East Cavalry Field in Miniature
by Scott Mingus of North Coast Wargamers
scottmingus@yahoo.com

Situation ~2 PM, Friday July 3rd, 1863

CSA general James Ewell Brown Stuart had split his cavalry early in the Gettysburg campaign, leaving a few brigades with the main body of the Army of Northern Virginia to scout and to guard the army’s flanks. With 4 of his best brigades, Stuart headed north and took a position behind the advance path of the opposing Army of the Potomac, in effect cutting of Stuart’s line of communications with Robert E. Lee. Not knowing exactly where the enemy was or in what force, Lee continued to move northward, relying on private scouts and the sparse information gathered by the cavalry Stuart had left behind. On July 1st, Lee’s men had unexpectedly encountered the I and XI Corps of Meade’s army and a major battle had resulted in heavy losses to both sides. Stuart reported to Lee around noon to 1 PM on July 2nd after a brief firefight near Hunterstown with newly appointed general Custer’s men. Stuart posted his men on the left flank of Lee’s army (Ewell’s flank). In this fighting, General Jenkins was wounded. The morning of July3 rd, Stuart personally accompanied portions of Jenkins’ Brigade to a ridgeline east of Gettysburg where he deployed the cavalry in a woodlot near the George Trostle farm. A second brigade under Col. Chambliss (after the wounding of “Rooney” Lee at Brandy Station) was posted nearby also under Stuart’s direct command. Two other brigades (Fitz Lee’s and Wade Hampton’s arrived shortly thereafter and formed the left wing of Stuart’s force. Skirmishers fought with Yankees for an hour or so when the always aggressive Stuart ordered forward the 34th VA on foot to the Rummel Farm where another hour’s skirmishing took place, with the 34th being resupplied after running out of ammunition. As more of Jenkins’ Brigade deployed, Custer advanced the dismounted 5th Michigan.

As Lt. Col. Witcher added the 14th and 16th VA Cavalry to his dismounted skirmish line, Fitzhugh Lee ordered forward 130 dismounted men of the 1st Virginia Cavalry to a post and rail fence flanking McIntosh's advanced Federal skirmish line near the Rummel Farm. As Witcher advanced and the 1st VA opened fire from the fence, McIntosh withdrew his skirmishers back to the Lott Woods where they rejoined the remainder of his force. To check the Confederate advance, Custer's 5th Michigan dismounted and moved forward past the A. Little farm, following Little's Run until they passed into the open fields beyond. Advancing steadily, they drove Witcher's men back across Little's Run. At a distance of 150 - 175 yards, Witcher and the 5th Michigan continued the firefight, Witcher with .58 caliber rifles and the 5th with Spencer repeaters, which could fire 7 shots before needing to be reloaded. 

A key to the Union defensive position was the intersection of Hanover Road (foreground) and the Low Dutch Road (to the left). Low Dutch Road ran south behind Meade's main infantry lines, and as such, the road needed to be kept secure to keep CSA cavalry from advancing on Meade's rear. Harry Schneider's tidy farm was at this intersection. Just off camera to the extreme lower left corner, Custer has posted the 7th Michigan Cavalry to hold the intersection. 

Worried about a possible Rebel advance from the north down Low Dutch Road, Colonel McIntosh posts the veteran 1st Maryland Cavalry across Low Dutch Road at another intersection north of the Schneider Farm near the farm of Jacob Lott. This experienced regiment would see no combat this day, but would serve to keep the road in Federal control. 

Viewing the advance of Custer's 5th Michigan in the open fields in front of him, J.E.B. Stuart ordered Chambliss to make a mounted charge into the ranks of the dismounted Wolverine regiment. The 9th and 13th VA quickly rode past the Rummel farm in columns of 4 and fell upon the 5th Michigan's right flank. Despite withering fire from the 5th's Spencers as they refused their flank to meet Chambliss' threat, the Federals were forced to withdraw toward the Little farm. Pushing aside the 5th, Chambliss' men pushed onward towards the sections of Union artillery. Newly commissioned Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer rode over to his 7th Michigan, yelled "Come on you Wolverines!" and rode to the support of the beleaguered 5th Michigan. With nearly 400 men of the 7th coming at them, the 9th and 13th VA of Chambliss' command pulled back, as did the 1st Virginia's dismounted skirmish line before serious contact was made. Stuart ordered forward the 1st NC and the Jeff Davis Legion from Wade Hampton's command in Cress Woods. At the same time, the rest of the 1st VA (still mounted) pushed forward to relieve their dismounted skirmish line, which was now falling back. 

In the picture, Low Dutch Road is to the right, with Federal artillery posted near the Lott Farm (just south of the small Lott Woods) and the Howard farm and orchard. Stallsmith Lane runs northwesterly from its intersection with Low Dutch Road. Fences line the farm lane leading from Stallsmith Lane to the Rummel farm (upper left). Just below the Rummel barn is Witcher's dismounted men of Jenkins' Brigade along a fence not far from Little's Run. Just above Rummel's farmhouse is the wooded portion of Cress Ridge where J.E.B. Stuart directs the action. CSA artillery is with him, but they play no important role in the battle.

With nearly 100 men now casualties, the 7th Michigan began to withdraw past the Jacob Lott farm towards Low Dutch Road. Union artillery fired canister at the Rebel horsemen as they continued forward, checking their advance. Desperately seeking reinforcements, Custer rode ahead of the retiring 7th Michigan and galloped down the Low Dutch Road roughly a half mile to its intersection with the Hanover Road. Custer ordered the 1st Michigan under Col. Town to draw sabers and charge the Rebels who were still milling around the fields around the Lott and Rummel farms. As the 1st Michigan advanced, Fitz Lee and Wade Hampton advanced 5 more regiments of Rebel cavalry (Phillips Legion, 1st SC, 2nd SC from Hampton and the 2nd and 3rd VA from Lee) towards the oncoming Wolverines. They collected the remnants of the 1st VA, Jeff Davis Legion, and the 1st NC along the way as they rode forward. Approximately 1500 Rebels charged into heavy artillery fire and the 1st Michigan's 400 men. Hemmed in by high sturdy fences, Lee and Hampton could not advance on as broad of a front as they would have liked. McIntosh gathered what men from his brigade as he could locate, along with the still-formed 1st NJ Cavalry and rapidly rushed forth from the Lott Woods towards the Rebels' exposed left flank. Almost simultaneously, four companies of the 5th Michigan mounted and under Col. Alger, ripped into Hampton's right flank. Wild hand-to-hand combat ensued, and General Wade Hampton was wounded with a saber cut. Fitz Lee was nearly captured in the brief but vicious melee. 

After 10 minutes of close combat, and with the 1st NJ threatening to turn his flank, Fitz Lee withdrew the two brigades back to the Rummel farm and the shelter of Stuart's horse artillery. Lt. Col. Witcher again moved forward his skirmish line to ease any chance of the Union horsemen following Lee. The 6th Michigan and Witcher's regiments dueled in skirmish formation for a while, but in effect the action was over. Both sides had lost around 300 men, and held their original positions at the end of the combat.