Perry's Florida Brigade Attacks - Gettysburg

[Legion Para]

 

[captaindrew]

Thanks so much for posting this, being in Florida I have a lot of interest in this and going to start watching.

 

[Tom Elmore]

The Park Ranger does an excellent job setting the scene for the fight on July 2. When he speaks of the 1st Massachusetts (deployed as skirmishers) falling back to the Emmitsburg road, he does not mention that orders came for them to reform directly in front of the 26th Pennsylvania. Carr afterwards blamed an aide for the miscommunication, but considering Carr's ineptitude, I'm not so sure. In any case, the 26th could not fire back with the Massachusetts men blocking their immediate front, and the Floridians were able to get close, as noted, and deliver a devastating volley that knocked both the 1st Massachusetts and 26th Pennsylvania essentially out of the fight, clearing the Floridian's path in front for some distance and enabling them to overrun part of Weir's now vulnerable battery just off their left front.

The other comment relates to the force that passed the Floridians right by about one hundred yards and forced back Wilcox while the Floridians were knocking heads with the 19th Maine in their front. The Ranger seems to infer that it was Willard's brigade, which did pitch into Wilcox further south down the line, but the more immediate threat in this location was the 1st Minnesota, which I don't think he even mentions. Their epic charge not only stopped the 9th Alabama cold on Wilcox's left, but it was also disconcerting to the Floridians to learn that the enemy was now considerably in their right rear, in what force they could not readily discern given the smoke and confusion. It factored into their decision to fall back.

 

[infomanpa]

When was this battle walk conducted?

 

[Legion Para]

http://gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/confederate-headquarters/perrys-brigade/

Perry's Brigade

The monument to Perry's Florida Brigade is on West Confederate Avenue. (Tour map: West Confederate Avenue – Pt. 3) A position tablet is also on Emmittsburg Road. (Monument map: Emmitsburg Rd. – Codori Farm)

The brigade was temporarily commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg by Colonel David Lang of the 8th Florida Infantry while Brigadier General Edward Perry was absent with typhoid fever. Colonel Lang was a graduate of the Georgia Military Institute who had moved to Florida and became a surveyor.

This small brigade consisted of all the Florida regiments which served with the Army of Northern Virginia at the time. It took part in the assauts of both July 2nd and 3rd in roughly the same area, advancing from the woods on Seminary Ridge and past Emmitsburg Road before being turned back by Union counterattacks, both times losing one of its colors.

From the monument:

C. S. A.
Army of Northern Virginia
Hill's Corps Anderson's Division
Perry's Brigade
2nd 5th 8th Florida Infantry

July 2. Formed line in forenoon in the eastern border of these woods. Advanced at 6 P. M. and assisted in forcing the Union line on the Emmitsburg Road and by rapid pursuit compelled the temporary abandonment of several guns. At the foot of the slope met fresh Union forces and the line on its right retiring it also fell back. The colorbearer of the 8th Florida fell and its flag was lost.

July 3. Ordered to join Wilcox's Brigade on its left and conform to its movements. Supported artillery until Longstreet's column started and then advanced in aid of his assault. But dense smoke hiding his oblique course the Brigade moved directly forward. In the gap caused thereby a strong force struck its left flank capturing about half of the 2nd Florida and its colors.

July 4. In line here and at dark began the march to Hagerstown.

Present 700 Killed 33 Wounded 217 Missing 205 Total 455

From the tablet on Emmitsburg Road:

Army of Northern Virginia
Hill's Corps Anderson's Division
Perry's Brigade
2nd 5th 8th Florida Infantry

July 2. Formed line in forenoon in the western border of these woods. Advanced at 6 P. M. and assisted in driving back the Union lines on Emmitsburg Road and by rapid pursuit compelled the temporary abandonment of several guns. At the foot of the slope met Union infantry and the line on the right retiring also fell back. The color bearer of the 8th Florida fell and its flag was lost.

Colonel David Lang, commander of Perry's Florida Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg

 

[George Thomas]

Here is a photo of the Florida state monument at Gettysburg I took in November 2017 around sunset. It is on West Confederate Ave. right across from where the path from the Henry Spangler farm emerges from the woods.