Caldwell Maintains the Initiative in the Wheatfield

Tom Elmore

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Three brigades of Caldwell retained the initiative by steadily gaining ground in the Wheatfield and the woods beyond. Kershaw returned in time to see Kelly’s brigade advancing toward his open right flank. Benning’s 15th Georgia fell back, and I surmise it was joined by the majority of Anderson’s right and Robertson’s left regiments, although certainly some stayed to contest the Federal encroachment. Semmes’ right regiments were idle, presumably awaiting orders after their brigade commander fell, badly wounded. (Alternatively, if Anderson’s left regiments did not likewise fall back as shown on the map, it would help explain why Semmes’ right, along with the 15th South Carolina, were constrained in their forward movement.) Around the same time Colonel Cross received his mortal wound, while his men pushed forward on the left, affording some relief for their right. See the situation map for 6:30 p.m.

I reached it [7th South Carolina] just as the advancing column of Federals had arrived at a point some two hundred yards off, whence they poured into us a volley from their whole line, and advanced to the charge” – Brigadier General Joseph B. Kershaw.

In our front, and but a few rods away, there was [an] almost continuous blaze of light, behind which we could dimly discern the forms of the men who confronted us” – Regimental Association, 140th Pennsylvania.

We … find the Irish brigade fiercely engaged to our left and lapping our front” – Adjutant William S. Shallenberger, 140th Pennsylvania.

Then rushing forward, we met the enemy … seven companies crossing the stone fence into the woods, while the other three companies remained in line in the open field – Captain R. H. Forster, 148th Pennsylvania.

Our company reached the stone fence while the men on our right were still in the field, and the rebels continued firing into the right of our line until we leaped on the wall and took them in flank” – Private Henry Meyer, Company A, 148th Pennsylvania.

The first soldier I saw dying was Colonel Edward E. Cross … who was lying among some small bushes on the edge of the wheat field” – G. G. Walters, Company E, 148th Pennsylvania.

I … ordered my regiment to fall back … to the stone fence” – Colonel D. M. DuBose, 15th Georgia.

General Birney … halted the regiment about half-way down to our stone wall, our right being a few rods from the woods on the west side of the Wheat-field. … A few shots carried the rebels to the other side of the wall … the 5th Michigan came out of the woods and joined upon our right” – Lieutenant George W. Verrill, 17th Maine.

All I could see of [the Confederates] was the flash of their rifles along [Houck’s] ridge, and the ‘Lone Star’ flag in the center of it” – Lieutenant James Pratt, 11th U.S.

Sources:
-Kershaw’s Brigade at Gettysburg, by J. B. Kershaw, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, 3:336.
-History of the One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, by Robert L. Stewart.
-Address of 1st Lt. and Adjutant W. S. Shallenberger, Dedication of Monument to the 140th Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, II:688.
-Address of Maj. R. H. Forster, Dedication of Monument to the 148th Regiment Infantry, September 11, 1889, Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, II:729.
-The Private’s Story, by Henry Meyer; and The Corporal’s Story, by G. G. Walters; The Story of our Regiment, A History of the 148th Pennsylvania Vols., ed. by Adjt. J. W. Muffly (Des Moines, Iowa: The Kenyon Printing & Mfg. Co., 1904), pp. 537, 439.
-Official Reports of Col. D. M. Dubose.
-The Seventeenth Maine at Gettysburg and the Wilderness, by Capt. George W. Verrill.
-July 13 letter from James Pratt to his father, The Soldier of Indiana, Greg Coco Collection, Capt. John W. Ames file, Gettysburg National Military Park.
 

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