- Joined
- Jan 16, 2015
Thousands of head of cattle and sheep were collected (requisitioned from the citizens) by the Confederates throughout the Gettysburg campaign and sent south. However, some animals were retained to provide fresh beef and mutton "on the hoof" to the troops. Lt. Gen. Ewell reported that his command alone collected and sent back nearly 3,000 cattle from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. The effort was continued right up until the battle. A member of the 49th Virginia recalled that on July 4, he marched with the wagon train containing the wounded, which was interspersed every half mile with a drove of cattle headed to the rear. Both sides practiced livestock confiscation. A Michigan cavalryman explained that "we have a regiment to drive the sheep and oxen that we picked up on the [southern] farms."
Cattle were a pricey commodity. Back in September 1861, Sergeant Adam C. Harness sold 53 head to the C.S. Government for $ 2,451.27, which works out to $46.25 per head. By mid-1863, the price may have doubled or tripled due to inflation.
Men were detailed from the ranks and assigned to the commissary department (typically of brigades) as butchers or to drive livestock, while distribution of the meat was handled by commissary personnel in individual regiments and even companies.
For instance, a cattle guard comprising 16 men from the 10th Maine Battalion (the Union headquarters guard) was assigned, just prior to the campaign, to drive 2oo beeves. Their herd followed behind the hospital supply train. Henry Blake of the 11th Massachusetts observed such a herd where the cattle bore "upon their horns and backs the knapsacks and muskets of the guard."
On July 3, a large herd belonging to the Union army had been driven to within a mile and a half or so of Little Round Top. Sergeant James A. Black, a company commissary in the 32nd Massachusetts, received word that rations of fresh beef were ready to be issued in that location. At other times butchering was done close to the front line. A soldier of the 136th New York recalled that on the night of 1 July, an ox was driven down to the road where the regiment was stationed, butchered on the spot, and the meat divided among the men.
Driving cattle or butchering was nearly always a safe occupation in the army, but that said, danger always lurked at the front. On July 4, a group of Confederate butchers were caught by surprise near Devil's Den, likely by the same Union probe that had encountered the 15th Georgia. Three of the butchers were killed, including one who had just struck and killed an ox, and two who were in the process of skinning two other animals. These cattle were either brought up to the front for the purpose of feeding the troops, or perhaps were cattle found in the vicinity that had belonged to local farmers.
Some identified personnel:
CSA
- James B. Croy, 7th Virginia, detailed to drive beef cattle.
- J. J. Chernault, 18th Virginia, detailed as brigade butcher.
- Pvt. Allen Avery, 11th Georgia, captured July 5 as part of a squad driving beef cattle.
- Pvt. Myer Weill, 16th Mississippi, detailed as brigade butcher.
- Pvt John P. Reynolds, 16th Mississippi, detailed as cow driver.
- Obediah Barron, 13th Mississippi, beef driver for the division.
- James M. Bozeman, 13th Mississippi, detailed to drive beef.
- Hardy M. Cottingham, 13th Mississippi, beef driver and butcher.
- Lewis L. Leibenfeld, 13th Mississippi, butcher.
- Pvt. J. M. Gwyn, 61st Georgia, butcher.
- Jacob Ruble, 5th Louisiana, regimental butcher.
- William Labarge, 6th Louisiana, regimental butcher.
- Patrick Lynch, 6th Louisiana, brigade butcher.
- R. C. Smith, 2nd Louisiana, brigade butcher.
- Pvt. Roberts, 31st Virginia, brigade butcher.
- Jesse W. Ayres, 8th Florida, butcher.
- Pvt. John M. Harvey, 5th Alabama, detailed as butcher.
- George W. Simons, 12th Virginia, detailed to collect cattle for the army.
USA
- John Stickney, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- John Burnham, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- William Moore, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- Joseph Simpson, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- Dennis Sullivan, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- Francis Willens, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- George Nicklas, 108th New York, detailed as brigade butcher; he was a butcher before the war.
- John R. Chase, 4th Maine, butcher.
- Pvt. Harrison T. Norton, 6th Maine, brigade butcher.
- Robert R. P. Potter, 6th Maine, brigade butcher.
- Cattle guard of the 10th Maine Battalion: Sgt. Joseph G. Brown (in charge), Cpl. Joseph Littlefield, Privates Wm S. Davis, William T. Dodge, Daniel Hanson, George W. Hatch, Emery A. Holman, Nathaniel Cash, Ezekiel H. Hanson, George H. Hoit, Storer S. Knight, Edward H. Sawyer, Amos Kelley, William T. Keyes, Joseph W. Small and Josiah H. Smith.
Cattle were a pricey commodity. Back in September 1861, Sergeant Adam C. Harness sold 53 head to the C.S. Government for $ 2,451.27, which works out to $46.25 per head. By mid-1863, the price may have doubled or tripled due to inflation.
Men were detailed from the ranks and assigned to the commissary department (typically of brigades) as butchers or to drive livestock, while distribution of the meat was handled by commissary personnel in individual regiments and even companies.
For instance, a cattle guard comprising 16 men from the 10th Maine Battalion (the Union headquarters guard) was assigned, just prior to the campaign, to drive 2oo beeves. Their herd followed behind the hospital supply train. Henry Blake of the 11th Massachusetts observed such a herd where the cattle bore "upon their horns and backs the knapsacks and muskets of the guard."
On July 3, a large herd belonging to the Union army had been driven to within a mile and a half or so of Little Round Top. Sergeant James A. Black, a company commissary in the 32nd Massachusetts, received word that rations of fresh beef were ready to be issued in that location. At other times butchering was done close to the front line. A soldier of the 136th New York recalled that on the night of 1 July, an ox was driven down to the road where the regiment was stationed, butchered on the spot, and the meat divided among the men.
Driving cattle or butchering was nearly always a safe occupation in the army, but that said, danger always lurked at the front. On July 4, a group of Confederate butchers were caught by surprise near Devil's Den, likely by the same Union probe that had encountered the 15th Georgia. Three of the butchers were killed, including one who had just struck and killed an ox, and two who were in the process of skinning two other animals. These cattle were either brought up to the front for the purpose of feeding the troops, or perhaps were cattle found in the vicinity that had belonged to local farmers.
Some identified personnel:
CSA
- James B. Croy, 7th Virginia, detailed to drive beef cattle.
- J. J. Chernault, 18th Virginia, detailed as brigade butcher.
- Pvt. Allen Avery, 11th Georgia, captured July 5 as part of a squad driving beef cattle.
- Pvt. Myer Weill, 16th Mississippi, detailed as brigade butcher.
- Pvt John P. Reynolds, 16th Mississippi, detailed as cow driver.
- Obediah Barron, 13th Mississippi, beef driver for the division.
- James M. Bozeman, 13th Mississippi, detailed to drive beef.
- Hardy M. Cottingham, 13th Mississippi, beef driver and butcher.
- Lewis L. Leibenfeld, 13th Mississippi, butcher.
- Pvt. J. M. Gwyn, 61st Georgia, butcher.
- Jacob Ruble, 5th Louisiana, regimental butcher.
- William Labarge, 6th Louisiana, regimental butcher.
- Patrick Lynch, 6th Louisiana, brigade butcher.
- R. C. Smith, 2nd Louisiana, brigade butcher.
- Pvt. Roberts, 31st Virginia, brigade butcher.
- Jesse W. Ayres, 8th Florida, butcher.
- Pvt. John M. Harvey, 5th Alabama, detailed as butcher.
- George W. Simons, 12th Virginia, detailed to collect cattle for the army.
USA
- John Stickney, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- John Burnham, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- William Moore, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- Joseph Simpson, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- Dennis Sullivan, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- Francis Willens, 16th Maine, cattle guard.
- George Nicklas, 108th New York, detailed as brigade butcher; he was a butcher before the war.
- John R. Chase, 4th Maine, butcher.
- Pvt. Harrison T. Norton, 6th Maine, brigade butcher.
- Robert R. P. Potter, 6th Maine, brigade butcher.
- Cattle guard of the 10th Maine Battalion: Sgt. Joseph G. Brown (in charge), Cpl. Joseph Littlefield, Privates Wm S. Davis, William T. Dodge, Daniel Hanson, George W. Hatch, Emery A. Holman, Nathaniel Cash, Ezekiel H. Hanson, George H. Hoit, Storer S. Knight, Edward H. Sawyer, Amos Kelley, William T. Keyes, Joseph W. Small and Josiah H. Smith.