Waller Patton at Gettysburg

[mphstteach]

Ok, I am working on research for my next book and would love some insight. My book is about the 7th West Virginia that fought with the Army of the Potomac, they were stationed on Cemetery Hill and repulsed the attack on the batteries on the evening of the 2nd. In the official report from the Lt. Colonel he states that his men wounded and captured the Colonel of the 7th Virginia which was Waller Patton, but all the information I see on Waller Patton claims that he was wounded during Pickett's charge?? This does not add up, but I have MULTIPLE sources that say the 7th WV captured Patton on the second. Is there a date mistake? Anybody know any specifics on Waller Patton? Would love any help or insight.
official report of 7th WV

 

[kholland]

Ok, I am working on research for my next book and would love some insight. My book is about the 7th West Virginia that fought with the Army of the Potomac, they were stationed on Cemetery Hill and repulsed the attack on the batteries on the evening of the 2nd. In the official report from the Lt. Colonel he states that his men wounded and captured the Colonel of the 7th Virginia which was Waller Patton, but all the information I see on Waller Patton claims that he was wounded during Pickett's charge?? This does not add up, but I have MULTIPLE sources that say the 7th WV captured Patton on the second. Is there a date mistake? Anybody know any specifics on Waller Patton? Would love any help or insight.
official report of 7th WV
http://www.lindapages.com/wvcw/1wvc/1wvc-gettysburg.htm

Waller Patton was mortally wounded at Pickett's Charge. He was struck by an artillery shell in the face and died weeks later at a temporary hospital at Pennsylvania College. He was the brother of the famous WW2 general George Smith Patton's grandfather, George Smith Patton Sr. who was killed at the Third Battle of Winchester (Opequon).

FYI- Ted Turner portrayed him in the movie "Gettysburg" . I think they cross a rail fence, Ted (Waller) yells out something like "Lets get 'em boys" and gets hit.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9078

 

[mphstteach]

This is bizarre. Nothing adds up

 

[mphstteach]

CAMP NEAR GETTYSBURG, PA.,
July 5, 1863.
SIR: In obedience to orders, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Seventh West Virginia in the late engagement near Gettysburg:
About 8 a.m. on the 2d instant, under the command of Colonel Carroll, the Seventh West Virginia, with the Fourteenth Indiana, Fourth and Eighth Ohio Volunteers, were massed in front of the enemy and near their center. About 4 p.m. the Seventh West Virginia and Fourteenth Indiana changed position on the left of the enemy's right center, where we remained but a short time, when the Seventh West Virginia was ordered back, and placed to protect the Fourth U.S. Artillery, where we remained under heavy fire from the enemy's batteries until about 8 o'clock, at which time, in connection with the Fourteenth Indiana, we were ordered to the right of Cemetery Hill, in support of Battery L, First New York Artillery, and on arriving there we found the battery about to be taken charge of by the enemy, who were in large force; whereupon we immediately charged upon the enemy, and succeeded in completely routing the entire force and driving them beyond their lines, capturing a number of prisoners, and removing their dead and wounded in order to establish our line on the line previously occupied by the enemy.
Among the prisoners captured was the colonel of the Seventh Virginia Volunteers, and colonel and major of the Twenty-first North Carolina Volunteers.
Having established our lines, we remained at this position during the night and the day and the night of the 3d.
From 6 a.m. until about dusk on the 3d, we lay under heavy fire and cross-fire from the enemy's batteries. We had brisk skirmishing in our front during the time we occupied that position. During the whole engagement the field was contested with a spirit of determination on our side to gain the victory.
Our loss is as follows: Lieutenant-colonel wounded; 5 enlisted men killed; 42 enlisted men wounded, and 13 enlisted men missing--a list of the same having previously been forwarded.
My officers and men behaved with admirable coolness and undaunted courage, and deserve well of their country.
I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,
J. H. LOCKWOOD,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

 

[kholland]

CAMP NEAR GETTYSBURG, PA.,
July 5, 1863.
SIR: In obedience to orders, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Seventh West Virginia in the late engagement near Gettysburg:
About 8 a.m. on the 2d instant, under the command of Colonel Carroll, the Seventh West Virginia, with the Fourteenth Indiana, Fourth and Eighth Ohio Volunteers, were massed in front of the enemy and near their center. About 4 p.m. the Seventh West Virginia and Fourteenth Indiana changed position on the left of the enemy's right center, where we remained but a short time, when the Seventh West Virginia was ordered back, and placed to protect the Fourth U.S. Artillery, where we remained under heavy fire from the enemy's batteries until about 8 o'clock, at which time, in connection with the Fourteenth Indiana, we were ordered to the right of Cemetery Hill, in support of Battery L, First New York Artillery, and on arriving there we found the battery about to be taken charge of by the enemy, who were in large force; whereupon we immediately charged upon the enemy, and succeeded in completely routing the entire force and driving them beyond their lines, capturing a number of prisoners, and removing their dead and wounded in order to establish our line on the line previously occupied by the enemy.
Among the prisoners captured was the colonel of the Seventh Virginia Volunteers, and colonel and major of the Twenty-first North Carolina Volunteers.
Having established our lines, we remained at this position during the night and the day and the night of the 3d.
From 6 a.m. until about dusk on the 3d, we lay under heavy fire and cross-fire from the enemy's batteries. We had brisk skirmishing in our front during the time we occupied that position. During the whole engagement the field was contested with a spirit of determination on our side to gain the victory.
Our loss is as follows: Lieutenant-colonel wounded; 5 enlisted men killed; 42 enlisted men wounded, and 13 enlisted men missing--a list of the same having previously been forwarded.
My officers and men behaved with admirable coolness and undaunted courage, and deserve well of their country.
I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,
J. H. LOCKWOOD,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Listed on the National Park Service site https://www.nps.gov/gett/learn/historyculture/anv-orderofbattle.htm for the 7th Virginia are 2 Colonels, Patton as mortally wounded and Lieutenant Colonel Charles C. Floweree. But no designation after his name. Possibly he is the one or there was a mix up in what regiment this Colonel was from.

 

[rpkennedy]

From Nothing But Glory, page 207:

Patton, Waller Tazewell (Colonel): Born 15 July 1835 at Fredericksburg, Va.; graduated VMI 1855; lawyer at Culpeper, Va.; never married; Capt. Co. "B," 13th Va. Inf. 17 April 1861; Major 7th Va. 1 July 161; Col. 7th Va. 3 or 24 June 1862; wounded in both jaws and in the lungs during the attack and captured; died 21 July 1863 at the Pennsylvania College Hospital; eventually buried in the Stonewall Cemetery, Winchester, Va.

R

 

[GELongstreet]

... but I have MULTIPLE sources that say the 7th WV captured Patton on the second. Is there a date mistake? ...

The 7th Virginia wasn´t on the field on July 2. Probably a mix-up because the 7th WV was involved. Mixed up units happened in several reports.

 

[mphstteach]

Thanks for the insight, that was what i assumed but i wanted backup

 

[rpkennedy]

The 7th Virginia wasn´t on the field on July 2. Probably a mix-up because the 7th WV was involved. Mixed up units happened in several reports.

I didn't even catch the July 2nd reference. That is definitely wrong, not to mention that the 7th West Virginia was over on Cemetery Hill and wasn't present during or immediately after Longstreet's attack. It's likely that he was captured near the wall, somewhere south of the Copse, by the troops that swarmed the area after the attack was broken.

R

 

[mphstteach]

I didn't even catch the July 2nd reference. That is definitely wrong, not to mention that the 7th West Virginia was over on Cemetery Hill and wasn't present during or immediately after Longstreet's attack. It's likely that he was captured near the wall, somewhere south of the Copse, by the troops that swarmed the area after the attack was broken.

R

This is what confused me so much. I know the 7th wasnt at the angle during picketts charge but they were heavily involved on cemetery hill on the 2nd. The mention of the 7th Va threw me off big time, now im trying to figure out which 7th the lt colonel of the 7th WV was referring to.

 

[rpkennedy]

This is what confused me so much. I know the 7th wasnt at the angle during picketts charge but they were heavily involved on cemetery hill on the 2nd. The mention of the 7th Va threw me off big time, now im trying to figure out which 7th the lt colonel of the 7th WV was referring to.

Was it a colonel or lt. colonel?

R

 

[rpkennedy]

Have you looked at the lt. colonel of the 7th Louisiana? I know their colonel survived the battle unscathed but I have no info on any of their other officers.

R

 

[GELongstreet]

And the colonel of the 21st North Carolina, William W. Kirkland, was (to my knowledge) not captured either ... he became a Brigadier in August.

 

[E_just_E]

The 7th WV was nowhere near the 7th VA in the battle. Matter of fact, the closest they have been, would be about a mile and a half away during the end of Pickett's charge, when the 7th VA of Kemper's brigade was fighting with the Vermonters due west of where the PA monument is (or so +/- 500 yards )

The 7th WV was on the East Cemetery Hill for the whole battle pretty much..

 

[mphstteach]

I know, which is why the report confused me

 

[Tom Elmore]

From my analysis, the 7th West Virginia followed the 14th Indiana down the slope of East Cemetery Hill about 8 p.m. on July 2. The 21st North Carolina was directly in their front, but its attack had already been spent after about 30 minutes of trying unsuccessfully to dislodge the 17th Connecticut from the walls at the base of the hill. What Carroll's brigade mainly accomplished was to advance over the wall and gather up the wounded. While coming down the hill, the 14th Indiana was subject to an enfilade fire at close range on their left from the 6th North Carolina, which at that moment was aligned along a perpendicular wall that extended between the summit and base of the hill. The 7th West Virginia was faced to the left to meet this fire and advanced toward the wall, but by then the 6th North Carolina had fallen back in retreat. The 7th West Virginia might also have collected prisoners (mainly wounded) from the 6th North Carolina, and perhaps some Louisiana soldiers lying on the slope beyond, which could have included members of the 7th, 8th and/or 9th Louisiana.

One cannot fault Carroll's men for thinking their arrival had forced the Confederates to retire, but it appears clear to me that their arrival merely coincided with the Confederate withdrawal following 40 minutes of hard fighting in descending darkness. The most compelling argument for this assertion are the relatively light casualties sustained by Carroll's force.

The other controversial topic is the location of the 17th Connecticut, but that can be saved for another discussion.

 

[rpkennedy]

From my analysis, the 7th West Virginia followed the 14th Indiana down the slope of East Cemetery Hill about 8 p.m. on July 2. The 21st North Carolina was directly in their front, but its attack had already been spent after about 30 minutes of trying unsuccessfully to dislodge the 17th Connecticut from the walls at the base of the hill. What Carroll's brigade mainly accomplished was to advance over the wall and gather up the wounded. While coming down the hill, the 14th Indiana was subject to an enfilade fire at close range on their left from the 6th North Carolina, which at that moment was aligned along a perpendicular wall that extended between the summit and base of the hill. The 7th West Virginia was faced to the left to meet this fire and advanced toward the wall, but by then the 6th North Carolina had fallen back in retreat. The 7th West Virginia might also have collected prisoners (mainly wounded) from the 6th North Carolina, and perhaps some Louisiana soldiers lying on the slope beyond, which could have included members of the 7th, 8th and/or 9th Louisiana.

One cannot fault Carroll's men for thinking their arrival had forced the Confederates to retire, but it appears clear to me that their arrival merely coincided with the Confederate withdrawal following 40 minutes of hard fighting in descending darkness. The most compelling argument for this assertion are the relatively light casualties sustained by Carroll's force.

The other controversial topic is the location of the 17th Connecticut, but that can be saved for another discussion.

Tom, did the 7th Louisiana lose a lt. colonel on ECH? That might explain some of the confusion.

R

 

[Tom Elmore]

The lieutenant colonel of the 7th Louisiana was Thomas M. Terry, and the colonel was Davidson Bradfute Penn. Both men are understood to have come away from the battle unscathed. Also, not too far distant was the 57th North Carolina, whose lieutenant colonel was Hamilton Chamberlain Jones, Jr., but he also escaped unscathed. Colonel Archibald C. Godwin of the 57th succeeded to brigade command after the mortal wounding of Col. Isaac E. Avery of the 6th North Carolina. But Avery reportedly died on the Culp farm and was buried in Williamsport.

The identity of Lockwood's captured "colonel" is a mystery. Only two possibilities come to mind, both unlikely. The first would be an officer who previously served in the 7th Virginia. The second would be a senior staff officer who took part in the charge, but there are no known candidates in the latter category.

 

[GELongstreet]

...Colonel Archibald C. Godwin of the 57th succeeded to brigade command ...

On a little side note Godwin was killed on this day in 1864 at the Battle of Opequon.

 

[civilken]

this may sound crazy and no I am not trying to be funny but at Antietam there is a young man at tthe visitors center whose family fort in the seventh Virginia his uncles and family members is there every weekend and give stores I would almost bet that if you call the Antietam visitors center and ask for this individual he would be happy to give you all the information you would need men had talked for a good while and he loves to tell stories of his family and then and he has documentation to back it up good luck.