Yankee Prisoners Captured Day 1 Battle of Gettysburg

wescul

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May 15, 2012
It is generally accepted that Day 1 was considered a Confederate victory with the Federals being pushed back through town and to the ridges outside of town. My question is, as Longstreet’s Corps is marching in on Day 2, they pass several makeshift hospitals and 1,000’s of Federal Prisoners captured from Day 1 (already stripped of their shoes by the Rebs). After Pickett’s Charge on Day 3, it is generally accepted that the Confederates have suffered a defeat and Lee orders his famous retreat back to Virginia. The Confederate Army is so crippled and demoralized that Lee leaves thousands of his wounded on the battlefield to the mercy of the Federal Army and their doctors. Lee/Imboden’s train is 17 miles long with wounded men etc. If Lee was so “bogged” down after Day 3 with wounded men, could he reasonably be able to take a thousand plus POW’S with him? If not, were they simply turned loose at the end of Day 3/the battle to return to the Federal Army etc? Thanks for your help in this matter.
 
IIRC, most of them were paroled. There were a few who drifted away before being able to give their parole but the majority were extremely quickly paroled.

R
 
I think that the only prisoners Lee kept were those he thought he could exchange for his own high ranking officers who were captured by the Union. If I remember correctly, Lee sent over a messenger on July 4th to inquire about a prisoner exchange. Meade didn't want anything to do with it.
 
prisoners gettysburg.jpg
 
From dim memory, many of the POWs from Day 1 were interecepted while being marched away from Gettysburg by their captors and released.

In any case, about 1500 Union POWs signed paroles on the morning of July 3rd and marched away -- leaving another 4,000 in Confederate hands.

Tim
 
My great great great uncle, Henry Schildt, of Co. F, 6th Wisconsin infantry was wounded at the Railroad Cut the 1st day. When the 6th retreated back though town, Henry fell into Rebel hands. After the Confederate retreat the 3rd day, he was rescued from captivity and sent to a Federal hospital, then a brief stay with the Invalid Corps. He returned to the regiment the following April, whereby he was promoted from sergeant to the Captain of Co. F where he remained until he was mustered out in 1865.
 
My great great great uncle, Henry Schildt, of Co. F, 6th Wisconsin infantry was wounded at the Railroad Cut the 1st day. When the 6th retreated back though town, Henry fell into Rebel hands. After the Confederate retreat the 3rd day, he was rescued from captivity and sent to a Federal hospital, then a brief stay with the Invalid Corps. He returned to the regiment the following April, whereby he was promoted from sergeant to the Captain of Co. F where he remained until he was mustered out in 1865.
Great story Frontrank!!! Thanks for sharing some of your family's history. What part of the Jersey Shore are you from???
 
BTW, I had a copy of his pension and it stated that he was shot in the left side, evidently with a buck and ball load. The 2nd Mississippi who the 6th was going up against that day, were armed with smoothbores.
 
Extracted from a communication Lee sent to Davis, July 7th, 1863...

” We captured at Gettysburg about 6, 000 prisoners, besides the wounded that remained in our hands after the engagements of the 1st and 2d. Fifteen hundred of these prisoners and the wounded were paroled, but I suppose that under the late arrangements these paroles will not be regarded.”
 
Thanks, I'm from Brick Twp. about 10 min. outside of Pt Pleasant.
Once got the cr@p kicked out of me, by a wrestler from Pt. Boro. It was the match after I returned from a broken collar bone my freshman year. Kids name was Ben Ocone...it was as if he knew that I just came off the shelf and he immediately double-legged over his shoulder. Yep...match over pal. Lay me down and pin me, because I'm not breaking it again. :rofl:
 
"July 4, 1863, Harrisburg, PA. ... received War Dept. 6 pm
Gen. George G. Meade: General W. F. Smith's advance, in the mountain passes beyond Mount Holly, met 2, 000 paroled prisoners from your army, under escort. Smith, being discovered, received the prisoners. I will send them to camp at West Chester.
D. N. COUCH"


and...

OR, 27, III, p. 549 ...
"July 5, 1863, 9pm, Couch, in Harrisburg, to Meade"The prisoners turned over to General Smith number 1,300, said to be mostly from the First Corps."" Smith was in Carlisle at the time (also indicated on same - OR, 27, III, p. 549)
 
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