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photo: @infomanpa https://civilwartalk.com/threads/devils-den-from-the-bottom-up.171473/#post-2241175
After regrouping Anderson’s Georgians advanced a second time, only to find a new force of Federals (Tilton and Sweitzer) posted in their left front. The 17th Maine and Ward’s brigade held their ground for the time being. The 4th Maine launched a successful counterattack to reclaim Smith’s guns at Devil’s Den, but it was a forlorn move against overwhelming odds. Attached map shows the situation at 5:40 p.m.
“No sooner was the line formed than the foe attacked our front” – Colonel William S. Tilton
“Skirmishers then came from the front and said the rebels were following. In a moment they were among the boulders … There was no recoil on either side but an unflinching exchange of deadly fire” – Edwin C. Bennett, Company E, 22nd Massachusetts.
“The skirmishers came running in … A shot – one – two – three – and then … the line blazed forth … Across the run, the indistinct forms of masses of men … were dimly visible and moving up with defiant yells” – Private Robert G. Carter, 22nd Massachusetts.
“We had hardly formed when the enemy attacked us. The brigade after some sharp fighting compelled him to fall back from our front” – Colonel Joseph Hayes, 18th Massachusetts.
“A rebel line of battle emerged with that peculiar Indian yell that was very familiar” – Corporal Thomas H. Mann, Company I, 18th Massachusetts.
“I threw the left of the Thirty-second to the rear until that regiment was on a line with the First Brigade. … Not long after this the attack commenced briskly … I broke those regiments [62nd Pennsylvania and 4th Michigan] to the left and rear into column behind the Thirty-second to support it” – Colonel Jacob B. Sweitzer.
“The rebels drove them [our skirmishers] in to the edge of the woods … when we opened fire upon them … drove them back” – Colonel George L. Prescott, 32nd Massachusetts.
“The enemy came rushing down the declivity before us and the Thirty-second was soon hotly engaged” – Lieutenant Colonel Luther Stephenson, 32nd Massachusetts.
“Enemy … covering themselves partially under the hither bank of the little stream. They were … driven back from our immediate front ... into the wood from whence they came” – Francis J. Parker, 32nd Massachusetts.
“General Anderson … sent … directions to change the front of the three left companies so as to face the enemy on our flank” – Captain George Hillyer, 9th Georgia.
“I … advanced to the ledge of rocks from which we had previously been dislodged … the Eleventh Georgia Regiment joined to my left … the Fifty-ninth Georgia … occupied the line with my command” – Colonel Van H. Manning, 3rd Arkansas.
“Without hesitation, [Colonel] Walker drew his small remaining force from the nest of boulders in the gorge, hastily got it into line and charged home with the bayonet upon [the] men who had entered the battery and drove them out in a force encounter. Assisted by the 99th Pennsylvania in keeping off the Confederates from the gorge side of the hill, and by the 124th New York on his right” – Commissioner(s) of the 4th Maine.
“My command on the brow of a hill, overlooking a deep ravine interspersed with large boulders” – Major John W. Moore, 99th Pennsylvania.
“Above us then, quite twenty feet, on the edge of the rock stood a line of blue coated [soldiers] firing straight down on our line which had become broken in passing over and around the huge boulders” – William R. Houghton, Company G, 2nd Georgia.
“Our fire … staggered and disorganized [the Confederates] so that they took to the shelter of the rock for some time” – C. F. Fasnacht, 99th Pennsylvania.
“Several ineffectual efforts upon the part of both the commanders of the Fifteenth Georgia and myself [were made] to separate the men of the two regiments” – Lieutenant Colonel P. A. Work, 1st Texas.
Sources:
-Official Reports of Col. William S. Tilton, Col. Van H. Manning, Lt. Col. P. A. Work, Maj. John W. Moore.
-Musket and Sword, by Edwin C. Bennett, Boston: Coburn Publishing Co., 1900.
-Reminiscences of the Campaign and Battle of Gettysburg, by Robert G. Carter, War Papers, MOLLUS, 1902; reprint, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC: 1992.
-Private journal of Col. Joseph Hayes, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress.
-Fighting with the Eighteenth Massachusetts, the Civil War Memoir of Thomas H. Mann, ed. by John J. Hennessy, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2000.
-Supplemental Report of Col. Jacob B. Sweitzer, Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, ed. by Janet B. Hewitt, Noah A. Trudeau, Bryce A. Suderow, Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1995.
-George L. Prescott Papers, on file at Gettysburg National Military Park.
-A Sketch Giving Some Incidents During the Service of The Thirty-second Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, by General Luther Stephenson.
-The Story of the Thirty-Second Regiment Massachusetts Infantry, by Francis J. Parker, Colonel, Boston: C. W. Calkins & Co., Publishers, 1880.
-The Battle of Gettysburg, by George Hillyer, Address Before the Walton County Georgia Confederate Veterans, August 2nd, 1904, From the Walton Tribune.
-Maine at Gettysburg, Report of the Maine Commissioners.
-Two Boys in the Civil War and After, W. R. Houghton and M. B. Houghton, Montgomery, AL: The Paragon Press, 1912.
-Historical Sketch by C. F. Fasnacht, delivered at dedication of 99th Pennsylvania monument, July 2, 1886.
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