- Joined
- Jan 16, 2015
Colonel Chapman Biddle's brigade takes position on low ground behind McPherson Ridge, south of Herbst Woods. The accompanying battery, B, 1st Pennsylvania, under Captain James H. Cooper, opens fire from the ridge against Confederate batteries to the northwest. Colonel Roy Stone's brigade occupies ground near the McPherson buildings. Map reflects estimated positions at 11 a.m. on July 1.
"The brigade … formed in line … on the extreme left, in a field one-third of a mile in front of the Seminary and facing west. The battery [Cooper's B, 1st Pennsylvania] was also placed in position, and its fire directed toward the northwest, on the left of a piece of woods" – Colonel Chapman Biddle.
"Reaching the low ground between the seminary and the first ridge west of it, the brigade filed to the left and took position … nearly opposite the seminary, facing west. Remaining here a few minutes only" – Colonel Theodore B. Gates, 80th New York (20th New York State Militia).
"We were first posted in a swale of the meadow behind a slight rolling elevation. The left of the line thus terminated in an open field without any support or anything on which to rest. … Here we lay down and listened with interest to the roar of artillery on our right and to the shriek of shells that passed overhead" – Captain John D. S. Cook, 20th New York State Militia (80th New York).
"Formed a little before 11 a.m. … The battery [Cooper's] was immediately placed in position, and its fire directed toward the northwest" – 1st Lieutenant Joseph G. Rosengarten, Company D, 121st Pennsylvania.
"Took position in rear of brow of hill in orchard, about halfway between McPherson's barn and woods to the south" – Lieutenant Colonel Henry S. Huidekoper, 150th Pennsylvania.
"Immediately in front of us were the 149th and 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers, and we were not allowed to fire for fear of injuring our own troops, although the minie balls were falling among us with uncomfortable frequency. While we were standing in line … a bullet struck [Private] Jacob Yale above the eye, and he dropped at my feet, striking against my leg. This was the first man killed out of [the] company" – Corporal Simon Hubler, Company I, 143rd Pennsylvania.
"We are ordered to lie down. But we hadn't seen the enemy yet and some of us remained standing until orders were given peremptorily to lie down. … In this position our right rested on the Chambersburg Pike" – Private Avery Harris, Company B, 143rd Pennsylvania.
Sources:
-Official Report of Col. Chapman Biddle.
-Official Report of Col. Theodore B. Gates; History of Ulster County, New York, by Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester, Interlaken, NY: Heart of the Lakes Publishing, 1994.
-Personal Reminiscences of Gettysburg, by Capt. John D. S. Cook, War Talks in Kansas, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, Kansas City, MO: 1906, p. 325.
-Dedication of the monument of the 121st Pennsylvania Infantry, address of Brevet Capt. Joseph G. Rosengarten, Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, Harrisburg, PA: Wm. Stanley Ray, State Printer, 1904, II:659.
-Memoranda of Lt. Col. Huidekoper, Bachelder Papers, II:953.
-Memoirs of Gettysburg, Simon Hubler, http://homepages.dsu.edu/jankej/civilwar/hubler.htm, 05/10/2010.
-Avery Harris Civil War Journal, ed. by Peter Tomasak, PA: Luzerne National Bank, 2000.
"The brigade … formed in line … on the extreme left, in a field one-third of a mile in front of the Seminary and facing west. The battery [Cooper's B, 1st Pennsylvania] was also placed in position, and its fire directed toward the northwest, on the left of a piece of woods" – Colonel Chapman Biddle.
"Reaching the low ground between the seminary and the first ridge west of it, the brigade filed to the left and took position … nearly opposite the seminary, facing west. Remaining here a few minutes only" – Colonel Theodore B. Gates, 80th New York (20th New York State Militia).
"We were first posted in a swale of the meadow behind a slight rolling elevation. The left of the line thus terminated in an open field without any support or anything on which to rest. … Here we lay down and listened with interest to the roar of artillery on our right and to the shriek of shells that passed overhead" – Captain John D. S. Cook, 20th New York State Militia (80th New York).
"Formed a little before 11 a.m. … The battery [Cooper's] was immediately placed in position, and its fire directed toward the northwest" – 1st Lieutenant Joseph G. Rosengarten, Company D, 121st Pennsylvania.
"Took position in rear of brow of hill in orchard, about halfway between McPherson's barn and woods to the south" – Lieutenant Colonel Henry S. Huidekoper, 150th Pennsylvania.
"Immediately in front of us were the 149th and 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers, and we were not allowed to fire for fear of injuring our own troops, although the minie balls were falling among us with uncomfortable frequency. While we were standing in line … a bullet struck [Private] Jacob Yale above the eye, and he dropped at my feet, striking against my leg. This was the first man killed out of [the] company" – Corporal Simon Hubler, Company I, 143rd Pennsylvania.
"We are ordered to lie down. But we hadn't seen the enemy yet and some of us remained standing until orders were given peremptorily to lie down. … In this position our right rested on the Chambersburg Pike" – Private Avery Harris, Company B, 143rd Pennsylvania.
Sources:
-Official Report of Col. Chapman Biddle.
-Official Report of Col. Theodore B. Gates; History of Ulster County, New York, by Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester, Interlaken, NY: Heart of the Lakes Publishing, 1994.
-Personal Reminiscences of Gettysburg, by Capt. John D. S. Cook, War Talks in Kansas, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, Kansas City, MO: 1906, p. 325.
-Dedication of the monument of the 121st Pennsylvania Infantry, address of Brevet Capt. Joseph G. Rosengarten, Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, Harrisburg, PA: Wm. Stanley Ray, State Printer, 1904, II:659.
-Memoranda of Lt. Col. Huidekoper, Bachelder Papers, II:953.
-Memoirs of Gettysburg, Simon Hubler, http://homepages.dsu.edu/jankej/civilwar/hubler.htm, 05/10/2010.
-Avery Harris Civil War Journal, ed. by Peter Tomasak, PA: Luzerne National Bank, 2000.
Bringing the