Brooke’s Brigade in the Wheatfield on July 2

Tom Elmore

Captain
Member of the Year
Joined
Jan 16, 2015
As is often the case, careful sifting through multiple primary sources is necessary to develop a more complete picture of a particular battle action. It certainly applies when considering the deployment of Colonel John R. Brooke’s brigade in the Wheatfield on July 2 – prior to their celebrated charge southward into the woods and up the hill where their monuments were afterwards placed. For example, it may not be generally known that Brooke’s brigade halted for a time in the Wheatfield itself. Details surrounding the brigade’s deployment are provided below in the form of questions posed in a mock interview that the participants themselves will “answer” (as extracted from written accounts).

What was your alignment when you went into action?

I advanced in line, faced by the rear rank (which formation was necessary, from the fact that there was not time to form by the front rank) – Colonel John R. Brooke.

We deployed by the left flank and faced by the rear rank, and faced the enemy” – Colonel William P. Baily, 2nd Delaware.

The regiment was deployed in line faced by the rear rank” – Major Leman W. Bradley, 64th New York.

By a change of front our brigade came into line faced by the rear rank” – 64th New York, History of Cattaragus County.

We at once moved forward faced by the rear rank, having no time to form by the front” –Adjutant Charles P. Hatch, 53rd Pennsylvania.

The regiment … formed in line of battle and faced by the rear rank, thus becoming the right of the brigade. After lying in the woods about five or ten minutes, the command to advance was given” – Chaplain John H. W. Stuckenberg, 145th Pennsylvania.


When did you first receive enemy fire?

We … got over a stone wall after the rails on top were thrown off and started through a field of wheat up to our waists. Here we got some stray bullets.” – Private George Whipple, Company F, 64th New York.


Where did you halt in the Wheatfield?

[On] “the brow of a gentle declivity” – 64th New York, History of Cattaragus County.

About the center … midway in the grain field” – Lt. Col. Richards McMichael, 53rd Pennsylvania.


Where and when did you commence firing?

About the centerwe commenced firing” – Lieutenant Colonel Richards McMichael, 53rd Pennsylvania.

Half-way through this field we got a full volley and replied with our first shot” – Private George Whipple, Company F, 64th New York.

After a few rounds were fired [we] moved to the center of the Wheatfield” – Captain John C. Hilton, 145th Pennsylvania.


While in the Wheatfield exchanging shots with the enemy, were you standing or lying down?

Our brigade was ordered to halt and lie down” – 64th New York, History of Cattaragus County.

Lying down” – Captain John C. Hilton, 145th Pennsylvania.


How long did you remain in the Wheatfield before advancing again?

About fifteen minutes” – Lieutenant Colonel McMichael, 53rd Pennsylvania.

A few minutes” – Private George Whipple, Company F, 64th New York.

Five minutes” – Chaplain John H. W. Stuckenberg, 145th Pennsylvania.

[After] “several volleys” – Captain John C. Hilton, 145th Pennsylvania.


When did you fix bayonets?

Orders were received from Colonel Brooke to fix bayonets, [then] … we charged” – Lieutenant Colonel Richards McMichael, 53rd Pennsylvania.


What happened next?

It took some effort to start the line forward into another charge … and we were firing as fast as we could load” – Sigman, 64th New York.

With a cheer the line charged again, the 64th and 2d Delaware (on our left) leading the whole line” – 64th New York, History of Cattaragus County.

Pressing forward, firing as we went, we drove back the first line of the enemy” – Colonel John R. Brooke.


(My attached map, prepared by Hal Jespersen, depicts Brooke’s brigade at 6:40 p.m., halted in the Wheatfield prior to their charge.)


Sources:
-Official Reports of Colonel John R. Brooke, Colonel William P. Baily (2nd Delaware), Major Leman W. Bradley (64th New York) and Lieutenant Colonel Richards McMichael (53rd Pennsylvania)
-History of Cattaragus County, New York, comp. by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia: Press of J. B. Lippincott, 1879.
-Address of 1st Lieutenant and Adjutant Charles P. Hatch, 53rd Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, I:333.
-Report of Chaplain John H. W. Stuckenberg, 145th Pennsylvania, Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, ed. by Janet B. Hewett, Noah A. Trudeau, Bryce A. Suderow, Part I, vol. 5, ser. no. 5, Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1995.
-Account attributed to Sigman (probably Private/Sergeant Martin Sigman of Company C, 64th New York), http://www.vanvlack.net/diary/section3.htm, 06/21/2005.
-8th Georgia Infantry Webpage, George W. Whipple Gettysburg Memories, Private, Co. F, 64th N.Y.V., http://home.earthlink.net/~larsrbl/whipple.htm, 08/30/2001.
-Captain John C. Hilton, 145th Pennsylvania, Dedication of Monument, 145th Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, II, 707.
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