The First Day of the Battle of Gettysburg
By Ted Cooper 1st Day AM Battle After Hookers defeat at Chancellorsville, Lee decides to invade into the North. Lee’s goal in this campaign is to relieve Virginia from another long drawn out summer of battles. Lee also hopes fighting on Northern ground when elections are near will create local dissent with pro-war candidates. Which could potentially lead to peace with the South. Hooker, seeing Lee’s armies retreating south, missteps and doesn’t realize Lee is maneuvering westward due to J.E.B. Stewart’s cavalry. Stewart’s movements against the rear of the Union army reinforces Hooker’s belief they are intending to attack the supply lines. These maneuvers mask Lee’s march through Culpeper and then the Blue Ridge Mountains. By the time Hooker starts to march North across the Rappahannock River, Lee is already inside Pennsylvania. The Army of the Potomac is forced to march many miles in order to catch up to Lee’s troops. As the Army marched closer to the Confederates position they heard shots firing off in the distance. The Iron Brigade (2nd, 6th, 7th WI, 19th IN, and 24th MI) are one of the first infantry units to enter the conflict on the morning of July 1st which became the Battle of Gettysburg. Before the Iron Brigade enters Gettysburg they see that the Union cavalry under General Buford is under attack by two Confederate brigades (Heth’s Division) on the Chambersburg Pike. Being ordered “Forward, double quick” they march to the left of the town towards Seminary Ridge. On Seminary Ridge the brigade is ordered “by company into line” to form a line of battle with the 6th Wisconsin in reserve. As the Iron Brigade advanced toward McPherson’s Ridge the Union Cavalry is retreating from heavy fire from confederate soldiers. The Iron Brigade, advanced and pushed the confederate forces past McPherson’s Ridge into the woods beyond. As the brigade enters the woods from the east, Archer’s brigade enters from the west crossing Willoughby Run. The 19th Indiana and the 24th Michigan advance ahead of the rest of the brigade into the woods. As the confederate forces get closer they realize they are fighting the “Black Hats” and not a Pennsylvania militia group they have seen recently. This causes Archer’s brigade to pause while, “Badger, Hoosier and Wolverine, swinging round him from the south” (King, 308) charge forward towards the confederates. Archers battalion quickly start to retreat back across the Willoughby Run. They ran an additional one hundred yards before the officers could gain control over the troops. Archer and about half of his men were taken captive during this battle. Archer famously becomes the first “general officer” to be captured since Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of Virginia. !st Day PM Battle The 6th Wisconsin which earlier were placed in reserve, marches north to assist the 14th Brooklyn Militia who are under attack from the north. Three Mississippi regiments have positioned itself in a railroad cut. The 6th Wisconsin’s right wing swung out “so as to sweep the cut from end to end”(King, 310) The confederates surrender when they become surrounded. A pause in action happens around 12:30 in which “the men went about destroying Rebel guns and drinking their coffee” (Dunn, 189) General Meredith, who is in command of the Iron Brigade, aligned his men in front of the remainder of Heth’s Division. The 19th Indiana are moved to the left flank of the Iron Brigade, switching positions with the 24th MI. On the other side of the field Heth’s Division reforms and waits for reinforcements. A.P. Hill’s nine regiments form on Ewells right which places him in front of the Iron Brigade. Union reinforcements are also showing up to bolster their lines. The Eleventh Corps arrives and are placed on the right of the First Corps. The Iron Brigades position in McPherson’s Woods separates them from the remainder of the army on McPherson’s Ridge. Some of First Corps brigades are placed near the woods as reinforcements. The Third Division of the First Corps under Col. Stone formed to the right rear of the Iron Brigade. Also Col. Biddle from the same division formed on the left rear of the Iron Brigade. Unfortunately for the Iron Brigade, Biddle’s Brigade are placed in a ravine in which it is exposed to Confederate artillery fire. When the Confederate artillery opens up on their position the regiment retreats near to McPherson’s Ridge. Which leaves the 19th Indiana’s flank exposed. Meredith sends a messenger to General Wadsworth who was in command of the First Division of the I Corps to get permission to fall back “two hundred yards”. Wadsworth rejected Meredith and told him “Present my compliments to General Meredith … with the Iron Brigade in possession of McPherson’s Woods, I have no fear for our left flank.”(Dunn, 189) At around 3:00 pm the confederates start to advance on the Union line. As they advance several regiments “envelope”(King, 315) the Iron brigade. The Iron Brigade form in a semicircle and attempt to hold their ground against a greater force. The Iron Brigade held on desperately to their position in the McPherson’s Woods. On the right side of the line the eleventh corps falls back shortly after the first wave of Confederates. The colors of the 19th Indiana fell from heavy losses to the color company. Lt. Macy of Co. C told a private to pick up the colors, in which he refused. Lt. Macy eventually, after several from Co. K were shot, retrieved the flag through a “hailstorm of bullets.”(Dunn, 191) The overwhelming numbers of Hill’s army or the left flank force Gen. Meredith to order the Iron Brigade to fall back to McPherson’s Ridge. The brigade hopes to form up next to Biddle’s Brigade who are still positioned on the left flank of the 19th Indiana back at the ridge. As they retreat the 19th Indiana wheel left and fire a volley at the flank of the Twenty-Sixth North Carolinians who were approaching them. During this period of time a artillery shell struck Gen. Merediths horse which kills the horse instantly. A piece of shrapnel strikes him in the head and his horse falls on him fracturing some of his ribs. Heavy loses force the Union forces to retreat to Seminary Ridge behind fences. They fight several waves of Confederates including new regiments that have added to their strength. As more of the Eleventh Corps desert Wadsworth has the remnants of his division retreat to Cemetery Hill which is on the other side of the town. Some Confederates have arrived at the town before the general retreat due to the Eleventh Corps early retreat. This causes street to street fighting as well as soldiers trying to hid in houses and cellars who latter are taken prisoner. As the remaining soldiers reach Cemetery Hill they form a new line under Gen. Winfield Hancock awaiting the next attack. Generals Hill and Ewell received orders sent by Gen. Lee that Cemetery Hill should be taken “if practicable”. Ewell decides not to press the attack due to his feeling that Cemetery Hill is too risky. This decision could have possibly turned the eventual Union victory into a defeat. The men of the Iron Brigade fought bravely during the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The cost to the Iron Brigade was heavy the Brigade entered Gettysburg on the Emmitsburg Pike with 1,883 strong.On the last day of fighting they had 189 men. Of the 19th Indiana 288 soldiers entered the conflict and 78 remained. Of the 27 officers only 9 reported for duty after the battle was over. SOURCES Books Iron Men, Iron Will by Craig L. Dunn (1995 -Indiana Author) An Irishman in the Iron Brigade by Wiliam J.K Beaudot and Lance J. Heredegen (1993) The Iron Brigade by Charles King (Sept, 1902) Internet Sources Civil War Trust- Gettysburg http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg.html Wikipedia- Battle of Gettysburg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg Wikipedia- Order of Battle at Gettysburg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Union_order_of_battle Unrelated to the Iron Brigade Harvestfields of Death: the Twentieth Indiana at Gettysburg by Craig L. Dunn (1999)
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Civil War Cartridge Boxes of the Union Infantryman.
by Paul D Johnson I was rather pleased to find this book at the Indy Half price Books, left in with a number of other rare (and expensive) civil war books. “Cartridge boxes” was one of those books (much like “Us Army and Militia Canteen 1775-1910) that I always wanted to read but never really wanted to pony up the dough for. I knew it would be good, and I knew it would be worth it, but it would essentially be scratching my “Stitch Nazi” itch and little more. And to be honest, I found exactly what I was expecting. This book is an excellent resource for people who want an in-depth analysis of cartridge boxes used during the war. Not only does it describe at length each type and the major variations in the particular cartridge box types, but it also contains things essential to the living historian- Measurements. The book contains not only official army charts, but measurements taken from the originals pictured within (Including photos and measurements of the various .69 cal boxes and their dates of issuance, which is of particular interest to anyone who has a .69cal) It also covered one of my favorite subjects- Variants and alterations. Everything from photos of slits being cut into the backs of the early boxes to production variances and oddities, showing yet again that even with something as standardized as the cartridge box, you will still run into an odd duck here or there Another section that is of great interest to reenactors is the chapter on shoulder belts and accouterment plates which covers most essential information on the shoulder belt sizes, length and construction as well as information on the positioning and usage of the breast plate. there is also good information on the box plate, its size and position and the variances within, as well as a number of very useful charts showing what kind of leather the shoulder belts were and when they were manufactured. Information such as that is essential for the reenactor to properly determine what kind of belt to purchase for the impression at hand. There are only two major drawbacks to the book (only one of which is an actual drawback). The first is that there is a large percentage of the book (approx 1/4) spent on the “pattern of March 26, 1864” and the “pattern of July 4, 1864” While the information in there is excellent and very in depth, from a reenactors perspective, it is little more of an ‘interesting footnote’ as that particular model of box was introduced so late in the war, and there were so many of the earlier boxes in use, there are very, very, very few events where those particular boxes would be appropriate (which is unfortunate because a VERY large percentage of the reproduction boxes are actually the march 26th pattern and too late for us to really use- if there is a rivet in the flap holding the closure tab to the box, its a march 26th). I personally would rather the authors have spent more time on the earlier boxes and their variants. The second thing I would have liked to have seen was a study on the foreign boxes used by the Federal Army. There is ample evidence of the use of British and French Accouterments in the Federal army outside of the Zouave units that I believe it also deserves some time devoted to it. I hope that in the future we will see a publication covering those boxes as well. In summary, I personally rather enjoyed the book. It has a lot of very precise details in it and a number of things that I can use in reenacting to improve the accouterments I am carrying and to make sure that I am purchasing accurate boxes. It is a great assett to reenact ors, even if they just look through it to familiarize themselves with the originals and to learn a bit more about the mechanics behind one of the most essential accouterments used during the war. The season is still a month away and it is time to get your gear ready. So we will look at various parts of the gear and your actions that will make the beginning of the season go smoothly. Musket Clean your musket- if it is dirty now, do you expect it to suddenly not be dirty when the first event comes?
Leathers
Uniform
Haversacks and Knapsacks Look at your haversacks and knapsacks and see if there are any loose buckles or torn leather and replace them. If the haversack is looking worn, you may want to repaint the haversack and in this you have two choices, the easiest is to apply additional acrylic paint to seal it up, but if you want to be more authentic, oil paint can be used, but it will take a long time to dry, so be careful. Also oil paint contains linseed oil which is combustible, so be careful with the fabric. Drill Manual You haven’t done drill for a while, take a look at the manual and see what you have forgotten. We will do a shakedown, but it would help if you remember how to the manual of arms. This year we will work on these basics and some other things that will make the unit stand out, so make sure you are ready for it. Read! Look at various books and learn about the men you are to be portraying. Get a copy of Margaret Hobson’s book, and look up the various other books including the Iron 44th, History of the 44th Indiana, and That Wilderness of War. These will give you some good idea of the 44th in general, but you should also read Corporal Si Klegg and Hardtack and Coffee, which will give you a general idea of the life of the soldier in the Western and Eastern theaters. Roll!!! Remember, if you roll rounds now, you don’t have to later. We have 2 nationals that we are planning on and the last Gettysburg, I shot all of my ammunition, above 200 rounds. If you have the time, sitting and watching a movie and rolling is a good activity. Have fun and I look forward to seeing you in the field. Your Most Obedient Servant Orderly Sergeant Joshua Grubaugh By Ted Cooper Typical food supplies for reenactments At reenactments we try to portray the typical soldier as well as we can. When it comes to food you can run into issues with what to bring. Usually this is due to space or limited access to ice. There are some foods you can bring, that I will list below, that should last at least the weekend. This list may not include everything but should get you a good start on preparing for events. I also wanted to concentrate on foods that are easy to trek in and out of a campsite. You never know when you have to hike two mile or more out to a vehicle. Meats Bacon has to be first because of “Baconfest.” As long as the package is sealed it should last most of the weekend, or till Saturday night which ever comes first. If you can get your hands on 'dry cured bacon” or “slab bacon” it will last for much longer and you can carry it in your haversack.. Though the downside to those options you will have to cut the bacon off of the slab.. One pound is probably as much as you would need for yourself. A few other options that I could come up with would be pork jowl and corned beef hash. Pork jowl is much the same as bacon, it is cured so it would survive a weekend in your haversack. Corned beef hash I don't have experience cooking but will last you for quite a while and it has the advantage that it doesn't have to be refrigerated. Things I don't suggest buying. Salt pork is cured in salt so in order to cook it you have to boil the meat in water for a long time. I have never tried it but it seems a lot of work when you have other options to bring. I would be careful to bring anything that is a thick cut. They are harder to cook and no one one enjoys what happens after eating half cooked meat. Fruits and Vegetables Some fruits and vegetables that might work well at an reenactment would be apples, carrots, onions, peas, peppers, and/or beans. Some of these can obviously be combined with the meat and other food to make a big meal. Any dried fruits are a great food for snacking on as well. I would suggest if you plan on bring these pick one or two items instead of bringing several types. This will cut down on the food you carry with you and if you spread it around to other people you'll leave an event without any extra food to carry out. What is that stuck on the bottom of your Mucket! This category would include rice, hominy, and oatmeal. When you cook these be sure not to put too much in the bottom of your mucket, or else you will have a mess to clean-up. If you put a handful in the bottom, that will probably make enough for a full cup. These foods are great for there portability, you can carry these in a small bag in your haversack. With a minimal space you cam get a couple meals out of rice. Oatmeal has some disadvantages, you will need a lot of water to clean up your mucket. Some events water is a commodity and may be poor choice unless your willing to drink out of an oatmeal coated cup for the rest of the weekend. Breads and Cheeses Hardtack can be made fairly easy at home or can be bought at sutlers. This is good option to bring for nationals due to you may not know how far you will be away from your tent when your hungry. Other breads like rolls that have an hard exterior can work well in your haversack as well. Soft breads like french loaf can be taken to reenactments just make sure to leave them in the bags they come in. Soft bread will harden up if you try to carry it in your haversack. Cheese is an easy option; you can bring most brick or horn cheeses to reenactments. Cheese doesn't have to be refrigerated to last the weekend. Usually some kind of meat, bread, and cheese is pretty standard for what most people bring to reenactments. Potatoes You can bring most any type of potato to reenactments. Russet potatoes, red potatoes yellow potatoes, and sweet potatoes are the most common types bought. These are great for cutting up into bacon and adding a vegetable that you brought. I would suggest buying the smaller potatoes for nationals or events you know you'll be away from your tent for most of the wekend. The other thing to consider is how much to bring. If it is only you who is using them one or two will be enough for anything you want to cook up. Haversack Stuffers What I am calling Haversack Stuffers are small foods that don't take up much space. As well as foods you can consume without cooking. Stuff like peanuts, pistachios, dried fruit, trail mix, parched corn, and beef jerky are great for that purpose. Another good item to carry would be those single serve packages of lemonade or other fruit drinks. Lemonade and other like drinks are good because they will put electrolytes back into your body. Resources for further reading “Hardtack & Coffee” by John D. Billings “Life in Civil War America” by Michael O. Varhola “A Taste for War” by William C. Davis “Cooking on Campaign” The Stonewall Brigade http://www.stonewallbrigade.com/articles_cooking.html |
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