Phillips Legion at Gettysburg

[jameswoods]

Not too much about this unit other than it held down Wofford's left during his advance. Any veteran's personal accounts out there?

Jim Woods

 

[Tom Elmore]

Information is scarce. Phillips' Legion comprised nine companies A, B, C, D, E, F, L, M, and O. It was reportedly the far left regiment of the brigade during the advance, in which they captured two colors, one being taken by Private Alfred Norris of Company E. One of these was perhaps the national colors of the 62nd Pennsylvania. Wofford's brigade encountered Sweitzer's brigade at close quarters in the Wheatfield, and also forced back the U.S. Regulars. J. S. Wood of Company D, Phillips' Legion wrote: "We went into them with our bayonets and clubbed them with our guns. It was here that I went after a flag; and after shooting one man, and clubbing five others, I was in the act of reaching for the flag when a fellow named [E. I.] Smith jumped in ahead of me and grabbed it. I came very near to clubbing him, but he put up such a pitiful mouth about having a 'family of small children that he wanted to see so bad,' I let him have it so that he could get a furlough. Gus Tomlinson saw the whole transaction." Two members of Phillip's Legion were left to guard wounded in a "little farmhouse" skirting the Wheatfield, supposedly that of John T. Weikert.

T. M. Mitchell of Company B wrote a journal, while Marcus L. Green of Company O and J. B. Clifton kept diaries; copies of these are on file with the National Park. Clifton worked in the hospital, often with Brigade Surgeon Todd, brother of Mary Todd Lincoln. A brief account was also written by Ivy F. Thompson of Company D. Incidentally, Company F, "The Lochrane Guards," was composed of Irishmen. About 50 men and three officers of Phillips' Legion were transferred to Company F (and perhaps a few to Company E) of the 3rd Battalion Sharpshooters in early June 1863. The Sharpshooters served as skirmishers for the brigade - Company F of the Sharpshooters was led by Capt. Newton N. Gober (formerly of Company L), 1st Lt. W. R. Montgomery (also of L), and 2nd Lt. J. W. Barrett.

 

[jameswoods]

Thanks, Tom.
I guess I'm still hoping for some letter to turn up describing how such and such a member of Phillip's Legion helped capture Yankee (Walcott's 3rd Mass.) guns on the afternoon of July 2.