Col Fremantle writes about the Battle of Gettysburg

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I just finished reading these excerpts of Col Freemantle's diary, the English officer who

visited the south at the time of Lee's advance into the north. I found them very

interesting especially his accounts of how he was received and the determination of

the southern people to fight until victory was won. Thanks to jessgettysburg1863 for the original post. It is too large to post the entire thing so I'll give you a tease and the link. here is the link:


http://www.newsinhistory.com/blog/fascinating-details-gettysburg-campaign

respectfully,

Napoleon 12 pounder

Fascinating Details from the Gettysburg Campaign


Submitted by tonyp on Fri, 08/21/2009 - 08:48
Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Lyon Fremantle, an Englishman who was a member of Her Majesty’s Coldstream Guards, wanted to take an unusual “vacation” in the spring of 1863. He was keenly interested in the civil war then raging in America, and so requested an official leave of absence to travel in the United States and see the war for himself.
From April 2 to July 16, 1863, Fremantle was a tourist with a front-row seat to the U.S. Civil War. He observed theBattle of Gettysburg perched in a tree, and had striking encounters with General Longstreet, and later General Lee, right after the epic clash known as Pickett’s Charge.
Fremantle had a great eye for detail, and wrote everything down in his diary. When he returned to England, he published portions of his diary in the September issue of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine. A copy of that magazine made its way to the editors of the Daily Richmond Examiner in the Confederate capital, and they printed the following excerpts in the Oct. 8, 1863, issue of their newspaper.
Tuesday, June 30

This morning, before marching from Chambersburg, General Longstreet introduced me to the commander-in-chief. General Lee is, almost without exception, the handsomest man of his age I ever saw. He is fifty-six years old, tall, broad shouldered, very well made, well set up -- a thorough soldier in appearance; and his manners are most courteous and full of dignity. He is a perfect gentleman in every respect. I imagine no man has so few enemies, or is so universally esteemed. Throughout the South, all agree in pronouncing him to be as near perfection as a man can be. He has none of the small vices, such as smoking, drinking, chewing, or swearing, and his bitterest enemy never accused him of any of the greater ones. He generally wears a well-worn long grey jacket, a high black felt hat, and blue trousers tucked into his Wellington boots. I never saw him carry arms, and the only mark of his military rank are the three stars on his collar. He rides a handsome horse, which is extremely well groomed. He himself is very neat in his dress and person, and in the most arduous marches he always looks smart and clean.
Wednesday, July 1 (first day of the Battle of Gettysburg)
At 2 P.M., firing became distinctly audible in our front, and although it increased as we progressed, it did not seem to be very heavy.
At 3 P.M., we began to meet wounded men coming to the rear, and the number of these soon increased most rapidly, some hobbling alone, others on stretchers carried by the ambulance corps, and others in the ambulance wagons; many of the latter were stripped nearly naked, and displayed very bad wounds. This spectacle, so revolting to a person unaccustomed to such sights, produced no impression whatever upon the advancing troops, who certainly go under fire with the most perfect nonchalance; they show no enthusiasm or excitement, but the most complete indifference. This is the effect of two years’ almost uninterrupted fighting.
At 4:30 P.M., we came in sight of Gettysburg, and joined General Lee and General Hill, who were on the top of one of the ridges which form the peculiar feature of the country around Gettysburg. We could see the enemy retreating upon one of the opposite ridges, pursued by the Confederates with loud yells.
The position into which the enemy had been driven was evidently a strong one. His right appeared to rest on a cemetery, on the top of a high ridge to the right of Gettysburg, as we looked at it.
General Hill now came up and told me he had been very unwell all day, and in fact he looks very delicate. He said he had had two of his divisions engaged, and had driven the enemy four miles into his present position, capturing a great many prisoners, some cannon, and some colors; he said, however, that the Yankees had fought with a determination unusual to them. He pointed out a railway cutting, in which they had made a good stand; also, a field in the centre of which he had seen a man plant the regimental colour, round which the regiment had fought for some time with much obstinacy, and when at last it was obliged to retreat, the colour-bearer retired last of all, turning round every now and then to shake his fist at the advancing rebels. General Hill said he felt sorry when he saw this gallant Yankee meet his doom.
At 4:45 P.M., all became comparatively quiet on our left and in the cemetery, but volleys of musketry on the right told us that Longstreet’s infantry were advancing, and the onward progress of the smoke showed that he was progressing favourably; but about 6:30 there seemed to be a check, and even a slight retrograde movement. Soon after 7 General Lee got a report, by signal, from Longstreet to say “we are doing well.”
A little before dark the firing dropped off in every direction, and soon ceased altogether.
In the fight to-day near 6,000 prisoners had been taken, and 10 guns. About 20,000 men must have been on the field on the Confederate side. The enemy had two corps d'armee engaged. All the prisoners belong, I think, to the First and Eleventh corps. This day’s work is called a “brisk little scurry,” and all anticipate a “big battle” to-morrow.
At supper this evening, General Longstreet spoke of the enemy’s position as being very formidable. He also said that they would doubtless entrench themselves strongly during the night.




 
I've read and it is very interesting. One of his statements that I remember was that to a man the rank and file of the ANV wore their toothbrush on their label, in fact this was as close to uniformity as they got.
 
He generally wears a well-worn long grey jacket, a high black felt hat, and blue trousers tucked into his Wellington boots. I never saw him carry arms, and the only mark of his military rank are the three stars on his collar.
Interesting, very interesting. Any substance to this remark that Lee didn't carry any firearms?
 
Interesting, very interesting. Any substance to this remark that Lee didn't carry any firearms?

I have never read where he did. Lots of officers back in those days did not carry any weapon. Kinda a display of courage maybe for the enlisted men. In WWI a lot of British officers went Over the Top with nothing but a walking stick. Me, I would have been carrying a Maxim machine gun if I could lift one. Patton of couse was always armed just in case he had to blast away in a field hospital at shell shocked cowards. Opps...that was not really fair. It was mostly in keeping with his "warrior" look which he cultivated. His persona. And the men (some of em) and the press ate it up. His ivory gripped pistols. One of which he had had a shootout with one of Pancho Villa's guys back in 1916. Shot the guy dead and if the accounts are accurate it was similar somewhat to a Hollywood Old West gunfight.
 
I'm not surprised that Lee didn't carry a firearm. He was unlikely to have a chance to use one, so why lug it around?

What I find interesting is that he wore a black hat. He's always depicted, in paintings and even photos, in a gray one. Wonder what happened to this black one?
 
I'm not surprised that Lee didn't carry a firearm. He was unlikely to have a chance to use one, so why lug it around?

What I find interesting is that he wore a black hat. He's always depicted, in paintings and even photos, in a gray one. Wonder what happened to this black one?

He gave it to Pickett while "forgiving" him as a gesture of good will. Pickett then forgave Lee and gave him a gray hat also as a gesture of goodwill. Lee took the black hat back after Five Forks but never wore it post-war.:help:
 
Infantry officers carried swords and often a pistol or pistols in saddle holsters.
 
I've read and it is very interesting. One of his statements that I remember was that to a man the rank and file of the ANV wore their toothbrush on their label, in fact this was as close to uniformity as they got.
I'd have to look it up, but I believe he meant that statement to cover the whole of the Confederacy--the toothbrush in the lapel was universal for every CS soldier he saw.
 
Was the location of the Fremantle tree ever identified after the battle...like the witness trees? I would assume it was out by the Chambersburg Pike somewhere.
 
I have never read where he did. Lots of officers back in those days did not carry any weapon. Kinda a display of courage maybe for the enlisted men. In WWI a lot of British officers went Over the Top with nothing but a walking stick. Me, I would have been carrying a Maxim machine gun if I could lift one. Patton of couse was always armed just in case he had to blast away in a field hospital at shell shocked cowards. Opps...that was not really fair. It was mostly in keeping with his "warrior" look which he cultivated. His persona. And the men (some of em) and the press ate it up. His ivory gripped pistols. One of which he had had a shootout with one of Pancho Villa's guys back in 1916. Shot the guy dead and if the accounts are accurate it was similar somewhat to a Hollywood Old West gunfight.

Douglas MacArthur used to accompany night patrols into No-Man's Land unarmed during WWI as well. He was Brigadier and Chief-of-staff with the 42nd "Rainbow" Division (2nd Division sent over in 1917) at the time. At any rate, it is definite he did accompany the patrols, whether armed or not, which makes him mighty unusual for a WWI general.

Trivia: Patton lost the 1912 Olympic Modern Pentathalon on a pistol-shooting controversy (he was 5th out of 46 overall, but finisthed 21st of 42 shooters in the pistol). Apparently all or most of the other competitors used .22 target pistols, while Patton used a .38. Patton's scores were:
10, 10, 10, 9, 8;
10, 10, 10, 0, 0;
10, 10, 9, 9, 8;
10, 10, 10, 9, 7.

The 2 zeroes (total misses of the target) were killers. Patton claimed that he had hit the target, but that the bullets must have gone through holes from earlier shots. His major competitors seem to have believed him, but the judges ruled against him, declaring one bullet must have missed the target completely.

In other events, Patton finished:
300 meter freestyle swimming:
-- sixth out of 37 contestants
Fencing:
-- third out of 29 contestants. Beat the Frenchman who won the Gold.
Equestrian cross-country steeplechase:
--Patton and two Swedes turned in perfect performances, but he placed 3rd in timing. Finished third.
Four kilometer cross-country foot race:
--third out of 15 contestants

Tim
 
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