- Joined
- Jan 16, 2015
High ranking officers like Richard S. Ewell and Oliver O. Howard were not the only ones with previous battle injuries to serve at Gettysburg:
(USA) Lieutenant Colonel George A. Woodward, commanding the 2nd Pennsylvania Reserves, was unable to accompany his regiment as it advanced across Plum Run Valley from Little Round Top late in the day on July 2, because of wounds he had sustained at Glendale [June 30, 1862], although he slept that night with his regiment at the stone wall bordering the east side of the Wheatfield. Major P. McDonough led the regiment in the charges it made on July 2 and 3. (Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, I:114; http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/gawoodward.htm)
(CSA) Lieutenant Colonel Powhatan Bolling Whittle of the 38th Virginia had lost his left arm at Malvern Hill [July 1, 1862]. On July 3 at Gettysburg, he was severely wounded in both the right arm and left thigh. (Letter of James Booker, Company D, 38th Virginia; Memorandum of the 38th Virginia, Southern Historical Society Papers)
(CSA) Major Charles S. Peyton, commanding the 19th Virginia and remnants of Garnett’s brigade after July 3, had lost his arm at Second Manassas [late August 1862], and rejoined his unit in April 1863. During the grand assault against Cemetery Ridge he received a painful flesh wound, but he was the only field officer in the brigade capable of duty following that charge. (Confederate Veteran magazine, vol. 21 (1913), p. 495; Confederate Military History, Extended Addition, vol. 3 (West Virginia), pp. 256-257)
(CSA) Major John Cheves Haskell, while a lieutenant, had his right arm torn off at the shoulder by the discharge of an enemy cannon when he was within ten feet of the muzzle. This occurred near Gaines’ Mill on June 27, 1862. Haskell was attached as an adjunct officer to the First Corps artillery at Gettysburg. (The Making of an Artillery Officer: Major John Cheves Haskell at Gettysburg, by David L. Shultz and Steven C. Nelson, No. 62, January 2020, p. 55)
(CSA) Captain Benjamin Hodges Smith, Jr., commanding the Third Company of Richmond Howitzers (actually four 3-inch Rifles) posted on Seminary Ridge on July 2 and 3, had lost a foot to amputation in October 1862. (A Gunner in Lee’s Army: The Civil War Letters of Thomas Henry Carter, by Graham T. Dozier, p. 145)
(CSA) Captain Thomas Edwin Betts of Company C, 40th Virginia, sustained a partial paralysis of his right arm at the battle of Gaines’ Mill [June 27, 1862]. He was captured on the retreat from Gettysburg. (Compiled Service Records, Fold3)
(CSA) 1st Lieutenant Champe W. Pattie of Company A (“Hardy Blues”), 25th Virginia had lost one eye while fighting as a sergeant at Kernstown on March 23, 1862. (Confederate Veteran magazine, vol. 19 (1911), p. 348)
(CSA) First Lieutenant William Ambrose Wright of Company K, 3rd Georgia was serving as ordnance officer in the brigade led by his father, Brigadier General Ambrose Ransom Wright. William had lost a leg at Second Manassas [late August 1862] and rode with two crutches attached to his saddle. On June 25, after the brigade encamped for the evening near Sharpsburg, the brigade staff rode forward to Keedysville, Maryland on a reconnaissance. While in that village they were surprised by a squad of Federal cavalry operating from Harper’s Ferry. Being unable to keep up with his comrades while falling back, William was captured. (Fighting With the 3rd Georgia, by Alfred Zachry, Civil War Times Illustrated, Sep-Oct 1994, vol. 33, no. 4, p. 68; George S. Bernard, Company E, 12th Virginia; Grinnan Family Papers, 12th Virginia)
(USA) 1st Sergeant George W. Haight of the 24th Michigan was still suffering from a wound he had received at Fitzhugh’s Crossing [April 1863], but he went into battle anyway on July 1, and was severely wounded again, in the leg. Colonel Morrow mentioned him for bravery. (Official Report of Col. Henry A. Morrow, 24th Michigan)
(CSA) Private Ira Wheeler, Company A, 49th Georgia, had his right thumb shot off at the middle joint at Cedar Run [also known as Cedar Mountain] on August 9, 1862. At Gettysburg he had his left leg grazed by a glancing artillery round. (Georgia Virtual Vault, Confederate Pension Applications, Jones County)
(USA) Lieutenant Colonel George A. Woodward, commanding the 2nd Pennsylvania Reserves, was unable to accompany his regiment as it advanced across Plum Run Valley from Little Round Top late in the day on July 2, because of wounds he had sustained at Glendale [June 30, 1862], although he slept that night with his regiment at the stone wall bordering the east side of the Wheatfield. Major P. McDonough led the regiment in the charges it made on July 2 and 3. (Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, I:114; http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/gawoodward.htm)
(CSA) Lieutenant Colonel Powhatan Bolling Whittle of the 38th Virginia had lost his left arm at Malvern Hill [July 1, 1862]. On July 3 at Gettysburg, he was severely wounded in both the right arm and left thigh. (Letter of James Booker, Company D, 38th Virginia; Memorandum of the 38th Virginia, Southern Historical Society Papers)
(CSA) Major Charles S. Peyton, commanding the 19th Virginia and remnants of Garnett’s brigade after July 3, had lost his arm at Second Manassas [late August 1862], and rejoined his unit in April 1863. During the grand assault against Cemetery Ridge he received a painful flesh wound, but he was the only field officer in the brigade capable of duty following that charge. (Confederate Veteran magazine, vol. 21 (1913), p. 495; Confederate Military History, Extended Addition, vol. 3 (West Virginia), pp. 256-257)
(CSA) Major John Cheves Haskell, while a lieutenant, had his right arm torn off at the shoulder by the discharge of an enemy cannon when he was within ten feet of the muzzle. This occurred near Gaines’ Mill on June 27, 1862. Haskell was attached as an adjunct officer to the First Corps artillery at Gettysburg. (The Making of an Artillery Officer: Major John Cheves Haskell at Gettysburg, by David L. Shultz and Steven C. Nelson, No. 62, January 2020, p. 55)
(CSA) Captain Benjamin Hodges Smith, Jr., commanding the Third Company of Richmond Howitzers (actually four 3-inch Rifles) posted on Seminary Ridge on July 2 and 3, had lost a foot to amputation in October 1862. (A Gunner in Lee’s Army: The Civil War Letters of Thomas Henry Carter, by Graham T. Dozier, p. 145)
(CSA) Captain Thomas Edwin Betts of Company C, 40th Virginia, sustained a partial paralysis of his right arm at the battle of Gaines’ Mill [June 27, 1862]. He was captured on the retreat from Gettysburg. (Compiled Service Records, Fold3)
(CSA) 1st Lieutenant Champe W. Pattie of Company A (“Hardy Blues”), 25th Virginia had lost one eye while fighting as a sergeant at Kernstown on March 23, 1862. (Confederate Veteran magazine, vol. 19 (1911), p. 348)
(CSA) First Lieutenant William Ambrose Wright of Company K, 3rd Georgia was serving as ordnance officer in the brigade led by his father, Brigadier General Ambrose Ransom Wright. William had lost a leg at Second Manassas [late August 1862] and rode with two crutches attached to his saddle. On June 25, after the brigade encamped for the evening near Sharpsburg, the brigade staff rode forward to Keedysville, Maryland on a reconnaissance. While in that village they were surprised by a squad of Federal cavalry operating from Harper’s Ferry. Being unable to keep up with his comrades while falling back, William was captured. (Fighting With the 3rd Georgia, by Alfred Zachry, Civil War Times Illustrated, Sep-Oct 1994, vol. 33, no. 4, p. 68; George S. Bernard, Company E, 12th Virginia; Grinnan Family Papers, 12th Virginia)
(USA) 1st Sergeant George W. Haight of the 24th Michigan was still suffering from a wound he had received at Fitzhugh’s Crossing [April 1863], but he went into battle anyway on July 1, and was severely wounded again, in the leg. Colonel Morrow mentioned him for bravery. (Official Report of Col. Henry A. Morrow, 24th Michigan)
(CSA) Private Ira Wheeler, Company A, 49th Georgia, had his right thumb shot off at the middle joint at Cedar Run [also known as Cedar Mountain] on August 9, 1862. At Gettysburg he had his left leg grazed by a glancing artillery round. (Georgia Virtual Vault, Confederate Pension Applications, Jones County)