Prisoners from Hood's Division

[spcchap]

Hey everyone,

Just curious what your thoughts are here. My relative was in Company G of the 9th Georgia, on Anderson's left on July 2. According to his CMSR, he was wounded and captured on July 3. My assumption is that he was wounded on the 2nd, left on the field and later recovered the next day by Federal forces. I suppose he could have been wounded and captured during the cavalry actions on July 3, that Anderson's brigade took part in - but I feel that's less likely.

Although I'll probably never find out for sure, I'm trying to place his approximate location of wounding on July 2. I feel like if he went down while crossing the Emmitsburg Road (i.e., from artillery in the Peach Orchard), he likely would have been recovered by friendly forces (he was wounded in the leg, so somewhat "ambulatory"). So in my mind, he probably went down in an area that was vacated by the Confederates but was still perhaps in "no man's land", hence his recovery the following day. That has me thinking perhaps he fell in Rose's Woods or the Wheatfield itself.

I'd love to hear someone else's thoughts in the subject.

 

[Scott F]

What was your relative's name? I have done a lot of research on Anderson's Brigade at Gettysburg and especially the 9th Georgia maybe I could find some answers for you.

 

[Tom Elmore]

Company G suffered 34 killed and wounded on July 2, according to Busey and Busey's Confederate Casualties at Gettysburg. On my list identified as to cause of wound, the 9th Georgia regiment had 9 artillery casualties, 35 gunshot casualties, and one who was struck by both artillery and gunshot, which breaks down by percentages as: Artillery - 21.1% (9.5/45) and Gunshot - 78.9 % (35.5/45). It's the highest artillery percentage in the brigade, presumably because the 9th was on the left flank and the target of every Federal gun in the Peach Orchard and along the Wheatfield road during its advance.

However, here is my breakdown on just the Company G, 9th Georgia casualties (W for wounded), which are all by gunshot:

Calhoun, Conway O., 1Cpl, G/9 GA, W gunshot upper third left thigh.
Dickerson, William B., Pvt, G/9 GA, W gunshot upper third thigh.
Duke, John H., Pvt, G/9 GA, W gunshot right leg.
Durham, Alexander R., Pvt, G/9 GA, W gunshot left arm humerus bone.
Greathouse, Bryant A., Pvt, G/9 GA, W gunshot left arm flesh.
Holloway, Rufus B., G/9 GA, W ball left arm, amputated.
Kelley, Joseph, Cpl, G/9 GA, W ball in hip.
Mills, John, Pvt, G/9 GA, MW ball in lungs.
Nash, William F., Pvt, G/9 GA, MW ball fractured femur, died August 18.
Talley, James M., Pvt, G/9 GA, W gunshot left thigh flesh.

Your assumption about July 2 vice July 3 is correct, although the 9th did play a minor role in repulsing Federal cavalry on July 3. The Confederates held the Rose woods on the night of July 2 until the late afternoon of July 3, so nearly all of the 9th's soldiers should have been taken off the field by friendly forces. While there can always be a few exceptions, the great majority of the those in the regiment who were wounded and afterwards captured no doubt fell into Federal hands on July 5, having been left behind in the various field hospitals because they were in no shape to make the arduous wagon train journey.

Of course the 9th lost heavily in three separate charges on July 2, but the most destructive was likely their initial attack against the stony hill (the "Loop") as depicted in my attached draft map of 1705 (5:05 p.m.), followed by their second attack around 5:40 p.m., both being within about 100 yards of each other.

 

[Scott F]

I don't know about the wounded and captured, but Capt. Hillyer who took over the regiment mid-battle didn't report his casualties until July 3rd, and those recorded as captured on July 3rd (nearly all) were actually captured on July 2nd, Likely by Brooke's brigade.

 

[Tom Elmore]

Good point about Brooke's brigade. In any case Kelly's and then Brooke's advanced positions were not held very long, hardly sufficient time to move their own wounded off, let alone the enemy wounded, unless they were still mobile.

In addition a handful of intrepid souls from the 9th joined the third and final general advance and were recorded far into the Wheatfield, where it is conceivable that some were collected by the sunset advance of the Pennsylvania Reserves.