jameswoods
Private
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2015
The following is a map oriented description of the critical role played by Willard's brigade on July 2, taking into consideration the other forces at play while it was so engaged.
Part 1: Maps 8:30 a.m., 630 p.m., 6:47 p.m.
Willard's brigade (the Third in General Hays' Third Division of General Hancock's 2nd Corps) had arrived on the battlefield at about 5:30 a.m. on July 2nd. Marching up the Taneytown road (preceded by Carroll's and Smyth's brigades), it first took position just east of that road before crossing back over it at about 8:20 a.m. (exchanging places with elements of the 1st Corps). By 8:30 a.m., Willard's brigade and the 2nd Corps (with the exception of Zook's brigade) is in position on the eastern slope of Cemetery Ridge. The 3rd Corps (with the exception of DeTroriand's brigade) is just starting to form a line, its commanding officer, General Daniel Sickles, having been directed to connect the right of his line with the left of the 2nd Corps already in position. (DeTrobriand's and Zook's brigades will arrive on the field at about 10:00 a.m., the former via the Emmitsburg road the latter via the Taneytown road.)
Once in position, the 2nd Corps proceeded to deploy skirmishers. At this time, the 1st Delaware is shown moving out but by 9:45 a.m. skirmishers from the 39th, 42nd, 108th, 111th, 125th New York, 4th Ohio, 20th Massachusetts, 72nd and 106th Pennsylvania would be in position in the fields west of the Emmitsburg road (to the right of the skirmishers already in place from the 3rd Corps' 4th Maine).
By 6:30 p.m., the 2nd Corps had already sent Caldwell's Division to assist the beleaguered 3rd Corps in what would prove to be a futile and ultimately disastrous turn of events for that command. Observing that the 3rd Corps' line (Humphreys' Division) was "in the air" along the Emmitsburg road and in an effort to support it, General Gibbon, Hancock's Second Division commander, had the 82nd New York and 15th Massachusetts take up a position on that road using the Codori house as an anchor for the two regiments' left flank. As an additional support, Gibbon had Brown's Battery B, 1st Rhode Island take up a position on a slight rise of ground dangerously far forward of the main battle line.
At this time, another desperate plea from the 3rd Corps for reinforcements had made its way to General Meade who responded by requesting Hancock send a brigade. General Hays received the order and in relaying it to Colonel George Lamb Willard is reported to have said, "Go in there and knock the hell out of those rebs". Unfortunately, not readily observable to either Hays or Willard, the Peach Orchard is on the verge of being overrun by General Barksdale's Mississippians. Off by two and a half hours, Lieutenant Colonel James Bull, 126th New York, reported, "…At about 4 p.m., by order of the division general, the brigade moved from its position by the left flank about a quarter of a mile toward the left of the line…".
At approximately 6:47 p.m. Willard's brigade deployed: the 126th New York on the right and the 125th New York on its left. In reserve, the 111th New York is on the right and the 39th New York on the left. To the brigade's front, Humphreys' Division is slowly being pushed back by Wilcox's and Barksdale's brigades.
Shortly after Willard's brigade had started its move to the left, General Hancock decided to follow after when, noticing the gap in the Union line caused by the earlier dispatch of Caldwell's division and General Gibbon's dispersal of his command, he decided to partially plug it with Weir's Battery C, 5th U.S. and a nearby regiment (the 19th Maine). However, the battery would arouse Hancock's ire by coming into contact with the 19th Maine as he was personally moving the regiment into position. By this time, word of Sickles' wounding had reached General Meade who promptly ordered General Hancock to assume command of the 3rd Corps. It was about 7:00 p.m. when Hancock received the order and he immediately resumed his ride south along the ridge. (That this was the hour that he was ordered to take command of the 3rd Corps is confirmed by Hancock's recollection that his starting point was, "...to the left of Gibbon's command where I had posted a battery of Artillery and a protecting regiment...I have always been of the impression that the battery was Weir's...and that the regiment was the 19th Maine.")
While Hancock was attending to the re-positioning of the 19th Maine, Colonel Hall, commanding General Gibbon's Third brigade, had been called upon to send two regiments to General Humphreys. The 19th Massachusetts and 42nd New York were sent off guided by one of Humphreys' aides. Shortly after responding to this request, Hall took it on his own authority to, "… transfer several regiments" from their reserve position to occupy a part of the same gap that so concerned Hancock. General Webb subsequently identified the regiments involved as the 72nd New York and 106th Pennsylvania of his brigade.
Before reaching Willard's brigade, Hancock encountered a dispirited General Birney who told Hancock that, "...the 3d Corps had gone to pieces and fallen to the rear." Disputing the assertion, Hancock curtly pointed out Humphrey's Division still in the field and fighting as it slowly retired.
Part 1: Maps 8:30 a.m., 630 p.m., 6:47 p.m.
Willard's brigade (the Third in General Hays' Third Division of General Hancock's 2nd Corps) had arrived on the battlefield at about 5:30 a.m. on July 2nd. Marching up the Taneytown road (preceded by Carroll's and Smyth's brigades), it first took position just east of that road before crossing back over it at about 8:20 a.m. (exchanging places with elements of the 1st Corps). By 8:30 a.m., Willard's brigade and the 2nd Corps (with the exception of Zook's brigade) is in position on the eastern slope of Cemetery Ridge. The 3rd Corps (with the exception of DeTroriand's brigade) is just starting to form a line, its commanding officer, General Daniel Sickles, having been directed to connect the right of his line with the left of the 2nd Corps already in position. (DeTrobriand's and Zook's brigades will arrive on the field at about 10:00 a.m., the former via the Emmitsburg road the latter via the Taneytown road.)
Once in position, the 2nd Corps proceeded to deploy skirmishers. At this time, the 1st Delaware is shown moving out but by 9:45 a.m. skirmishers from the 39th, 42nd, 108th, 111th, 125th New York, 4th Ohio, 20th Massachusetts, 72nd and 106th Pennsylvania would be in position in the fields west of the Emmitsburg road (to the right of the skirmishers already in place from the 3rd Corps' 4th Maine).
By 6:30 p.m., the 2nd Corps had already sent Caldwell's Division to assist the beleaguered 3rd Corps in what would prove to be a futile and ultimately disastrous turn of events for that command. Observing that the 3rd Corps' line (Humphreys' Division) was "in the air" along the Emmitsburg road and in an effort to support it, General Gibbon, Hancock's Second Division commander, had the 82nd New York and 15th Massachusetts take up a position on that road using the Codori house as an anchor for the two regiments' left flank. As an additional support, Gibbon had Brown's Battery B, 1st Rhode Island take up a position on a slight rise of ground dangerously far forward of the main battle line.
At this time, another desperate plea from the 3rd Corps for reinforcements had made its way to General Meade who responded by requesting Hancock send a brigade. General Hays received the order and in relaying it to Colonel George Lamb Willard is reported to have said, "Go in there and knock the hell out of those rebs". Unfortunately, not readily observable to either Hays or Willard, the Peach Orchard is on the verge of being overrun by General Barksdale's Mississippians. Off by two and a half hours, Lieutenant Colonel James Bull, 126th New York, reported, "…At about 4 p.m., by order of the division general, the brigade moved from its position by the left flank about a quarter of a mile toward the left of the line…".
At approximately 6:47 p.m. Willard's brigade deployed: the 126th New York on the right and the 125th New York on its left. In reserve, the 111th New York is on the right and the 39th New York on the left. To the brigade's front, Humphreys' Division is slowly being pushed back by Wilcox's and Barksdale's brigades.
Shortly after Willard's brigade had started its move to the left, General Hancock decided to follow after when, noticing the gap in the Union line caused by the earlier dispatch of Caldwell's division and General Gibbon's dispersal of his command, he decided to partially plug it with Weir's Battery C, 5th U.S. and a nearby regiment (the 19th Maine). However, the battery would arouse Hancock's ire by coming into contact with the 19th Maine as he was personally moving the regiment into position. By this time, word of Sickles' wounding had reached General Meade who promptly ordered General Hancock to assume command of the 3rd Corps. It was about 7:00 p.m. when Hancock received the order and he immediately resumed his ride south along the ridge. (That this was the hour that he was ordered to take command of the 3rd Corps is confirmed by Hancock's recollection that his starting point was, "...to the left of Gibbon's command where I had posted a battery of Artillery and a protecting regiment...I have always been of the impression that the battery was Weir's...and that the regiment was the 19th Maine.")
While Hancock was attending to the re-positioning of the 19th Maine, Colonel Hall, commanding General Gibbon's Third brigade, had been called upon to send two regiments to General Humphreys. The 19th Massachusetts and 42nd New York were sent off guided by one of Humphreys' aides. Shortly after responding to this request, Hall took it on his own authority to, "… transfer several regiments" from their reserve position to occupy a part of the same gap that so concerned Hancock. General Webb subsequently identified the regiments involved as the 72nd New York and 106th Pennsylvania of his brigade.
Before reaching Willard's brigade, Hancock encountered a dispirited General Birney who told Hancock that, "...the 3d Corps had gone to pieces and fallen to the rear." Disputing the assertion, Hancock curtly pointed out Humphrey's Division still in the field and fighting as it slowly retired.
Bringing the