With the death of Lieutenant Wilekson, command of Battery G, 4th U. S. Artillery fell upon Lieutenant Eugene A. Bancroft. He fought well and saved his battery by retreating towards Gettysburg while covering the retreat of the XI Corps on the 1st day of battle. His Official Report is very interesting and detailed. I can tell the difference in reports from a year earlier after the Battle of Shiloh as they are more realistic, sans flowery descriptions, and more detailed.
Regards
David
Report of Lieut Eugene A. Bancroft, Battery G, Fourth U. S.
Artillery.
Near Warrenton Junction, Va.,
July 28, 1863.
"Sir: I have the honor to report the services of this battery since the 1st instant.
The battery, under the command of First Lieut. Bayard Wilkeson, Fourth U. S. Artillery, left camp, near Emmitsburg, Md., at 9 a. m. July 1, and marched to Gettysburg, Pa. When about 2 miles from the latter place, the order to trot was received, and, moving rapidly forward, the battery reached the town at 11 a. m.; passed directly through the village, and, turning to the right, in rear of our lines of batteries, moved about 1 mile through some fields, and immediately engaged the enemy. Leaving the left section, under Second Lieut. C. F. Merkle, on the south side of the York road, near the poor-house, the right and center sections took position on the north side of the road, and some distance eastward of the poor-house.
At this point, Lieutenant Wilkeson was struck in the right leg by a shot from the enemy’s artillery, and mortally wounded. After engaging two of the rebel batteries for about half an hour, these two sections retired a short distance, and a few minutes thereafter three of the pieces went into action on the left of their first position, to resist the advance of a line of the enemy’s infantry, firing spherical case and canister, until, our infantry giving way in great disorder, the want of support compelled me to withdraw the guns. On entering the road leading into the village, I was joined by the left section, under Lieutenant Merkle, and assumed command of the whole. Halting to fill the ammunition chests of the gun limbers, the battery then retired slowly through Gettysburg, and took position in the cemetery, on the south side of the village, at 5 p. m., whence I fired a few shell and solid shot at the enemy, but without eliciting any reply.
The casualties during the day were as follows, viz: Lieutenant Wilkeson, mortally wounded; Private [Charles F.] Hofer, killed; Corporal [John] Monroe and Privates [Ira C.] Bumpus, [William] Clark, Taffender, and [Edwin S.] Libby, severely wounded; Bugler [Charles A.] Lockwood, Corporal [Adolphus C.] Hardy, Privates [William] Curtis and [Frank E.] Jordan, missing; 12 horses killed.
On the 2d instant, the battery was ordered to take position in a field in the rear of the cemetery, facing the Baltimore road, where it remained until 4.30 p. m., when it went into action at the cemetery, the right and center sections engaging a rebel battery stationed on a hill east of the cemetery, and the left section the enemy’s batteries in front, to the north. The battery continued firing until 7 p. m., when the right and center sections were relieved, and, after filling the ammunition chests, retook the position occupied in the first part of the day, and were held in readiness to assist our infantry in holding the woods on the right.
The casualties this day were as follows: Privates [Charles C.] Converse, [Charles A.] Green, and [Philip] Kistner, slightly wounded; 8 horses killed.
On the 3d, in the morning, the left section rejoined the battery from the cemetery, where it had remained through the night.
At about 2 p. m., four guns being ordered into action, the right and center sections again took position in tlie cemetery, and engaged the enemy’s batteries and infantry until their final repulse at about 5 p. m.
The casualties this day were Private [Patrick] Hartney severely* and Sergeant [William] Leroy and Private [Alfred] Johnson slightly, wounded; 4 horses killed and 7 wounded.
Number of rounds of ammunition expended during three days :
Solid shot.................................................................. 616
Shells ...................................................................... 158
Spherical case ............................................................ 588
Canister.................................................................... 18
Total............................................................... 1,380
The non-commissioned officers and men of the battery who came under my immediate observation behaved themselves with great coolness and gallantry. Exposed for hours to the hottest fire of the war, there was no faltering, and every man did his duty, each contributing his quota to the grand result.
Lieutenant Merkle was detached with his section on the first day by order of Major Osborn. His report of the part taken by him in that day’s action is annexed herewith.
I have to report that Lieutenant Merkle fully sustained his previous reputation for coolness and bravery in the action of the 2d and 3d.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,"
E. A. BANCROFT,
First Lieut. Fourth U. S. Artillery, Comdg. Battery G, Lieut. W. H. Mickle,
A. A. A. 6r., Artillery 11th Corps, Army of the Potomac.