Say What Saturday: First Lieutenant Bayard Wilkeson

I would recommend reading Volume X of the Official Reports from Shiloh to really see the difference in the quality of information provided.
Regards
David
 
To get back to the original point of this thread when Ole Miss started it, Samuel Wilkeson, Bayard's Father, was a reporter for the New York Times. He was traveling with the AOP headquarters reporting on the war. Soon after arriving at Gettysburg, he learned of the circumstances of his son's death. The language quoted by Ole Miss is the opening line of his article in the Times on July 6. There is more than a little bitterness in Samuel Wilkeson's opening lines, but here is how he concludes the article:
“My pen is heavy. Oh, you dead, who at Gettysburg have baptized with your blood the second birth of Freedom in America, how you are to be envied! I rise from a grave whose wet clay I have passionately kissed, and I look up and see Christ spanning this battlefield with his feet and reaching fraternally and lovingly up to heaven. His right hand opens the gates of Paradise — with his left he beckons to these mutilated, bloody, swollen forms to ascend.”

Note the use of the phrase "second birth of Freedom in America". It is quite likely that President Lincoln would have read Wilkeson's piece in the Times. There are some who suggest that this article was the inspiration for Lincoln's phrase in the Gettysburg Address referring to a "New Birth of Freedom". The next time you hear someone recite or read the Gettysburg Address, don't just picture a pristine, military cemetery. Picture instead a 19 year old lieutenant, finishing the job of amputating his own leg by cutting through the few remaining sinews, and giving the last of his water to a wounded comrade before succumbing to death. Then, resolve to meet Lincoln's challenge to us all to ensure that Lt. Wilkeson, and the other brave men who fell with him, did not die in vain, and that democracy does not pass from the earth.
 
Bayard Wilkeson was a determined young man who followed his values to the death. This one incident of an extraordinary life being cut short shows how much this nation lost in the horrors of the ACW. Over 600,000 loved ones died which deprived their families, community and country of their worth. Sad, very sad.
Regards
David
 
This is the last Official Report from officers of Battery G, 4th U. A. Artillery after the Battle of Gettysburg. Lieutenant Merkle commanded the section that Lieutenant Wilkeson ordered to move across the York Road.
Regards
David

Report of Lieut. Christopher F. Merkle, Battery G, Fourth U. S.
Artillery.
Near Warrenton Junction, Va.,
July 28, 1863.
"Sir: I have the honor to forward to your headquarters a report of the battle of Gettysburg, Pa.
I was assigned to a position by First Lieut. Bayard Wilkeson with my section about 1 mile or three-quarters northwest of the poor-house. I engaged one battery of the enemy for a few moments with solid shot, and then directed my attention to the rebel infantry as they were advancing in mass upon us. I used shell and spherical case shot at first, and, as the line of the enemy came closer, and I ran out of shot, shell, and case shot, I used canister; the enemy was then within canister range. At the same time, our infantry fell back rapidly, and left me almost without support. I then limbered to the rear, and retired toward the town. The enemy came rather close at the time, so I fired two double rounds of canister, with prolonge fixed, at their line at the end of the town; then limbered up and retired.
When I arrived upon this side of the town, I was ordered by Major Osborn to take up a position with my section on the right of Captain Wiedrich, and about 100 yards north of the graveyard, on a small range of hills. At the same time he ordered me to get another gun from Lieutenant Bancroft and place it in the road or pike. I remained in that position until dark, when I was relieved.
I reported for orders to Major Osborn, and he ordered me to bring the left half battery in rear of the graveyard, and wait for further orders. I remained there all that night, and received orders next morning to join Lieutenant Bancroft.
The men in my section behaved well and bravely, especially Sergeants Leroy and Monroe.
The casualties during the day were Sergeant Monroe, Privates Bumpus, Clark, and Taffender, severely wounded, and Private Curtis missing; 5 horses killed.
Ammunition expended:
Rounds.
Solid shot................................................................. 24
Case shot.................................................................... 24
Shells....................................................................... 8
Canister................,................. .................................. 14
Total................................................................ 70
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
C, F. MERKLE,
Second Lieutenant Fourth U. S. Artillery.
First Lieut. W. H. Mickle,
A. A. A. G., Artillery 11th Corps, Army of the Potomac."


Official Records of the Rebellion
Series 1, Volume XXVII , Part 1
Pages 755-757
 
Was the left section of Battery G near the 17th CT?
@Ole Miss thank you for sharing this excellent thread. According to Tom's map, Wilkeson's battery was right with Ames brigade so yes, in the vicinity of (6 companies of) the 17th CT. You can see that he shows the other 4 companies of the 17th CT detached and about to meet the 38th Georgia, positioned on the left of Gordon's brigade.
1612141913324.png

<Sorry I had to split the map to show it all.> Here in the second half, you can see Gordon's brigade approaching.
1612142092186.png
 
To get back to the original point of this thread when Ole Miss started it, Samuel Wilkeson, Bayard's Father, was a reporter for the New York Times. He was traveling with the AOP headquarters reporting on the war. Soon after arriving at Gettysburg, he learned of the circumstances of his son's death. The language quoted by Ole Miss is the opening line of his article in the Times on July 6. There is more than a little bitterness in Samuel Wilkeson's opening lines, but here is how he concludes the article:
“My pen is heavy. Oh, you dead, who at Gettysburg have baptized with your blood the second birth of Freedom in America, how you are to be envied! I rise from a grave whose wet clay I have passionately kissed, and I look up and see Christ spanning this battlefield with his feet and reaching fraternally and lovingly up to heaven. His right hand opens the gates of Paradise — with his left he beckons to these mutilated, bloody, swollen forms to ascend.”

Note the use of the phrase "second birth of Freedom in America". It is quite likely that President Lincoln would have read Wilkeson's piece in the Times. There are some who suggest that this article was the inspiration for Lincoln's phrase in the Gettysburg Address referring to a "New Birth of Freedom". The next time you hear someone recite or read the Gettysburg Address, don't just picture a pristine, military cemetery. Picture instead a 19 year old lieutenant, finishing the job of amputating his own leg by cutting through the few remaining sinews, and giving the last of his water to a wounded comrade before succumbing to death. Then, resolve to meet Lincoln's challenge to us all to ensure that Lt. Wilkeson, and the other brave men who fell with him, did not die in vain, and that democracy does not pass from the earth.
And let's not forget Bayard's younger brother Frank. He enlisted in the NY Light, 11th Battery in Spring 1864 and took part in the Overland Campaign. At either the Wilderness or Spotsylvania (I believe the former, but haven't checked), he went AWOL from his battery (which wasn't in action) to temporarily join the infantry fighting at the front before returning to his unit. IIRC, well after the war he did some work for the New York Times.
 
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