21. Abner Doubleday, senior officer on the field at the time of John Reynolds’ death, was the general who immediately succeeded Reynolds in command. Oliver O. Howard relieved Doubleday later the same day, but was not Reynolds’ immediate successor.
22. The Peace Conference was held at Willard’s Hotel in Washington, DC.
23. Both regiments were named the First Maryland Regiment. The Confederate First Maryland clearly came out on top, capturing the Union First Maryland’s flag.
24. The Irish Brigade’s chaplain was Father William Corby. As many of our players noted, the statue of Father Corby on the Gettysburg battlefield, showing him with his hand raised in benediction, has been dubbed “Fair Catch Corby” by those mindful of the subsequent prowess in football of Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish.
25. James A. Walker challenged Jackson to a duel after Jackson had been instrumental in having Walker expelled from the Institute for insubordination. The duel never took place. Ironically, Walker would go on to command the renowned “Stonewall Brigade” after the death of Elisha Paxton in May 1863.
In regard to your posting of the 17th instant, I respectfully submit the following on behalf of myself and my fellow Howard partisans.
Meade's Gettysburg Report - "Soon after making his dispositions for the attack, General Reynolds fell, mortally wounded, the command of the First Corps devolving on Major-General Doubleday, and the command on the field on Major-General Howard...." 27 O.R., Pt. 1, pp. 114-15
Howard's Gettysburg Report - " General Reynolds was killed at 11.15 a.m. I assumed command of the two corps...." 27 O.R., Pt. 1, p. 696
Pfanz places Howard on the roof of the Fahnestock building in the town observing when he was notified of the death of Reynolds. Captain Daniel Hall shouted up to him, "General Reynolds is dead, and you are the senior officer on the field." Shortly after, he received the same message from Major Charles Howard. According to Pfanz, it was probably Doubleday who instructed Hall and Howard to deliver the messages. Gettysburg - The First Day, p. 137; Gettysburg - Culp's Hill & Cemetery Hill, pp. 23, 411 n.20
Moreover, Coddington in The Gettysburg Campaign, pp. 275-6, questions the reliability of Doubleday's report of his actions on July 1, and says that he may not even have been on the field when the First Corps became engaged. He cites the following from Wadsworth's Report - 27 O.R., Pt. 1, p. 266, "Major-General Doubleday, commanding the corps at that time, arrived on the ground about the time, or very soon after, General Reynolds fell...."
It appears that most sources refer to Doubleday as acting or temporary commander of the First Corps as of the June 30, order placing Reynolds in command of the three corps of the left wing. Assuming Doubleday was "on the field" when Reynolds fell, to what command was he the "immediate successor" of Reynolds. If is accepted that no one would contend that Doubleday succeeded to left wing commander, the question would be, how could Doubleday succeed Reynolds as corps commander when he supposedly was already acting or temporary commander? Again, assuming Doubleday was "on the field" when Reynolds fell, was he the "senior officer" on the field? If Pfanz is correct, Doubleday himself did not believe that he was the "senior officer" on the field.
I set the rules for the game and I'm going to have to follow them.
Under Rule 6, players may receive credit for answers I had originally judged incorrect if they can cite a source supporting their answers.
Although my source disagrees (my source claims that Howard got Doubleday in considerable trouble by reporting to Meade, inaccurately, that the Union troops under Doubleday's command had "run like rabbits" - which sounded to me like Howard was acknowledging that Doubleday was, indeed, in command before Howard was), you have quoted a number of well-respected sources supporting your answer. Normally, I require only one.
However, Rule 6 also says that I will allow appeals if they are posted by 6 PM on the Monday following the Saturday when the responses were originally due. I will occasionally relax this deadline, as I did in Week 4, if I am unable to post my answers until Sunday. But in Week 5, I did post my answers early on Saturday evening, so the deadline of 6 PM Monday was not extended.
Your post was made shortly after 5 PM on Tuesday, so, with regret, I must decline to give credit to you and the others who gave Howard as the answer to that question.
Thank you for your consideration of my response. I guess I should read the rules as I was not aware of the deadline. It probably would not have mattered anyway because I normally do not have access to the internet on the weekends and only get to see your posting at work on Mondays when I get a chance.
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