up to the time the order was given to retire there was
106 Pennsylvania at Gettysburg.
no firing,
neither by Hood's Division nor by mine, nor was there any infantry firing from the other
side. * * * Hood's Division retired because ordered back, and perhaps receded in more
haste than mine did, because the order for it to go was not given, so the commander told
me, until after my division had gone; and, as the positions I abandoned were filled by the
enemy (perhaps by the Pennsylvania Reserves), they came in on the flank of Hood, and his
left brigade had to go in double-quick. That the Pennsylvania Reserves there took after
them perhaps is true. * * * My division and Hood's most certainly occupied the ground from
which they drove General Sickles' Corps' on the 2d of July until after Pickett's charge on
the 3d, and this was done without any attempt being made to recover it by any opposing
forces; and the several Confederate commanders were resting quietly in their occupancy
when * * * we were ordered back to the main line. * *."
In McLaws' article of October 20, he
quotes Colonel McGlosking [McGlashan] as follows:
"On the 3d, about 2 p. m., we
were ordered to retire to our original position, and did so quietly and unmolested by the
enemy, leaving behind us the stacks of arms above mentioned."
Further on, the colonel, speaking of
Semmes' and Kershaw's Brigades, then stationed in Rose's woods, says: "They remained
unmolested in their positions gained on the 2d until ordered to retire on the 3d of July.
After they retired, the enemy advanced and occupied the grounds vacated, but not entirely.
Benning's and Anderson's Brigades, on being notified of the order to withdraw that General
McLaws had received, the enemy, coming on the grounds vacated by McLaws' Division, were
thus full on the flank of Hood's Division, and the brigades of Benning and Anderson being
nearest, had to vacate their grounds hurriedly."
General McLaws then says, "From
the foregoing statements you will perceive that it would be impossible for me to say that my command was driven back to the
advance of General Crawford's forces along any portion of the line held by me on the 2d of
July or on the 3d; but, on the contrary, whatever retrograde movement was made was done by
order of authority superior to those immediately commanding the troops which
retired."
In refutation, to all these denials
of General McLaws and
Pennsylvania
at Gettysburg. 107
his
officers, the committee states that in answer to their inquiry, Brigadier-General R. C.
Drum, Adjutant-General U. S. A., under date of November 29, 1887, informs them that the
flag of the Fifteenth Georgia Infantry was captured at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863, by
Sergeant James B. Thompson, company "G," First Rifles (Bucktails), and was then
in custody of his office; that a medal of honor was awarded to Sergeant Thompson; and that
the records show that over two hundred prisoners and many arms were captured by Crawford's
Division on said day.
Though
this does not seem to confirm the statement of McLaws that " they remained
unmolested and in their position," it seems to corroborate his remark that they
"had to vacate their ground hurriedly."
This rather remarkable statement,
taken in connection with what follows it, we also find in General McLaw's article of
October 20: "General Longstreet informs me that General Crawford sought an interview
with him * * * and asked him ‘what troops of his (Longstreet's) he (Crawford) *had
driven back at Gettysburg,' and that he (Longstreet) replied that he could not tell him,
as he was not aware that any one had attacked him at Gettysburg.
On the twenty-fifth anniversary of
the third day's fight; at Gettysburg, Generals Longstreet, Sickles and Crawford rode in a
carriage together over the battlefield.
"The carriage drove on to the
foot of Little Round Top, and the talk turned on the attack by the Pennsylvania Reserves,
after the failure of Pickett's charge, upon that portion of Longstreet's forces, which
were in the woods opposite the Round Tops. General Crawford described, at the request of
the others, the movement of his force, and recalled a statement that has been made in
answer to a published account of his, that all of Longstreet's men had been withdrawn from
those woods before the attack by the Pennsylvania Reserves was made. He asked General
Longstreet to explain how this could be, when the Pennsylvania Reserves, in recovering the
ground lost on the second day, had captured a large number of prisoners as well as the
battle-flag of the Fifteenth Georgia.
“ 'I can explain that at once,'
replied General Longstreet. After Pickett's repulse and the subsequent modification of our
lines, it was determined to withdraw McLaws' and Law's
108
Pennsylvania at Gettysburg.
Divisions
from those woods in front of the Round Tops. McLaws understood the order and complied with
it, but Law misunderstood and remained, and you struck Benning's Brigade of his division,
which contained the Georgia regiments.' "— Philadelphia Sunday Press,
July 8, 1888.
The committee, while submitting their
report, and believing that every man of the Reserves who was in the battle will freely
bear testimony to its correctness, know that it must stand the test of criticism of future
historians. They have no fear of that criticism, but submit it with confidence to the
impartial.
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