Where was this Iron Brigade member killed?

scotth

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Aug 1, 2018
I wanted to make use of the vast amounts of expertise on this forum!! My wife's great, great, great grandfather's nephew, Lt. Crocket East, Company K, 19th Indiana Infantry, was killed July 1, 1863. We have included a transcribed copy of a letter his friend and fellow soldier sent home to a mutual lady friend. It tells of the events of that terrible day.

Based on the description in the letter, can you experts help me pinpoint where Crocket was killed? My wife and I would like to visit that spot one day. We have been to Gettysburg several times, twice in the last 4 years, and researched what we think, but I am so astounded by the depth of knowledge on this forum, I would like your interpretation of where it actually happened. I welcome your thoughts.
 

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I wanted to make use of the vast amounts of expertise on this forum!! My wife's great, great, great grandfather's nephew, Lt. Crocket East, Company K, 19th Indiana Infantry, was killed July 1, 1863. We have included a transcribed copy of a letter his friend and fellow soldier sent home to a mutual lady friend. It tells of the events of that terrible day.

Based on the description in the letter, can you experts help me pinpoint where Crocket was killed? My wife and I would like to visit that spot one day. We have been to Gettysburg several times, twice in the last 4 years, and researched what we think, but I am so astounded by the depth of knowledge on this forum, I would like your interpretation of where it actually happened. I welcome your thoughts.

Based on that description, Lt. East was killed in the fighting in Herbst Woods against Pettigrew's Brigade. I would say that he fell very close to where the monument to the 19th Indiana stands today.

Ryan
 
The letter in your possession clearly puts Lt. East’s death at a point in time during the afternoon fighting, but before the regiment began to withdraw towards Seminary Ridge. Accordingly, it is correct that he would have been somewhere in the vicinity of the regiment’s monument.

In his work “On Many a Bloody Field”, Alan Gaff indicates that the standard battle alignment for the 19th Indiana was from left to right:
B G K E H C I D F A.

Assuming that the standard alignment was used during the afternoon fight at Gettysburg, Company K would be to the left, or south, of the center of the regiment.

Gaff also quotes an officer of the regiment (Lt. Col Dudley) about the position of the regiment after the morning fight and the movement back to the east side of Willoughby Run as follows: The line of the regiment “ . . . extended from near the edge of the timber skirting Willoughby Run on the left across the level space in the south west corner of McPhersons’s woods — northward about two hundred and seventy five feet part way up the rising ground until it joined the 24th Michigan, being within the woods but on ground sparsely covered with trees.”

(Let me interact here that while many writers have called the wood lot where the Iron Brigade fought on July 1 “McPherson’s Woods” and while that is understandable as it is just south of the McPherson Farm buildings, the wood lot in question is actually on the Herbst property and therefore ought to be called “Herbst Woods”.)

The first hand account quoted by Gaff clearly puts the 19th Indiana within the wood lot. But we need to ask ourselves whether the cultivated area that exists today is the same as it was in 1863. We know that at least two of the trees near the monument are witness trees, so at least part of the wooded area is the same. A review of the Warren map, which is based on a survey made in 1868-69, the southwest corner of the wood lot seems to angle so as to include more of the bank fo Willoughby Run than is the case today. It is my thought that the left end of the 19th Indiana line likely extended into this corner, especially as it consistent with the topographical description. The topographical description in the first hand account, states that the line ran “across the level space in the southwest corner”, and that the right end of the 19th Indiana line ends part way up the the rising ground. Today, the monument sits just at the base of rising ground, but that ground has been changed by the grading for Meredith Avenue. All in all, my best judgement is that the monument to the 19th Indiana monument is perhaps 25 to 30 yards north of where the center of the line would have been based on the description of the rise in the ground. Company K would have been about 20 to 25 yards south of the center line of the regiment. This would place it somewhat into the cultivated field today.

So, as is often the case we base our conclusions on certain assumptions. I have tried to give you the assumptions upon which my conclusion is based. Perhaps some who follow this forum will have more precise evidence upon which to base their assumptions, and therefore be able to give a more accurate estimate of where Ct. East died.

I assume that you are aware that Lt. East’s name is shown on the monument, as are all the regiment’s officers.
 
Based on that description, Lt. East was killed in the fighting in Herbst Woods against Pettigrew's Brigade. I would say that he fell very close to where the monument to the 19th Indiana stands today.

Ryan
I agree. It sounds like he was shot in the afternoon engagement.
 
Much appreciate the letter. Craig L. Dunn's work on the 19th indiciated that Lt. Crocket East was killed while trying to help Lt. William W. Macy (Company C) put the flag back into the shuck (a protective sheathing) - see attachment for a book review that mentions the incident. It appears from this account that the regiment was already moving toward the rear and was near the crest (on the east side of Herbst woods, along which the modern road runs) when Lt. East was shot in the head, which occurred around 3:15 p.m. and near the northeast corner of the woods based on my research - the spot is very close to where Gen. Reynolds was killed earlier in the day. I have attached three of my draft maps depicting the situation at 3, 3:10 and 3:15 p.m. (1500, 1510 and 1515) when the 26th and 11th North Carolina regiments were pressing back the 19th Indiana and the rest of Meredith's Iron Brigade.

McPherson 1500 001.jpg


Seminary1510.jpg


Seminary1515.jpg
 

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  • LtEast19IN.pdf
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Much appreciate the letter. Craig L. Dunn of the 19th recalled that Lt. Crocket East was killed while trying to help Lt. William W. Macy (Company C) put the flag back into the shuck (a protective sheathing) - see attachment for a book review that mentions the incident. It appears from Dunn's account that the regiment was already moving toward the rear and was near the crest (on the east side of Herbst woods, along which the modern road runs) when Lt. East was shot in the head, which occurred around 3:15 p.m. and near the northeast corner of the woods based on my research - the spot is very close to where Gen. Reynolds was killed earlier in the day. I have attached three of my draft maps depicting the situation at 3, 3:10 and 3:15 p.m. (1500, 1510 and 1515) when the 26th and 11th North Carolina regiments were pressing back the 19th Indiana and the rest of Meredith's Iron Brigade.

View attachment 372204

View attachment 372207

View attachment 372208

Are those maps of your own creation? If so they are wonderfully done, sir.
 
As stated, my view was based on the language of the letter, but on reading it again, it seems that Murray is not certain, and that the confusion of the withdrawal may already have been underway. So with this additional evidence from Tom, I would now venture the guess that Lt. East may have fallen somewhere between where the 151st PA monument is today and the monument for the place where Gen. Reynolds was killed. In any event, it would likely have been on the western slope of McPherson Ridge. Once the Union men moved into the lower ground between McPherson and Seminary Ridges, they were momentarily out of the line of fire of their pursuers.
 
As stated, my view was based on the language of the letter, but on reading it again, it seems that Murray is not certain, and that the confusion of the withdrawal may already have been underway. So with this additional evidence from Tom, I would now venture the guess that Lt. East may have fallen somewhere between where the 151st PA monument is today and the monument for the place where Gen. Reynolds was killed. In any event, it would likely have been on the western slope of McPherson Ridge. Once the Union men moved into the lower ground between McPherson and Seminary Ridges, they were momentarily out of the line of fire of their pursuers.

With the line bending back and the fighting withdrawals, there's no way to be absolutely certain. If we make a triangle from the monuments to the 19th Indiana, 151st Pennsylvania, and Reynolds' death, we can be reasonably sure that he fell somewhere in there.

Ryan
 
With the line bending back and the fighting withdrawals, there's no way to be absolutely certain. If we make a triangle from the monuments to the 19th Indiana, 151st Pennsylvania, and Reynolds' death, we can be reasonably sure that he fell somewhere in there.

Ryan
that is what we ascertained in our visits, that he was killed in that present day woodlot, between the 19th's monument, and the Reynold's monument...thinking more up the hill then down...but we are by no means experts. i sure enjoy watching the depth of the knowledge on this site unfold....
an interesting side note, my wife is related to Langhorne Wister of the 150th Pennsylvania on her 'other' side....crazy how close the regiments fought together near where Crocket was killed. Pennsylvania and Indiana...both ancestors of hers. (Of course mine were mostly Stonewall Brigade, so that little deal at Brawner's Farm was a WHOLE other story!)

Thank you one and all
 
Can someone explain why/how the regiment gets ordered in this manner.

In his work “On Many a Bloody Field”, Alan Gaff indicates that the standard battle alignment for the 19th Indiana was from left to right:
B G K E H C I D F A.
 
Can someone explain why/how the regiment gets ordered in this manner.

In his work “On Many a Bloody Field”, Alan Gaff indicates that the standard battle alignment for the 19th Indiana was from left to right:
B G K E H C I D F A.

It has to do with the seniority of the captains per the field training manual: 2 - 7 - 10 - 5 - 8 - 3 - 9 - 4 - 6 - 1

As casualties among officers mounted (or losses from other causes), many regiments moved their companies around to conform with the changed order of seniority, but based on a number of examples I've found that roughly half the regiments (north and south) decided not to shift their companies around (perhaps in part because personnel had to continually relearn the relative positions of their company in the line), but rather they simply retained the original alignment, ignoring changes in seniority among company commanders. I don't know if the brigade commander became involved in the matter, but it so happens that the 24th Michigan also retained the standard alignment, and partial data indicates the 2nd Wisconsin did so as well.
 
Craig L. Dunn of the 19th recalled that Lt. Crocket East was killed while trying to help Lt. William W. Macy (Company C) put the flag back into the shuck (a protective sheathing) -
Apparently, Hospital Steward of the 19th Indiana, Henry C Marsh, recalled it similarly, except he refers to Macy as Captain. It should be noted that he was at the hospital when all this occurred and was likely only reciting what he had heard others say. Still, he tells it well.
1598927891325.png


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1598928450499.png
 
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If a regiment is marching then what are the order of the companies? and how are they "shaken out" into line of battle B G K E H C I D F A?
 
If a regiment is marching then what are the order of the companies? and how are they "shaken out" into line of battle B G K E H C I D F A?

Folks with expertise in tactical maneuvering can better explain it. But as I understand it, if a regiment is marching in column "right in front" - meaning Company A is at the head of the column and Company B is at the rear of the column - then an order to "change front forward on first company" will bring the column into line at roughly right angles to the previous direction of march. The very head of the column stays put to become the new right of the line as the ten companies execute a right wheel and successively extend the regiment to the left as they come into line.
 
Just joined but is Dom Dal Bello a member of this forum? This has been his area of study for close to thirty years.
 
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