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Michigan Dave
Muskegon, Michigan, MI, USA
Posts: 1382
 | | Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/24/2010 7:37:35 PM | What was the conflict like in the town itself? After the Union troops began to be overwhelmed on day one did they just evacuate through the village of Gettysburg, or was there hand to hand, or building to building struggles? What do we know about the actual battle and occupation of the town of Gettysburg in early July 1863?
Thanks, and regards,
Dave
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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| KP
Belle Vernon, PA, USA
Posts: 269
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/24/2010 11:39:54 PM |
Quote:What do we know about the actual battle and occupation of the town of Gettysburg in early April 1863?
Thanks, and regards,
Dave
--Michigan Dave
I'm not sure what this means. And I can find nothing on the Net.
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With respect,
KP
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| Michigan Dave
Muskegon, Michigan, MI, USA
Posts: 1382
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/25/2010 7:49:03 AM | Opps sorry KP, & everyone,
I meant July 1863, I guess I had a senior moment? What I am getting at is are there any good books on what the actual battle was like in the town itself, during the battle July 1, 2, & 3, 1863!? I quickly posted yesterday because I was late teaching a class, and I had April on my mind, sorry it was because I'm reading a book on the last days of the Civil War, "April 1865"! So please post what you know about what the fighting in the village of Gettysburg was like, hand to hand, house to house? I heard it really slowed the ANV down in their advancement, possibly costing Lee his victory? What say you?
regards,
MD
PS My next Senior moment question will be, "how did the Japanese do in the American Civil War?" LOL
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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| Michigan Dave
Muskegon, Michigan, MI, USA
Posts: 1382
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? July 1-3, 1863 | | Posted on: 3/25/2010 7:50:20 AM | We picture a conflict simular to WWII in Europe where Germans and Allies battled building to building? Or did the Union just quickly withdraw through town after being overwhelmed on day one? Also do you think the delay of getting through town, ultimately cost Lee a victory at Gettysburg? Do the townspeople describe what it was like when the ANV moved through and occupied their burg?
regards,
MD
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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| Dale E. Mallett
Bartlett, NH, USA
Posts: 1626
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? July 1-3, 1863 | | Posted on: 3/25/2010 9:58:12 AM | Hi Dave,
Other than Schimmelfennig's brilliant "duck & cover then attack 'em single-handedly from the rear assuming they won't smell you sneakin' up on 'em" feint that didn't quite work out as planned, methinks it was pretty much Union skeedaddling with some brief exchanges between the pursued and the pursuers, some of which took cover in private residences only to be captured later on. What defensive postures the Blue Team took were pretty short lived.
There are actually a couple of pretty interesting books about the subject with some good civilian perspectives: "Days Of Darkness" and "Firestorm At Gettysburg". "DOD" is available in paperback; "FAG" I've only seen in hardcover and is modestly expensive but is a good read. A word of caution about "FAG"; my copy and most copies I've seen have very poor printing quality in many places, so if you're purchasing try and thumb through one not wrapped in cellophane to ensure it's not one of the poor quality ones. Quality issues aside, "FAG" is a very interesting read with plenty of rare photos.
Also, "A Strange And Blighted Land" has some good civilian accounts.
Dale
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| jason
Arlington, VA, USA
Posts: 156
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? July 1-3, 1863 | | Posted on: 3/25/2010 10:21:19 AM | On July 1, you had some fighting in and around the town as the 1st and 11th Corps retreated through Gettysburg. It began with fighting in the Brickyard, and continued as the AOP fell back. I've read accounts of AOP batteries setting up in the streets and firing cannister at oncoming Confederates, but perhaps this is exaggerated. I'm sure there were isolated incidents of hand to hand fighting and musket exchanges in the streets, but not really on a large scale.
As the AOP moved to Cemetery Hill, the Confederates began to round up those who had taken cover in houses, churches, etc.
On July 2-3 there was significant sharpshooter and skirmisher activity on the southern end of town. Both sides took up positions in buildings and barricaded the streets. I believe this is covered somewhat in Pfanz's book "Culps Hill and Cemetery Hill" and Frassanito's "Early Photography at Gettysburg".
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| Wayne Wachsmuth
Shippensburg, PA, USA
Posts: 269
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? July 1-3, 1863 | | Posted on: 3/25/2010 12:42:56 PM | The accounts of batteries firing down the street actually happened. Maj. Brady of the 17th CT reported that he and his men had to rapidly get on the sidewalks to avoid the fire and young Albertus McCreary wrote of looking out of his basement window (his home stood where the Episcopal Church sits at Baltimore and High) and seeing a cannon fire. Additionally Capt. Irsch of the 45th NY rallied a good number of men in yards near where the Eagle hotel sat and held off all comers till late in the day when they were persuaded to surrender, an action for which Irsch was awarded the MOH. Several units stopped in the streets and fired volleys at the Confederates so it wasn't all a "foot race" to CH by any means. The Rupp house on Baltimore saw Federals on the south side firing back and forth at Confederates on the north side of the building for perhaps the closest "skirmishing. Lots of stories that I have covered on town walks through the years.
Wayne
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| KP
Belle Vernon, PA, USA
Posts: 269
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/25/2010 10:51:21 PM |
Quote:Opps sorry KP, & everyone,
I meant July 1863, I guess I had a senior moment?
--Michigan Dave
No no. I'm the ONLY person on this board to have senior moments. 
Seriously, I've read of many accounts about July 1st where Union troops put up a good delaying action, some were even aided by civilians who shouted out locations to AoP sharpshooters. And don't forget about the Union Chaplain who made the mistake of walking out to the steps of the Lutheran Church with his dress sword on his belt. He was quickly shot dead.
---------------
With respect,
KP
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| Dale E. Mallett
Bartlett, NH, USA
Posts: 1626
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/26/2010 5:45:25 AM | Hi KP,
Chaplain Horatio Howell's untimely demise has always interested me. IIRC, he was a staunch anti-slavery believer and was well respected by his men. Whether or not his happening to be wearing a sword contributed to the confusion that led to his death or not, I'm not certain. It may simply have been the result of that, for want of a better description, temporary insanity that seems to come over combatants during the high-stress moments of battle.
The stand made by Union soldiers at the Eagle Hotel (current convenience store site) was certainly a demonstration of determined resistance. And it must have been pretty cool to have cannon fire whizzing down the street. Some accounts even have a gun or two firing from the "Diamond".
Dale
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| texasbob
Texas Hill Country, TX, USA
Posts: 622
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/26/2010 9:33:51 AM |
Quote:Hi KP,
it must have been pretty cool to have cannon fire whizzing down the street.
Dale
--Dale E. Mallett
It's pretty hard to think of anything "cooler," isn't it?
---------------
Cheers y'all,
And with full respect for all who fight the fight against obfuscation, the sowing of confusion, deception, falsification, fabrication, and other intellectual dishonesties,
texasbob
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| Jim Cameron
North Bellmore, NY, USA
Posts: 940
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/26/2010 9:47:17 AM |
Quote:And it must have been pretty cool to have cannon fire whizzing down the street.
Depending on where one happened to be standing at the time...
Irsch and his men don't seem to have been in the Eagle Hotel itself, but rather in a number of buildings running from near the hotel back toward the Diamond.
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Jim Cameron
Every time I go to Gettysburg, I learn two things. Something new, and, how much I still don't know.
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| Dale E. Mallett
Bartlett, NH, USA
Posts: 1626
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/26/2010 9:52:22 AM | Hi Jim,
So accounts of Union soldiers occupying the Eagle Hotel are erroneous?
The thing about the traditional account of the battle that's been allowed to exist being found to be so wrong by present day scholars never ceases to amaze me.
Dale
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| Rick Schaus
Capon Springs, WV, USA
Posts: 504
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/26/2010 2:36:25 PM | Hi,
On 2 & 3 July there were a considerable number of deadly firefights between Federal 11th Corps skirmishers and Confederates occupying buildings nearby.
This is from the history of the 55th OH:
” During a lull in fighting, but under cover of the smoke which hung like a pall over the battle-field, a company of Rebel sharpshooters had gained possession of a house between the lines, but so low down the sweep of the hill that the Union artillery could not be depressed sufficiently to dislodge them. Every shot from this house brought down a man, an officer, or a horse, until the situation became unbearable. To dislodge them was a dangerous mission. It had to be done with a rush over mostly open space, and rushing against trained and barricaded sharpshooters is not conducive to long life. Volunteers were called for, and Captain F. H. Boalt responded. He called for volunteers among the men of the regiment, and instantly secured as many as were needed. He did not take many, possibly twenty or twenty-five; more would have attracted attention. With this little force crawling along the Taneytown road leading into Gettysburg and keeping under cover as much as possible, he was discovered by the Rebel line of battle before the sharpshooters in the house had grasped the situation. There was but one thing to do, namely, to go ahead, and that he did. He made a rush for the house, captured it, and held it during the remainder of the battle; most of the men, however, were afterwards taken by the enemy. This occurred when great history was being made, and beyond the view of ordinary observers.”
VR, Rick Schaus
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| Jim Cameron
North Bellmore, NY, USA
Posts: 940
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/26/2010 3:14:50 PM |
Quote:Hi Jim,
So accounts of Union soldiers occupying the Eagle Hotel are erroneous?
The thing about the traditional account of the battle that's been allowed to exist being found to be so wrong by present day scholars never ceases to amaze me.
Dale
--Dale E. Mallett
Dale,
I'm not sure I've ever read any that have them actually in the hotel itself. I suppose some might exist, but most accounts have them occupying a series of buildings along the north side of that block of Chambersburg Street, between the hotel and the Diamond. How close "near" the hotel amounted to, I'm not sure. In fact, I'm not entirely sure the buildings involved have all been specifically identified. It's a well enough known incident, but the details are a bit ill-defined.
---------------
Jim Cameron
Every time I go to Gettysburg, I learn two things. Something new, and, how much I still don't know.
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| Dale E. Mallett
Bartlett, NH, USA
Posts: 1626
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/27/2010 5:25:19 AM | Hi Jim,
You're correct and I seem to be standing corrected in my orthapedic shoes. 
I checked several sources last night and all accounts depict the Union soldiers holding buildings "around" the Eagle Hotel. I guess either the Hotel had a "No Vacancy" sign out front or the Blue Team's Mastercard was maxed out.
Thanks for the clarification.
Dale
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| borderstates
Raceland / Lafayette, LA, USA
Posts: 715
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/27/2010 10:57:35 AM |
Quote:Hi Jim, You're correct and I seem to be standing corrected in my orthapedic shoes. I checked several sources last night and all accounts depict the Union soldiers holding buildings "around" the Eagle Hotel. I guess either the Hotel had a "No Vacancy" sign out front or the Blue Team's Mastercard was maxed out. Thanks for the clarification. Dale --Dale E. Mallett
Dale,
As tricky as travel restriction are on bonus points and miles, maybe when the boys in bluse showed up the airlines and credit cards had decided to change the rules on them and they didn't have any rooms. Sleeping on (in?) the ground again ...
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Respectfully yours,
Mike
OUR DEBT TO THE HEROIC MEN AND VALIANT WOMEN IN THE SERVICE
OF OUR COUNTRY CAN NEVER BE REPAID. THEY HAVE EARNED OUR
UNDYING GRATITUDE. AMERICA WILL NEVER FORGET THEIR SACRIFICES.
President Harry S Truman
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| Rick Schaus
Capon Springs, WV, USA
Posts: 504
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/27/2010 12:17:12 PM | Hi,
45th NY during the retreat:
” We remained thus stationed about fifteen or twenty minutes, when suddenly our division bugler sounded the retreat, and then the double-quick. The latter, however, was not obeyed by the greater portion of our brigade, then commanded by Col. George Van Amsberg, and we retreated slowly left in front into the town, cautiously followed by the enemy in the rear; but when we reached the Eagle Hotel we were fired upon from the west. We pushed ahead another square towards Cemetery Hill, where Major Koch, at the head of the regiment, was, with many others, wounded, and the regiment turned back and entered Chambersburg street, and passed through the alleys on each side of the Lutheran Church, over the fences to Cemetery Hill with the regimental battle flags saved; but the first four right companies and portions of other companies forming the rear now also came under fire from the market place (likewise in possession of the enemy) and rear-faced against the enemy each way, holding them at bay. Meanwhile Lieut. H. Ahlert had taken possession of some houses near the Eagle Hotel, into which we all retreated, covering the Lutheran Church opposite. Being assisted by many soldiers of other regiments of the First and Eleventh Corps, we broke down the fences in the yards, and Captain Dietz gained more houses up to an alley near the market place, occupying windows, barns and alleyways from which the enemy was continually harassed, and several attempts of the enemy to dislodge us were repelled successfully.
Repeated demands to surrender were refused until towards sundown, when Captain Irsch was invited, after a parley, to come out under a safe conduct and see the hopelessness of further defence, which being accepted, he was taken to the market place where a brigade of infantry and a battery were drawn up. Baltimore Street, up to the base of Cemetery Hill, was filled with Confederate troops; the eastern and western outskirts were full of the enemy, and the fields in front of the town were massed with infantry and artillery, and no Federals in sight, excepting such as having taken refuge in cellars and houses were brought out as prisoners.
Upon returning and reporting what he saw, Captain Irsch, with other officers, ordered their men to destroy their arms and ammunition and throw them into the wells, and then all formally surrendered. While being taken to the rear past the College we saw many of our former prisoners free. As we passed the lane near the Mummasburg Road, where we fought during the day, we saw a great many of the enemy's dead and wounded, and some of ours.
… The remnant of the regiment, with its battle flags, reached Cemetery Hill in safety under Captain Searles, and supported the artillery that night and on the following day.”
(NY at Gettysburg, Vol. I, pp 380-1)
VR, Rick Schaus
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| Rick Schaus
Capon Springs, WV, USA
Posts: 504
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/27/2010 7:51:04 PM | Hi,
Here is another account related to the retreat of the 45th NY and, specifically CPT Irsch, but with a connection between him and a subject that has been much discussed here in past threads.
” Three or four companies of my regiments, led by Captain F. Irsch, became separated from the main body while retreating through the streets of Gettysburg. Hotly pressed by the pursuing enemy, they threw themselves into a block of buildings near the market place, from which they continued firing. A rebel officer approached them under a flag of truce, and summoned them to surrender. Captain Irsch defiantly refused, saying that he expected every moment to be relieved, as the Army of the Potomac was coming on. The rebel officer replied that the whole town was in the possession of the Confederates, and he offered Captain Irsch " safe conduct" if he would look for himself. The Captain accepted, and saw on the market place General Ewell on horseback, at the moment when an officer approached him (General Ewell) in hot haste, and said to him within the Captain's hearing that General Lee wished him, General Ewell, forthwith to proceed to attack the Federals on Cemetery Hill, whereupon General Ewell replied in a low voice, but audible to Captain Irsch, that if General Lee knew the condition of his, Ewell's, troops, after their long march and the fight that had just taken place, he would not think of such an order, and that the attack could not be risked. This story, which I have from Captain Irsch himself and which is corroborated by other evidence, would seem to show that by continuing as long as we did, our fight in the afternoon, in spite of the losses we suffered, we rendered the enemy unable, or at least disinclined, to undertake a later attack upon Cemetery Hill, which might have had much more serious results. There is, therefore, very good reason for concluding that General Howard rendered valuable service in not ordering the retreat as early as General Doubleday thought he ought to have ordered it.”
(The Reminiscences of Carl Schurz ...: 1863-1869, Vol 3, pp 18-19)
CPT Irsch was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Gettysburg:
” IRSCH, FRANCIS
Rank and organization: Captain, Company D, 45th New York Infantry. Place and date: At Gettysburg, Pa., 1 July 1863. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Birth:------. Date of issue: 27 May 1892. Citation: Gallantry in flanking the enemy and capturing a number of prisoners and in holding a part of the town against heavy odds while the Army was rallying on Cemetery Hill.”
VR, Rick Schaus
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| Michigan Dave
Muskegon, Michigan, MI, USA
Posts: 1382
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/28/2010 6:25:36 AM | Rick,
Thanks for those fascinating and informative first hand accounts, It's posts like those that make posting on MHO such a positive experience. It clearly shows how it took all 3 days of conflict at Gettysburg to led to a Union victory! The sacrifices of day 1, & day 2 by the AoP, lead to victory on day 3!
good stuff,
MD
PS Go Mountaineers in the NCAA!
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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| borderstates
Raceland / Lafayette, LA, USA
Posts: 715
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/28/2010 12:21:47 PM | Rick,
I liked the part about how played out Ewell's men were (in Ewell's opinion). Just another log on the fire of Ewell should have been able to walk up CH and take it at his ease.
---------------
Respectfully yours,
Mike
OUR DEBT TO THE HEROIC MEN AND VALIANT WOMEN IN THE SERVICE
OF OUR COUNTRY CAN NEVER BE REPAID. THEY HAVE EARNED OUR
UNDYING GRATITUDE. AMERICA WILL NEVER FORGET THEIR SACRIFICES.
President Harry S Truman
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| Rick Schaus
Capon Springs, WV, USA
Posts: 504
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/28/2010 1:47:55 PM | Hi,
Here’s one last account of CPT Irsch during and after the retreat:
” The regiments broke up into small commands, each endeavoring to escape and reach Cemetery Hill as best they Could. Captain Irsch's Battalion remained intact till Chambersburg Street was reached, which they cleared to the right and left almost up to Market Square, where a portion of the Forty-fifth with the colors ran through an alley just as the enemy was planting a battery on the square. Captain Irsch already had taken possession of a block of houses from which he and the remainder of his regiment kept up an incessant fire upon the Confederates. Many Union soldiers sought refuge in the same block, so that within a short time there were no less than 600 men barricaded in these houses. The street defense in that section of the town lasted several hours. Toward sundown the Confederates demanded the surrender of the gallant little band. Captain Irsch was permitted to leave the temporary defense under a flag of truce and satisfy himself that no succor was in sight and that further resistance was useless. He was escorted to the outskirts of the town and was soon convinced that nothing could be gained by further bloodshed. After a consultation with the other officers the men were ordered to destroy their arms and ammunition and surrender. Captain Irsch was sent to Libby prison. He made one escape, was recaptured and sent back again behind the walls of this dismal place of confinement.”
(Deeds of Valor)
VR, Rick Schaus
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| Rick Schaus
Capon Springs, WV, USA
Posts: 504
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/28/2010 1:50:04 PM | Hi,
Here is an account of the retreat through Gettysburg on 1 July, from William Ramsey, SGT, F Co, 150th PA:
”When I came through the town the houses were all shut up, so far as I saw, except one. which stood on a street which ran at right angle to the main thoroughfare. The house stood back having a large yard in front. An old man and woman and a young girl were busy bringing water from a pump or well, which was in the back yard, and serving it out to all who asked for it., some half dozen of us got a drink there and before we could regain the main street, four of the party were shot down by rebel skirmishers who had come into the town on the east side and were posted behind the steps firing at every blue coat they saw. Incidents such as these are all I can recall and, as I said before I do not think they would interest the general reader.”
(The Bachelder Papers, Vol II, pp 958)
VR, Rick Schaus
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| Lisa Shower
Gettysburg, PA, USA
Posts: 818
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 3/31/2010 8:14:16 PM | Some books that include some of this action include, "Days of Uncertainty & Dread" by Gerald Bennet, the above mentioned Pfanzs' "Cemetery Hill & Culp's Hill" and "Firestorm at Gettysburg".
But the most valuable accounts IMHO are the memoirs left behind by both the solders and the civilians whose lives were turned topsy turfy by this action. The civilian collection alone at the Adams Co. Historical Society would take a long time to read through completely.
Lisa
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"We never expected a battle..."
Jennie McCreary, July 1863
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| joe mieczkowski
Fairfield, PA, USA
Posts: 327
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 7/14/2010 9:01:57 PM | Here's a nice account from Simon Hubler, 143rd PA.
"Near the entrance to the town of Gettysburg our regiment
became pretty well broken up, and I presently found myself alone.
I hurried on toward town and passed a number of soldiers
sheltered behind a huge heap of oyster shells. The bullets were going
into these shells with a zipping sound, and I remarked to the men who
were sheltering themselves there that they had better be careful or
they would be captured. That was the last time I saw them, so I do
not know whether they were captured or not.
I struck off to the right and presently found myself on the
Baltimore Pike in the midst of the town of Gettysburg.
Before reaching the Baltimore Pike, however, I passed through
one or two smaller streets, and while passing down one of these
streets a party of Rebels came down a side street and saw me and a
man belonging to the 6th Wisconsin, and a third boy whom I cannot
place, hurrying along together.
When we saw [the Rebels] we started to run, whereupon they
shouted, "Halt, you Yankee sons of b------." We did not halt and they
immediately fired.
One of the balls cut through my hair just above my left ear,
and struck the man from the 6th Wisconsin, a big, tall, man, in the
back of the head. It cracked like a pistol shot.
He fell sprawling in the street. I looked down and saw his
brains oozing out, and then stepped over him and hurried along.
The next instant another ball struck my cartridge box, cut
leather of the short cap of the box nearly through lengthwise. I
thought to myself, "I have been shot in the hip," but I could still
run and proceeded to do so.
Let be understood that I was fired upon by the Rebels as we
crossed the intersection of the side street with the street on which
we were running."
submitted by Joe
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You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. -- Simon Cameron
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| artbagley
Tampa, FL, USA
Posts: 295
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 7/14/2010 11:25:03 PM | Lots of sniper activity from upper storis of houses/buildings in downtown Gburg throughout the 2nd and 3rd days. I'm not aware of any book-length treatments of this, tho.
Art "Multiple Shots, One Kill" B.
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| Ken250k
NY, NY, USA
Posts: 105
| | Mike, | | Posted on: 7/14/2010 11:41:02 PM | Hi,
Just another log on the fire of Ewell should have been able to walk up CH and take it at his ease.
Didn't both Doubleday and Hancock admit after the battle (after the war?) had the Confederates attacked CH it would not have held?
I can't say if their comments accounted for Hill's troops to the west.
I find their evaluations intriguing since the attack never occurred.
I don't doubt close quarters fighting in the town, nor do I doubt all units lost all cohesion. But as I understand it Early delivered a crushing attack on the Union right (Perrin too on Seminary Ridge) to the point some of his men may have been in the town before Union units from the ridges. I'm not envisioning a fighting withdrawal back to CH, more like fighting to prevent being captured or shot.
Good Luck, Ken.
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| Michigan Dave
Muskegon, Michigan, MI, USA
Posts: 1382
| | Re: Gettysburg, the battle in the town!? | | Posted on: 7/15/2010 8:18:26 AM |
Quote:Here's a nice account from Simon Hubler, 143rd PA.
"Near the entrance to the town of Gettysburg our regiment
became pretty well broken up, and I presently found myself alone.
I hurried on toward town and passed a number of soldiers
sheltered behind a huge heap of oyster shells. The bullets were going
into these shells with a zipping sound, and I remarked to the men who
were sheltering themselves there that they had better be careful or
they would be captured. That was the last time I saw them, so I do
not know whether they were captured or not.
I struck off to the right and presently found myself on the
Baltimore Pike in the midst of the town of Gettysburg.
Before reaching the Baltimore Pike, however, I passed through
one or two smaller streets, and while passing down one of these
streets a party of Rebels came down a side street and saw me and a
man belonging to the 6th Wisconsin, and a third boy whom I cannot
place, hurrying along together.
When we saw [the Rebels] we started to run, whereupon they
shouted, "Halt, you Yankee sons of b------." We did not halt and they
immediately fired.
One of the balls cut through my hair just above my left ear,
and struck the man from the 6th Wisconsin, a big, tall, man, in the
back of the head. It cracked like a pistol shot.
He fell sprawling in the street. I looked down and saw his
brains oozing out, and then stepped over him and hurried along.
The next instant another ball struck my cartridge box, cut
leather of the short cap of the box nearly through lengthwise. I
thought to myself, "I have been shot in the hip," but I could still
run and proceeded to do so.
Let be understood that I was fired upon by the Rebels as we
crossed the intersection of the side street with the street on which
we were running."
submitted by Joe
--joe mieczkowski
Joe,
Being able to run like Forrest Gump helped Simon! And of course at this point comes the million dollar question were the Yanks weak and disorganized enouph. And the Rebs strong enouph to take Cemetary Hill after their evacuation of the town? A question that haunted Lee and Historians for years afterwards?
MD
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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