July 4th 1863 Casualties

[Wallyfish]

I have just started reading One Continuous Fight the retreat from Gettysburg (Wittenburg, Petruzzi,Nugent).

In that book it describes some action that occurred at Gettysburg on July 4th. One is Col. William Tilton's brigade that moved into the Plum Creek Valley beyond the Wheatfield where they met Rebel sharpshooters pushing Tilton's brigade back.

Another action is the 5 th and 6 th corps that formed two lines and reached the edge of The Peach Orchard where they met Rebel skirmishers. The bullets flew around pretty thickly and the Union corps were halted when Battery A of the 1st NC Artillery opened up on the Union troops.

The 126th NY engaged Rebel skirmishers near the Bliss Farm.

It is commonly written that the Battle of Gettysburg ended on July 3. I have never seen any casualty statistics that occurred on the Gettysburg battlefield on July 4th and have wondered why that is.

Was the July 4th fighting so minor that it is not worthy of attention? There had to be casualties on July 4th and I have always wondered how the battle statistics accounted for them. I would love to learn more about the action on the Gettysburg battlefield that occurred on the 4th.

I am only looking for action that occurred on the Gettysburg Battlefield itself. Any comments or further reading recommendations are appreciated.

By the way, I am really enjoying the book. I always enjoy learning new Gettysburg facts.

 

[Tom Elmore]

I wrote an article for The Gettysburg Magazine, issue 25 (July 2001) on "Independence Day: Military Operations at Gettysburg." There were several Federal probes on that day, and yes, some casualties, which I list. I documented 31 Federal casualties, and 36 Confederates (including 20 Louisianans captured in town), although I have identified a few more since the article was written. Active skirmishing occurred along the center of the lines, particularly involving the Confederate brigades of Mahone and Posey.

One of the larger reconnaissances involved the brigades of Day and Bartlett along the Wheatfield road to the Peach Orchard rise, which was effectively opposed by Capt. Basil Manly's battery, which inflicted perhaps a dozen casualties and convinced the Federals to withdraw.

At least 17 soldiers (11 Federal and 6 Confederate) were killed on July 4. I would estimate the total number of killed and wounded on both sides that day was on the order of about 75 men, all or nearly all occurring before noon. At high noon several Federal batteries fired a national salute. But soon afterwards heavy rains set in and pretty much put an end to the fighting.