Story of Company D, 149th Pennsylvania on July 1

Tom Elmore

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At the intersection of Fairfield Road and West Confederate Avenue lies a monument, seldom seen, with the following inscription: "Company D 149 Pa. Vol., 2d Brig. 3d Div. 1st Army Corps, Headquarters Guard, Erected and presented to the Company by George W. Baldwin in memory of his brother Joseph H. Baldwin who was killed here July 1, 1863 and Alex M. Stewart mortally wounded, dying in Gettysburg July 6, 1863 Co. D 149th Regiment Pa. Vol's held this ground for 20 minutes on the evening of July 1st, 1863 against the right of Scales' Brigade by order of Maj. Gen. Abner Doubleday commanding 1st Army Corps.

The rest of the story has been preserved by one of the rare company histories: General History of Company D, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteers, compiled by John W. Nesbit, Printed by the Oakdale Printing and Publishing Co., 1908, pp. 13-95.

Company D, which was detached to serve as a headquarters guard for Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Rowley, was already in position by noon on July 1. The company was stretched into a thin skirmish line, its right perhaps about a hundred yards north of the Fairfield Road, and its left extending south across the road in front of the Elizabeth Shultz house. Here it remained until 4 p.m. when it opened fire on the far right of Perrin's brigade (not Scales), and withdrew a few minutes later, after the Confederates were already on the ridge to their right. As noted on the marker, it lost one man killed (Private Joseph Henry Baldwin) and another man mortally wounded (Sergeant Alexander M. Stewart) on the ridge. Two others were wounded and escaped, while Andrew "Andy" Crooks was shot through the right ankle and captured while helping Stewart off the field. Three other men of the company were also captured uninjured, probably in the streets of Gettysburg.

Stewart was first taken to St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church in town, where he encountered schoolteacher Elizabeth Salome Myers. She asked, "What can I do for you?" Stewart's reply, "Nothing, I'm going to die," so upset Ms. Myers that she left the building to cry on the steps. He was eventually taken to Peter Myers' house on West High Street (where Andy Crooks also had his leg amputated), and took his last breath on July 6, an hour before midnight.

In retreat, the company went by way of the town square; the rebels were already in sight up the street. The company rejoined the remnants of the regiment on Cemetery Hill, under Capt. Glenn. As an aside, the men of the company first learned that Meade was in command of the army when he rode down the line to cheers following the repulse of the Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble charge on July 3.

Joseph H. Baldwin: http://www.civilwardata.com/active/hdsquery.dll?SoldierHistory?U>&986711
 
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Great post. I have seen this marker but I don't have a photo of it in my collection. I will look for this marker on a future trip. Your story is a poignant reminder of the brutality of war. The 149th Pa. is well represented in Gettysburg monuments.

A photo of this marker (not mine).
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Also the photo below is supposed to be Company D in 1864.

IMG_0108.JPG
 
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