Fresh Federal Batteries Engage the Confederates on July 2

Tom Elmore

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Three fresh Federal Batteries from the Artillery Reserve take up positions on or near the Wheatfield Road and engage enemy guns. They will soon turn their attention to advancing Confederate infantry brigades to the south. Graham’s 141st Pennsylvania shifts to support Hart’s 15th New York Battery. Attached map shows the situation at 4:50 p.m.

As the Captain [John Bigelow] rode down the line he found the left section so far down as not to be able to sight their guns on anything. He ordered, ‘Left section limber to the rear; by the left flank, march!’ and on the right of the line went in battery … Our first orders were to shell a piece of woods which concealed three batteries of eighteen guns” – Member of the 9th Massachusetts Battery.

Open fire on batteries 1400 yards away down the Emmitsburg road, whose attention we were receiving” – Captain John Bigelow, 9th Massachusetts battery.

My battery galloped into the Peach Orchard, by order of General [Henry J.] Hunt, who, pointing in the direction of the orchard said: ‘Go in there. Rush!’ … As we went in the Captain [Patrick Hart] shouted: Lieutenant, you fight the right section. I will look out for the left” – Lieutenant Edward M. Knox, 15th New York Battery.

I placed it [Hart’s 15th New York Battery] in position in a peach orchard on the right and a little in front of the New Jersey Battery– Major Freeman McGilvery.

The 141st [Pennsylvania] was ordered to form in the crossroad on the north side of the peach orchard … sheltered by the banks on each side of the road– Member of the 141st Pennsylvania.

Behind this battery [Hart’s] we were placed as infantry supports– Sergeant J. D. Bloodgood, Company I, 141st Pennsylvania.

Passing the Trostle house we swung into a rocky lane … we swung square to the left into an open clear field … at the edge of a lane … the Battery was thrown quickly into line by a right oblique movement … Bigelow’s Ninth Mass. close to our left
– 1st Lieutenant Henry D. Scott, 5th Massachusetts Battery.

I took position between Hart and Bigelow, and threw a few shells at a rebel battery, which was about silenced. … My left piece stood in the road– Captain Charles A. Phillips, 5th Massachusetts Battery.

We commenced firing at once with shrapnel shell– William A. Waugh, 5th Massachusetts Battery.

At Gettysburg the Tenth New York [Battery] was attached to Phillips’ Fifth Massachusetts Member of the 10th New York Battery.

Batteries F and K, 3d U.S. Art. took up position on the right of the [Klingle] orchard– Charles Hulin, Battery F and K, 3rd U.S. Artillery.

Sources:
-History of the Ninth Massachusetts Battery, by Levi W. Baker, Framingham, MA: Lakeview Press, J. C. Clark Printing Co., 1888, p. 57.
-The Peach Orchard: Gettysburg, an Appeal, by Major John Bigelow, Annapolis, MD: 1910.
-Lt. Edward M. Knox, Gettysburg Medal of Honor Recipients, by Charles Hanna, Springville, UT: Bonneville Books, 1910.
-Official Report of Lt. Col. Freeman McGilvery [McGilvery was apparently promoted to lieutenant colonel during the campaign, but in the battle was referred to by other officers as a major].
-Our Boys in Blue, Heroic Deeds, Sketches and Reminiscences of Bradford County Soldiers in the Civil War, by Clement F. Heverly, Towanda, PA: The Bradford Star Print, 1898, vol. 1, pp. 40-41.
-Personal Reminiscences of the War, by Rev. J. D. Bloodgood, NY: Hunt & Eaton, 1893, p. 135.
-History of the Fifth Massachusetts Battery, Boston: Luther E. Cowles, Publisher, 1902, pp. 624, 626, 629-630.
-Reminiscences of the Rebellion, by William Archibald Waugh, http://www.pompano.net/~rwaugh/CivilWar.htm, 01/30/2002.
-Historical Notes, 10th Independent Battery Light Artillery, New York at Gettysburg, III:1305.
-Batteries That Did Fight at the Peach Orchard, by Charles Hulin, National Tribune, January 29, 1891.
 

Attachments

  • PeachOrchard1650.pdf
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Very good map of the Union concentration. It seems with the Union forces above on the ridge by the Emmitsburg Road trying to shoot downward at the confederates (if I read the contours right), put Sickles corps at a disadvantage; or do I see this in reverse?
Lubliner.
 
Very good map of the Union concentration. It seems with the Union forces above on the ridge by the Emmitsburg Road trying to shoot downward at the confederates (if I read the contours right), put Sickles corps at a disadvantage; or do I see this in reverse?
Lubliner.
Most of the Confederates are positioned along Warfield Ridge, at an elevation nearly comparable to the Peach Orchard. The ground drops off rapidly to the west of Warfield Ridge and also northward from Moody's battery, as well as at the lower center of the map to create Rose Run.
 
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