A R T I L L E R Y EMPLOYMENT AT THE BATTLE OF CETTYSBURG

A t h e s i s p r e s e n t e d t o t h e F a c u l t y o f t h e U . S . Army Command and G e n e r a l S t a f f C o l l e g e i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t of t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s for' t h e degree

MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE

by

MARK R . GILMORE, MAJ, USA B . S . , Oregon S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , 1977

F o r t Leavenworth, Kansas 1989

Approved f o r p u b l i c r e l e a s e ; d i s t r i b u t i o n is u n l i m i t e d .

MASTER OF M I L I T A R Y ART AND SCIENCE THESIS APPROVAL PAGE

Name o f C a n d i d a t e :
T i t l e of T h e s i s :

MAJ Mark R. G i l m o r e
A r t i l l e r y Employment a t t h e B a t t l e of Gettysburg

Approved b y :

LTC D a n i e l W . B a g b y d I I

d & +

, T h e s i s Committee Chairman

, Member, G r a d u a t e F a c u l t y
COL Richadd M . S w a i n , P h . D .

A c c e p t e d t h i s 2nd d a y of J u n e 1989 b y :

, D i r e c t o r , Graduate
P h i l i p J . Brookes, Ph.D. Programs

Degree

The o p i n i o n s a n d c o n c l u s i o n s e x p r e s s e d h e r e i n a r e t h o s e o f t h e s t u d e n t a u t h o r and d o n o t n e c e s s a r i l y r e p r e s e n t t h e v i e w s o f t h e U.S. A r m y Command and General S t a f f C o l l e g e o r a n y o t h e r g o v e r n m e n t a l a g e n c y . (Referencas t o W t u d v should the ) . -

ii

ABSTRACT ARTILLERY EMPLOYMENT AT THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG: An a n a l y s i s o f how Union a r t i l l e r y f o r c e s were employed d u r i n g t h e B a t t l e o f G e t t y s b u r g , 1-3 J u l y 1863, by Major Mark R . G i l m o r e , USA, 93 pages. T h i s t h e s i s is a n h i s t o r i c a l a n a l y s i s o f t h e Union a r t i l l e r y a t t h e B a t t l e of G e t t y s b u r g . I t e x a m i n e s t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e of t h e Union a r t i l l e r y ' s c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e F e d e r a l v i c t o r y T h i s s t u d y e x p l o r e s a l l a s p e c t s of t h e t a c t i c a l employment o f t h e Union a r t i l l e r y on t h e f i r s t and l a s t d a y s o f t h e b a t t l e . A b r i e f d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e e v o l u t i o n of a r t i l l e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n i n t h e Army o f t h e Potomac p r i o r t o t h e b a t t l e o f G e t t y s b u r g is i n c l u d e d . T h i s is f o l l o w e d b y t h e c h r o n o l o g i c a l p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e t a c t i c a l employment of a r t i l l e r y d u r i n g t h e b a t t l e . F i r s t i t s e m p l o y m e n t i n t h e m e e t i n g engagement on 1 J u l y is e x a m i n e d , f o l l o w e d by a s t u d y of i t s u s e o n t h e f i n a l a n d d e c i s i v e t h i r d d a y when Union f o r c e s f o u g h t a s e c piece d e f e n s i v e b a t t l e . Among t h e c o n c l u s i o n s a r r i v e d a t d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f t h i s s t u d y are t h e s e : T h a t . t h e A r m y of t h e Potomac's c o r p s a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e s and army a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e p r o v e d t o b e r e s p o n s i v e and e f f i c i e n t o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n f u l f i l l i n g t h e i r f i r e s u p p o r t m i s s i o n , and when c o u p l e d w i t h t h e s k i l l f u l use of a r t i l l e r y and a g g r e s s i v e l e a d e r s h i p by t h e a r m y ' s C h i e f - o f A r t i l l e r y , B r i g a d i e r G e n e r a l H u n t , were c r u c i a l t o t h e s u c c e s s f u l employment o f t h e Union a r t i l l e r y f o r c e s . T h i s s t u d y c o n c l u d e s t h a t t h e Union a r t i l l e r y u n d e r t h e command o f B r i g a d i e r G e n e r a l Henry Hunt had a d e c i d e d and p o s i t i v e i n f l u e n c e on t h e F e d e r a l v i c t o r y by s u c c e s s f u l l y e m p l o y i n g its c o r p s a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e s and army a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e a s p a r t o f a combined arms f o r c e .

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
A p p r o v a l Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abstract ................................................
ii

iii
v

L i s t of Figures ...........................................
C h a p t e r 1 .I n t r o d u c t i o n

..................................

Chapter 1 Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C h a p t e r 2 .G e t t y s b u r g

12

.T h e

F i r s t Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4~

Chapter 2 Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

C h a p t e r 3 .G e t t y s b u r g .The T h i r d Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 . Chapter 3 Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C h a p t e r 4 .A n a l y s i s and C o n c l u s i o n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter 4 Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D
B6

68
78

.Weapon Range Data ........................... 80 .P r i n c i p l e s o f A r t i l l e r y O r g a n i z a t i o n . . . . . . . .81 .S p e c i a l O r d e r s No . 129 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 . Union A r t i l l e r y U n i t s a t G e t t y s b u r g . . . . . . . . . 87

Y1
93

Bibliography

Initial

............................................. D i s t r i b u t i o n L i s t ................................

iv

L I S T OF FIGURES

Figure 1 .Gettysburg B a t t l e f i e l d Figure 2 Figure 3

.........................

18

.A r t i l l e r y .A r t i l l e r y

P o s i t i o n s . 1 J u l y a.m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Positions. 1 J u l y p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Figure 4 .P i c k e t t ' s Charge. 3 July p.m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Figure 5 .T h e F i g h t a t t h e Angle. 3 J u l y p.m . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION R e f e r r e d t o as t h e K i n g o f B a t t l e , t h e F i e l d

A r t i l l e r y h a s e v o l v e d i n t o a p o w e r f u l member o f t o d a y s
combined arms t e a m . T h e h i s t o r y o f t h i s e v o l u t i o n is a l o n g and c o l o r f u l o n e . Under t h e t u t e l a g e o f Napoleon a r t i l l e r y was r a i s e d t o a p r o m i n e n c e e q u a l t o t h e o t h e r m i l i t a r y arms f o u n d on t h e b a t t l e f i e l d . A f o r m e r a r t i l l e r y m a n , Napoleon r e c o g n i z e d t h e p o t e n t i a l t h a t massed f i r e p o w e r o f f e r e d t h e f i e l d commander i f employed p r o p e r l y . A s h i s armies d e m o n s t r a t e d time and a g a i n , massing t h e f i r e p o w e r o f h i s
a r t i l l e r y a t t h e c r i t i c a l time and p l a c e p r o v i d e d t h e

n e c e s s a r y t a c t i c a l a d v a n t a g e f o r h i s maneuver f o r c e s t o

b r e a c h t h e enemy l i n e s and s e c u r e t h e v i c t o r y . 1 A s t h e American C i v i l W a r a p p r o a c h e d , c h a n g e s were o c c u r r i n g i n t h e w o r l d t h a t would have a p r o n o u n c e d a f f e c t on t h e r o l e of a r t i l l e r y . Yet when t h e war became a r e a l i t y i t was e v i d e n t immediately t h a t a r t i l l e r y m e n were n o t r e a d y t o d e a l w i t h
t h e s e c h a n g e s , and would h a v e t o a d a p t i f t h e i r arm was t o

s u r v i v e and c o n t i n u e t o b e a c o n t r i b u t i n g member o f t h e combined arms team.

T h i s s t u d y examines t h e a r t i l l e r y s a d a p t a t i o n t o
t h e s e c h a n g e s by a n a l y z i n g t h e p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e Army o f t h e Potomacs a r t i l l e r y d u r i n g t h e Battle of Gettysburg. T h i s
1

chapter w i l l introduce the reader t o C i v i l W a r artillery in s u f f i c i e n t d e t a i l t o p r o v i d e an u n d e r s t a n d i n g of its m a t e r i a l and o r g a n i z a t i o n a l c a p a b i l i t i e s . C h a p t e r s Two and Three examine how t h e Union a r t i l l e r y was employed a t G e t t y s b u r g . These c h a p t e r s i n c l u d e a d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e a r t i l l e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n f o r c o m b a t , and a summary o f t h e combat a c t i o n d u r i n g t h e f i r s t and t h i r d d a y s o f t h e b a t t l e , f o c u s i n g on t h e c r i t i c a l combat a c t i o n s d u r i n g w h i c h a r t i l l e r y p l a y e d a m a j o r r o l e . C h a p t e r F o u r c o n c l u d e s t h e s t u d y by p r o v i d i n g a f i n a l a n a l y s i s o f t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n o f t h e Union a r t i l l e r y t o
t h e outcome a t G e t t y s b u r g .

Napoleon maximized t h e p o t e n t i a l o f a r t i l l e r y a s a n o f f e n s i v e weapon. H i s a r t i l l e r y c o u l d r a n g e t h e enemy i n f a n t r y e a s i l y w i t h o u t p l a c i n g i t s e l f a t r i s k . While t h e e f f e c t i v e r a n g e o f t h e a r t i l l e r y c a n i s t e r p r o j e c t i l e was 300 t o 400 y a r d s , t h e s m o o t h b o r e m u s k e t u s e d b y o p p o s i n g i n f a n t r y was e f f e c t i v e t o a range o f no more t h a n 150 y a r d s . T h i s s i t u a t i o n had c h a n g e d by t h e o p e n i n g of t h e C i v i l War. The c h a n g e r a d i c a l l y a l t e r e d how a r t i l l e r y was employed and
t h e m i s s i o n s it performed.

The American C i v i l W a r was t h e f i r s t American war i n w h i c h t h e o p p o s i n g i n f a n t r i e s were armed a l m o s t e n t i r e l y w i t h

r i f l e d small arms.* The p r e s e n c e o f r i f l e s i n t h e h a n d s o f

o p p o s i n g i n f a n t r y a f f e c t e d a r t i l l e r y i n two ways. One w a s t o

p l a c e a r t i l l e r y m e n a t r i s k o f b e i n g wounded o r k i l l e d when

t h e y employed t h e i r g u n s c l o s e enough t o o p p o s i n g i n f a n t r y t o f i r e c a n i s t e r . T h e S p r i n g f i e l d and E n f i e l d r i f l e s , t h o s e most

2

commonly used at Cettysburg, were a threat at a range of 300 yards, closely rivaling the maximum effective range of canister. Therefore, the emplacement of cannon to fire canister, especially in the offense, proved to be an extremely risky proposition for gunners. The necessity for self-preservation forced artillerymen to position their guns away from the enemy infantry. This action adversely affected the effectiveness of artillery fire as it took the guns out of effective canister range and reduced t h e accuracy of all other projectiles.3 In addition, the greatly increased range and accuracy of the rifle forced the infantry soldier, particularly in the defense, to seek cover from enemy rifle fire, providing protection not only from enemy rifles, but also from enemy artillery.' Artillery in the Civil War was of two types, foot artillery and field artillery. Foot artillery referred to those weapons and personnel used to conduot sieges, protect garrison facilities and coastal fortifications. Weapons used by the foot artillery were either large fixed cannon, or large semi-mobile cannon used in siege operations. Generally, even the cannon in the foot artillery whioh could be moved were so large and heavy that it was not possible for them to maneuver on the open battlefield. This was the responsibility

of the field artillery, or light artillery

as

it was

sometimes oalled. It was the field artillery's responsibility to maneuver on the battlefield and provide support to the
J

maneuver forces.5 Field artillery was further divided into the horse artillery and mounted artillery. Horse artillery typically was employed in support of cavalry operations where it was required that the artillery be as mobile as the unit it supported. To do this the gun crews rode on horseback alongside their guns. Men in the mounted artillery either walked alongside their guns, or rode atop the ammunition chests if the situation required.8 During the battle at Gettysburg only field artillery units were decisively engaged, although one battery of 20-pounder Parrott rifles, a relatively heavy weapon, accompanied the army to Gettysburg. Rifled barrels were introduced for artillery weapons alongside the rifled musket for infantry. This afforded the artillery many of the same benefits enjoyed by the rifleman. Increased range and accuracy were two of these. Rifling enabled the artillery cannon to fire projectiles that were oblong in shape. This meant larger projectiles could be fired out of the same size bore found on a smoothbore cannon firing spherical ammunition. The oblong projectile was more aerodynamically shaped, offering l e s s wind resistance.7
A wide variety of artillery weapons were used during

the Civil War, many of which were developed in response to wartime needs. Both smoothbore and rifled artillery pieces saw action throughout the war, to include the battle at Gettysburg. Prior to the war the 6-pounder smoothbore gun was the most common artillery weapon in use by the field
4

a r t i l l e r y . I t had seen c o n s i d e r a b l e a c t i o n i n t h e Mexican

War.e By t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e C i v i l War, t h e 1 2 - p o u n d e r
s m o o t h b o r e g u n , Model 1 8 5 7 , commonly r e f e r r e d t o as t h e N a p o l e o n , had become t h e f a v o r i t e s m o o t h b o r e c a n n o n . I n t h e
Army o f t h e Potomac, t o a large e x t e n t ,

it replaced t h e

6-pounder s m o o t h b o r e a n d t h e 12-pounder s m o o t h b o r e , Model

1841-44, a gun w e i g h i n g o v e r 500 p o u n d s more t h a n t h e

Napolaon.9
T h e most common s m o o t h b o r e gun u s e d b y t h e Army o f

t h e Potomac a t G e t t y s b u r g was t h e 1 2 - p o u n d e r N a p o l e o n . 1 0
T h e most w i d e l y u s e d r i f l e d gun was t h e 3 - I n c h O r d n a n c e r i f l e

a n d , t o a l e s s e r e x t e n t , t h e 10 and 20-pounder P a r r o t t s . Of
t h e l a t t e r , t h e 3 - I n c h O r d n a n c e r i f l e was p r e f e r r e d . I t s

w r o u g h t i r o n c o n s t r u c t i o n was s t r o n g e r and more r e l i a b l e t h a n

t h e cast i r o n P a r r o t t s , especially t h o s e of t h e l a r g e r

c a l i b e r s w h i c h o f t e n e x p l o d e d . The 5 t h N e w York B a t t e r y r e p o r t e d t h a t o n e o f i t s 20-Pounder P a r r o t t s e x p l o d e d d u r i n g t h e c a n n o n a d e w h i c h p r e c e d e d P i c k e t t s c h a r g e on 3 J u l y , f o r t u n a t e l y i n j u r y i n g n o o n e . 1 1 I t is i m p o r t a n t t o n o t e t h a t s m o o t h b o r e and r i f l e d c a n n o n e a c h had t h e i r s p e c i f i c a d v a n t a g e s on t h e b a t t l e f i e l d . The s m o o t h b o r e was a more c a p a b l e weapon t o d e f e n d a g a i n s t a n i n f a n t r y a s s a u l t . I t s

c a n i s t e r p r o j e c t i l e was l a r g e r and more e f f e c t i v e t h a n t h e

c a n i s t e r round f o u n d w i t h t h e r i f l e d g u n s d u e t o i t s l a r g e r b o r e d i a m e t e r . 1 2 The r i f l e d g u n - s b e t t e r a c c u r a c y and longer

range p r o v e d t o b e more e f f e c t i v e i n a c o u n t e r - b a t t e r y r o l e .
5

The c o u n t e r - b a t t e r y m i s s i o n was u s u a l l y g i v e n t o t h o s e b a t t e r i e s which c o n s i s t e d p r i m a r i l y o f r i f l e d c a n n o n . 1 3

A r t i l l e r y cannon were l i n e - o f - s i g h t

direct fire

w e a p o n s . The l a c k of s o p h i s t i c a t e d f i r e c o n t r o l systems allowed gunners t o engage e f f e c t i v e l y o n l y t h o s e targets they c o u l d s e e . The e x t e n d e d range o f t h e r i f l e d gun was a c a p a b i l i t y t h a t w a s d i f f i c u l t t o e x p l o i t . The d i f f i c u l t y i n o b s e r v i n g t h e r o u n d i m p a c t i n g a t maximum range p r e v e n t e d u s i n g t h e r i f l e d g u n s f u l l r a n g e c a p a b i l i t y . F o r t h i s same r e a s o n f i r i n g a t n i g h t was c o n s i d e r e d t o be a waste o f ammunition and w a s n o r m a l l y n o t d o n e . 1 4 Appendix A i d e n t i f i e s t h e primary a r t i l l e r y weapons u s e d d u r i n g t h e C i v i l War and t h e i r r a n g e c a p a b i l i t i e s .
The Souths limited i n d u s t r i a l capacity, i n

c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e N o r t h s blockade of t h e South, f o r c e d t h e C o n f e d e r a t e a r t i l l e r y t o use w h a t e v e r g u n s t h e y c o u l d a c q u i r e . T h i s m e a n t t h a t some f o u r - g u n C o n f e d e r a t e b a t t e r i e s c o n t a i n e d up t o t h r e e d i f f e r e n t c a l i b e r s . 1 6 T h i s c r e a t e d

a s i g n i f i c a n t l o g i s t i c a l p r o b l e m by r e q u i r i n g t h a t a s i n g l e

b a t t e r y m a i n t a i n s e v e r a l d i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f ammunition on h a n d . A t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e C i v i l War t h e Army of t h e Potomac o r g a n i z e d i t s b a t t e r i e s i n t e n t i o n a l l y w i t h a mix o f c a l i b e r s . The m o s t common mix was t h e p l a c e m e n t of two r i f l e d c a n n o n w i t h f o u r s m o o t h b o r e N a p o l e o n s . T h i s was i n t e n d e d t o a l l o w t h e b a t t e r y t o place e f f e c t i v e c o u n t e r - b a t t e r y f i r e on enemy a r t i l l e r y u n i t s w h i l e r e s e r v i n g t h e N a p o l e o n s f o r c l o s e i n f i g h t i n g w h e r e i t s s u p e r i o r c a n i s t e r p r o j e c t i l e was h i g h l y
6

f a v o r e d . A s t h e war p r o g r e s s e d , b a t t e r i e s i n t h e Army o f t h e Potomac were o r g a n i z e d w i t h o n l y one t y p e o f g u n per b a t t e r y .

O t h e r Union armies, s u c h a s t h e Army o f t h e C u m b e r l a n d , s t i l l

had b a t t e r i e s t h a t r e t a i n e d a mix of g u n t y p e s , most l i k e l y a r e s u l t o f t h e Army o f t h e P o t o m a c s f a v o r e d s t a t u s i n t h e Union i n terms o f r e c e i v i n g new e q u i p m e n t .

A v a r i e t y of p r o j e c t i l e s were u s e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e
war. The most common were c a n i s t e r , s h o t , s h e l l , and c a s e .
C a n i s t e r was b y f a r t h e most e f f e c t i v e p r o j e c t i l e a g a i n s t

a s s a u l t i n g i n f a n t r y , b u t i t was l i m i t e d by an e f f e c t i v e r a n g e o f n o t more t h a n 400 y a r d s . l e A c a n i s t e r r o u n d c o n s i s t e d of approximately twenty-seven s o l i d metal b a l l s p a c k e d i n a t i n

c a n a t o p a powder c h a r g e . When f i r e d t h e t i n o u t e r s h e l l s h e a r e d away and t h e metal b a l l s i n s i d e assumed a t r a j e c t o r y

s i m i l i a r t o a modern d a y s h o t g u n s h e l l . When t h e s i t u a t i o n

r e q u i r e d , g u n n e r s would s o m e t i m e s l o a d a d o u b l e o r t r i p l e c h a r g e o f c a n i s t e r t o i n c r e a s e f u r t h e r t h e number o f l e t h a l p r o j e c t i l e s f i r e d a t one t i m e . S h o t was a s o l i d metal b a l l u s e d f o r k n o c k i n g down f o r t i f i c a t i o n s o r b u i l d i n g s . S h o t c o n t a i n e d a c o n s i d e r a b l e amount o f k i n e t i c e n e r g y a s i t t r a v e l e d d o w n r a n g e . S h e l l was a h o l l o w metal b a l l f i l l e d w i t h a n e x p l o s i v e . I t w a s d e t o n a t e d by a b u r n i n g t i m e fuze. If t h e

time f u z e o p e r a t e d p r o p e r l y t h e o u t e r metal c a s i n g would

f r a g m e n t upon d e t o n a t i o n . Case was s i m i l i a r t o s h e l l b u t it i n c l u d e d numerous metal b a l l s w i t h i n t h e h o l l o w e d o u t c e n t e r .
A powder c h a r g e was t h e n i n s e r t e d i n t o t h e c e n t e r d e s i g n e d t o
7

d e t o n a t e t h e p r o j e c t i l e o n c e t h e time f u z e f u n c t i o n e d . T h e
metal b a l l s a d d e d t o t h e f r a g m e n t a t i o n e f f e c t b y c r e a t i n g

a d d i t i o n a l l e t h a l fragments. I n addition t o t h e standard p r o j e c t i l e s a l r e a d y d e s c r i b e d , a l l of w h i c h w e r e u s e d by b o t h s i d e s a t G e t t y s b u r g , o t h e r t y p e s of p r o j e c t i l e s found t h e i r

way o n t o t h e b a t t l e f i e l d . Warren Lee G o s s , a p r i v a t e i n

H a n c o c k ' s I1 C o r p s a t G e t t y s b u r g , r e p o r t e d t h a t d u r i n g t h e c a n n o n a d e on t h e t h i r d d a y R e b e l b a t t e r i e s were u s i n g r a i l r o a d i r o n and o t h e r m i s s i l e s a l o n g w i t h t h e s t a n d a r d projectiles.
17

The t e c h n o l o g y o f t h e time, c o u p l e d w i t h wartime n e e d s , c r e a t e d r e l i a b i l i t y p r o b l e m s w i t h o r d n a n c e . The most p r o n o u n c e d p r o b l e m s were w i t h f u z e s . T h e C o n f e d e r a t e s were p l a g u e d e s p e c i a l l y by t h e s e p r o b l e m s , p r i m a r i l y a s a r e s u l t of p o o r q u a l i t y c o n t r o l d u r i n g t h e m a n u f a c t u r i n g p r o c e s s . T h e Bormann time f u z e , u s e d b y b o t h s i d e s , p r o v e d on s e v e r a l o c c a s i o n s t o b e v i r t u a l l y u s e l e s s . l e An e x a m p l e o f t h i s was

a t C h a n c e l l o r s v i l l e where t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s r e p o r t e d o n l y one

i n f i f t e e n s h e l l s d e t o n a t e d p r o p e r l y . l a On o t h e r o c c a s i o n s
t h e y would d e t o n a t e t h e r o u n d p r e m a t u r e l y , e n d a n g e r i n g f r i e n d l y f o r c s s . 2 0 A r e l a t e d problem e x i s t e d w i t h c o n t a c t f u z e s f i r e d from r i f l e d g u n s . Although t h e r i f l i n g enabled t h e u s e o f s p i n - s t a b i l i z e d , c o n i c a l shaped p r o j e c t i l e s which a s s u r e d t h e gunner of a p o i n t - f i r s t c o n t a c t w i t h a target,
t h e p o i n t d e t o n a t i n g f u z e would a l l o w t h e r o u n d t o b u r y

i t s e l f i n s o f t d i r t b e f o r e i t would f u n c t i o n . Hany times t h e round would d e t o n a t e a t a d e p t h t h a t s e r i o u s l y r e t a r d e d t h e

8

e f f e c t i v e n e s s of t h e round.21 The o r g a n i z a t i o n 'of a r t i l l e r y u n i t s p r o v e d t o be a c o n t i n u a l p r o b l e m f o r t h e Army o f t h e P o t o m a c . A s t h e war p r o g r e s s e d t h e armies e x p e r i m e n t e d w i t h a s e r i e s of a r t i l l e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n s . The b a s i c a r t i l l e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e C i v i l War was t h e b a t t e r y . S i x - g u n b a t t e r i e s

were p r e f e r r e d , b u t f o u r - g u n b a t t e r i e s d i d e x i s t , p r i m a r i l y
i n t h e S o u t h . 2 2 Four g u n s i n a b a t t e r y i n s t e a d o f s i x was u s u a l l y t h e r e s u l t of a s h o r t a g e of g u n s r a t h e r t h a n a m a t t e r of c h o i c e . D i s t r i b u t i o n o f a r t i l l e r y a s s e t s i n s u p p o r t of maneuver u n i t s on t h e b a t t l e f i e l d was t h e most c o n t r o v e r s i a l a s p e c t of a r t i l l e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n s . A t t h e beginning of t h e

war t h e a r t i l l e r y was o r g a n i z e d i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e a r m y ' s

e x p e r i e n c e s i n t h e Mexican War.2" B a t t e r i e s were a s s i g n e d

a t t h e b r i g a d e and r e g i m e n t a l l e v e l . T h i s r e s u l t e d i n t h e
p i e c e m e a l commitment o f a r t i l l e r y a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e v a r i o u s maneuver commanders. T h e r e e x i s t e d no v i a b l e means of c e n t r a l i z e d c o n t r o l o r c o n c e n t r a t i o n of a r t i l l e r y . I t a l s o r e s u l t e d i n a r t i l l e r y remaining i d l e i f its supported u n i t

was n o t e n g a g e d . A t t e m p t s a t c o r r e c t i n g t h i s s i t u a t i o n were n o t made

u n t i l a f t e r t h e F i r s t B a t t l e o f Bull Run. T h i s b a t t l e r e v e a l e d t h e p r o b l e m s w i t h t h e u n c o o r d i n a t e d employment of

a r t i l l e r y on t h e b a t t l e f i e l d . When G e n e r a l M c C l e l l a n t o o k
command o f t h e Army o f t h e Potomac a f t e r B u l l Run h e
9

a p p o i n t e d Major William F . B a r r y as h i s C h i e f - o f - A r t i l l e r y . A s s i s t i n g Major Barry was Major Henry J . H u n t , t h e o f f i c e r d e s t i n e d t o r e p l a c e B a r r y , and e v e n t u a l l y become a k e y p l a y e r i n t h e b a t t l e a.t G e t t y s b u r g . B a r r y , a s s i s t e d by H u n t , developed a s e t of p r i n c i p l e s t o be used i n e s t a b l i s h i n g
a r t i l l e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n M c C l e l l a n ' s army. The p r i n c i p l e s

e s t a b l i s h e d by Barry a n d d e t a i l e d i n t h e O f f i c i a l R e c o r d s o f the W a r o f t h e R e b e l l i o n are i n Appendix B .

T h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e was
e s p e c i a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t . I t was an o r g a n i z a t i o n s i m i l i a r t o
t h e r e s e r v e u s e d by N a p o l e o n . A l t h o u g h i t s s i z e f l u c t u a t e d

from its i n c e p t i o n t o t h e b a t t l e a t G e t t y s b u r g , i t c o n s i s t e d

of a p p r o x i m a t e l y o n e - t h i r d o f t h e army's g u n s . * * I t s
m i s s i o n i n c l u d e d n o t o n l y s u p p l e m e n t i n g t h e f i r e s of t h i ;

a r t i l l e r y s u p p o r t i n g t h e maneuver f o r c e s , b u t i t c o u l d also
p e r f o r m s p e c i a l m i s s i o n s f o r t h e army commander when i t was n o t f e a s i b l e t o withdraw a b a t t e r y i n support of a d i v i s i o n

or c o r p s .
I t is o b v i o u s t h a t t h e Army o f t h e Potomac was
c o n c e r n e d w i t h u s i n g t h e a r t i l l e r y i n t h e most e f f e c t i v e

manner p o s s i b l e . I t s o f f e n s i v e p o t e n t i a l was c e r t a i n l y
r e d u c e d compared t o i t s e x p l o i t s u n d e r N a p o l e o n , b u t i t s d e s t r u c t i v e c a p a b i l i t i e s were r e c o g n i z e d as t h e A r m y o f t h e Potomac s o u g h t t o c r e a t e t h e most e f f i c i e n t o r g a n i z a t i o n f o r

u s e on t h e b a t t l e f i e l d . When t h e Army o f t h e Potomac a n d t h e

Army o f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a f a c e d e a c h o t h e r a t G e t t y s b u r g , t h e F e d e r a l s had w i t h them a new o r g a n i z a t i o n , o n e w h i c h t h e y

10

hoped would f i n a l l y y i e l d t h e r e s u l t s s o u g h t on p r e v i o u s battlefields.

11

CHAPTER I ENDNOTES 1 R i c h a r d A . P r e s t o n a n d Sydney F . Wise, ( N e w Y o r k : H o l t , R i n e h a r t a n d W i n s t o n , 1 9 7 9 ) , 191. ZIbid., 247.

V a r d e l l E . N e s m i t h , T h e e t P a r n d i n m : The of t h e United iversity Microfilms

I n t e r n a t i o n a l , 1 9 7 9 ) , 16. *Ibid.

6William H . F r a n k , William F . Barry, a n d Henry J . H u n t , Instruotion f o r - F (Washington, D . C . : Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1 6 6 4 ) , 1.

..

eIbid. 'Warren R i p l e y , P r o m o n t o r y P r e s s , 1970), 1 5 .

. .

( N e w York:

eHarold L. Peterson, ( H a r r i s b u r g , PA: S t a c k p o l e B o o k s , 1 9 6 9 ) , 9 1 . eIbid., 92.

l o J a c k Coggins t, of t h e C l V l l k U ( G a r d e n C i t y , NY: D o u b l e d a y a n d Company, I n c . , 1962), 6 1 .

. .

Department nf the . . of War, Theo War f the ( W a s h i n g t o n , D.C.: Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1880-1901), S e r i e s I , Volume X X V I I , P a r t 1, 891.
ll0.S.

of

1 2 P e t e r s o n , 95. LaNesmith, 21. I r C o g g i n s , 82. I a I b i d . , 64. I B I b i d . , 62.

12

17Warren L . Goss. R e c a l l e c t i o n s o f a Privata (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell and Co., 1890), 2 1 3 .
LeRipley, 2 7 . LaCoggins, 6 2 . ZoBruce Catton, Company, I n c . , 1952), 63-64. ZlCogpins, 64.
(New Y o r k :

Doubleday and

zZIbid., 63.
ZsNesmith, 23.

ZdIbid., 36.

13

CHAPTER 2
GETTYSBURG - THE FIRST DAY The

e l 0 t i o n of t h e c o u n t r y s i d e s u r r o u n d i n g t h e

small f a r m i n g community o f G e t t y s b u r g f o r t h e p i v o t a l b a t t l e
b e t w e e n t h e Army of t h e Potomac and t h e Army o f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a was a c h o i c e w h i c h r e f l e c t e d t h e p a r t t h a t c h a n c e
p l a y s i n war. N e i t h e r p r e d e t e r m i n e d n o r p r e p l a n n e d ,

both

armies c o n v e r g e d on t h i s small P e n n s y l v a n i a town p r e p a r e d t o

s e c u r e t h e v i c t o r y e a c h s o d e s p e r a t e l y n e e d e d . The N o r t h , s t i n g i n g from i t s d e f e a t a t C h a n c e l l o r s v i l l e , a n x i o u s l y s o u g h t a v i c t o r y t o quell t h e r i s i n g a c t i v i t y of t h e p e a c e
p a r t y a t home. T h e Army o f t h e P o t o m a c s s u p e r i o r numbers

b o t h i n p e r s o n n e l and e q u i p m e n t had n o t y e t y i e l d e d t h e e x p e c t e d r e s u l t s a s it had c o n d u c t e d s e v e r a l l a b o r i o u s campaigns u n d e r t h e command o f a s u c c e s s i o n o f commanders n o t e d f o r t h e i r i n e p t i t u d e and c a u t i o u s p r o s e c u t i o n o f t h e

war.
The A r m y o f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a w a s also u n d e r p r e s s u r e b e c a u s e t h i s campaign was c o n d u c t e d on Union t e r r i t o r y . S h o r t o f s u p p l i e s n e e d e d t o s u s t a i n t h e war, G e n e r a l Lees d e c i s i o n t o move h i s army n o r t h had b e e n b a s e d not o n l y on t h e n e c e s s i t y t o l o c a t e s u p p l i e s f o r h i s army b u t , by t a k i n g t h e

war t o t h e n o r t h and t h r e a t e n i n g B a l t i m o r e , P h i l a d e l p h i a ,
H a r r i s b u r g , and p o s s i b l y W a s h i n g t o n , t h e S o u t h hoped t o f o r c e

14

t h e N o r t h t o n e g o t i a t e an end t o t h e war on terms f a v o r a b l e t o t h e Confederacy. I t w a s a l s o f e l t t h a t a v i c t o r y i n t h e n o r t h was n e e d e d i f t h e r e was t o b e a n y hope oP s e c u r i n g a c t i v e f o r e i g n i n t e r v e n t i o n on b e h a l f o f t h e S o u t h . 1 I n t h e i r c o n t i n u i n g s e a r c h f o r t h e most e f f e c t i v e and e f f i c i e n t means o f e m p l o y i n g a r t i l l e r y , s i g n i f i c a n t c h a n g e s had b e e n made t o b o t h armies' a r t i l l e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n s f o l l o w i n g C h a n c e l l o r s v i l l e . I n t h e Army o f t h e Potomac t h e r e

was an a t t e m p t t o p l a c e a t l e a s t some o f t h e blame f o r t h e loss a t on t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e w h i c h , i t was s a i d , r e m a i n e d

i d l e w h i l e i n f a n t r y u n i t s wanted f o r a r t i l l e r y s u p p o r t . A c t u a l l y , many o f t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e ' s b a t t e r i e s were t a k e n f r o m t h e r e s e r v e and g i v e n t o t h e i n f a n t r y d i v i s i o n s b e f o r e t h e b a t t l e . Those u n i t s r e m a i n i n g i n t h e r e s e r v e c o n s i s t e d p r i m a r i l y o f 20-pounder P a r r o t t r i f l e s , w h o s e s i z e and w e i g h t made them i m p r a c t i c a l f o r u s e i n t h e d e n s e woods where t h e b a t t l e t o o k p l a c e . T h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h e l i g h t e r and more m o b i l e a r t i l l e r y u n i t s f r o m t h e r e s e r v e t o t h e d i v i s i o n s had r e s u l t e d i n many o f t h e s e b a t t e r i e s r e m a i n i n g i d l e , w h i l e o t h e r s f o u g h t f o r t h e i r l i v e s . The t e n d e n c y f o r i n f a n t r y g e n e r a l s j e a l o u s l y t o h o l d o n t o any a t t a c h e d a r t i l l e r y , a r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e h i s t o r i c a l use o f a r t i l l e r y , combined w i t h t h e l o s s o f t a c t i c a l command a u t h o r i t y b y t h e
army's C h i e f - o f - A r t i l l e r y ,

B r i g a d i e r G e n e r a l Henry J . H u n t ,

were t h e r o o t c a u s e s o f t h e p o o r a r t i l l e r y s u p p o r t r e n d e r e d

at Chancellorsville.2

15

After Chancellorsville General Hooker recognized his mistake, and restored General Hunt to his former position of authority as the need for more centralized control of artillery had become apparent. The need to prevent the piecemeal employment of artillery batteries, plus the requirement to employ artillery assets to weight the critical sector, prompted the final reorganization of the Army of the Potomacs artillery before Gettysburg. The attrition of Union divisions had left the corps as the basic tactical unit of the Army of the Potomac. Hunt therefore took the batteries away from the divisions and formed them into brigades which supported the corps. This artillery brigade organization was formerly adopted by the army on 12 May 1863 as published in Special Orders No. 12Y (Appendix C).3 Under this new organization each infantry corps was to have one artillery brigade, the cavalry corps two, and the artillery reserve five. On the average each brigade had five batteries of six guns each, making it closer in size to a present day battalion. It is believed that the primary reason Hunt chose to call this new organization a brigade was to secure a rank commensurate with the level of responsibility which accompanied the command of infantry brigades. Hunt had long fought the disparity in the rank structure between the artillery and the other branches. The frontage of a battery in position on the battlefield approximated that of an infantry regiment with the firepower to match. As brigades in the Army of the Potomac had from
16

three to six regiments, with the majority having five, it is easy to understand why Hunt believed that the artillery brigade was equivalent to an infantry brigade, and therefore why its commander should wear the appropriate rank. Unfortunately, in spite of all his efforts concerning this matter, the corps artillery brigades marched to Gettysburg under the command of two colonels, one lieutenant colonel, one major, nine captains, and one lieutenant.+ The Army of Northern Virginia went in the opposite direction in its artillery reorganization. Believing, as some had in its Union counterpart, that too many guns remained idle when assigned to an army reserve, the reserve artillery was disbanded.5 The scarcity of artillery weapons, coupled with the lack of a strong Chief-of-Artillery with command authority, seemed to justify this change. All artillery was distributed to the corps, with one battalion attached to each division, and two battalions for a corps reserve. Confederate battalions were somewhat smaller than the Union brigade. Each battalion generally had four batteries of four to six guns each. The relegation of all artillery support to the corps, and the placement of the army-s Chief-of-Artillery, Brigadier General William N. Pendleton, in a position of being only an advisor to the army commandsr, was to have a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of Confederate artillery at Gettysburg.6 In late June elements of both armies converged on Gettysburg, unaware of each others exact location and
17

18

d i s p o s i t i o n . Around midday on 3 0 J u n e , Major G e n e r a l J o h n B u f o r d s c a v a l r y d i v i s i o n , c o n s i s t i n g o f two b r i g a d e s o f c a v a l r y and o n e b a t t e r y of h o r s e a r t i l l e r y , e n t e r e d t h e town. Upon a r r i v i n g G e n e r a l B u f o r d l e a r n e d t h a t c o n f e d e r a t e s o l d i e r s had b e e n i n t h e town e a r l i e r i n t h e d a y . They had

s i n c e d e p a r t e d t o t h e w e s t . A f t e r moving a s h o r t d i s t a n c e t o
t h e west o f G e t t y s b u r g on t h e Cashtown r o a d , o r Chambersburg P i k e as i t is s o m e t i m e s c a l l e d , General B u f o r d s f o r c e s came u n d e r small arms f i r e f r o m C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y . Aware t h a t i n f a n t r y i n s t e a d of c a v a l r y c o u l d i n d i c a t e t h e p r e s e n c e o f a l a r g e f o r c e , G e n e r a l B u f o r d i m m e d i a t e l y s e n t word t o G e n e r a l P l e a s o n t o n , commander o f t h e C a v a l r y C o r p s , a n d d e p l o y e d s c o u t i n g p a r t i e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e d a y and n i g h t i n an e f f o r t t o d e t e r m i n e t h e e x t e n t o f t h e C o n f e d e r a t e f o r c e h e had e n c o u n t e r e d . S h o r t l y a f t e r d a y b r e a k on 1 J u l y G e n e r a l B u f o r d was i n f o r m e d by c o u r i e r s t h a t enemy i n f a n t r y was moving t o w a r d G e t t y s b u r g on t h e Cashtown r o a d . R e c o g n i z i n g t h e s t r a t e g i c l o c a t i o n o f t h e c r o s s r o a d s town, and t h e d e f e n s i b l e t e r r a i n t o t h e west and s o u t h , G e n e r a l B u f o r d d e c i d e d t o e s t a b l i s h a d e f e n s e and h o l d u n t i l r e l i e f came f r o m G e n e r a l R e y n o l d s I Corps. The o n l y a r t i l l e r y ass gned t o General B u f o r d s command was B a t t e r y A , 2nd U.S
A r t i l l e r y , commanded by

Lieutenant John H . Calef. Lieutenant Calefs b a t t e r y c o n s i s t e d o f six 3 - I n c h O r d n a n c e r i f l e s . A l t h o u g h a c c u r a t e a t r a n g e s a s m o o t h b o r e Napoleon c o u l d n o t m a t c h , t h i s gun was

19

n o t well s u i t e d f o r c l o s e - i n f i g h t i n g a g a i n s t i n f a n t r y s i n c e

i t s c a n i s t e r r o u n d was s u b s t a n t i a l l y smaller t h a n t h e l a r g e r
b o r e d N a p o l e o n . I n i t i a l l y L i e u t e n a n t C a l e f was g i v e n t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o s e l e c t h i s own p o s i t i o n t o s u p p o r t t h e d i s m o u n t e d c a v a l r y m e n a l o n g McPherson R i d g e . A f t e r he had moved h i s b a t t e r y i n t o p o s i t o n , General B u f o r d d i r e c t e d him t o leave o n e m o t i o n , a s e c t i o n c o n s i s t i n g o f two g u n s , n o r t h of t h e Cashtown r o a d , o n e s e c t i o n t o t h e s o u t h o f t h e r o a d , and h i s t h i r d s e c t i o n a p p r o x i m a t e l y 600 y a r d s s o u t h o f t h e r o a d t o c o v e r a n open f i e l d beyond McPherson Woods.7 C a l e f p l a c e d h i s r i g h t s e c t i o n on t h e n o r t h s i d e o f r o a d , and his l e f t s e c t i o n on t h e s o u t h s i d e . C a l e f s c e n t e r s e c t i o n , l e d by a S e r g e a n t P e r g e l , moved t o t h e p o s i t i o n c o v e r i n g t h e open f i e l d beyond McPherson Woods. No s o o n e r had C a l e f s c e n t e r s e c t i o n moved i n t o p o s i t i o n when t h e s o u n d of r i f l e f i r e e r u p t e d as Bufords p i c k e t s encountered advancing Confederate s k i r m i s h e r s o f General H e t h s d i v i s i o n . The r i g h t s e c t i o n , u n d e r t h e command of L i e u t e n a n t J o h n W . R o d e r , f i r e d t h e f i r s t cannon s h o t o f t h e b a t t l e a t s e v e r a l mounted horsemen s e e n o b s e r v i n g t h e a c t i o n f r o m a t o p t h e i r mounts on t h e s h o u l d e r o f t h e Cashtown r 0 a d . e I m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r f i r i n g , C a l e f s b a t t e r y and t h e s u r r o u n d i n g Union c a v a l r y m e n whom t h e y were s u p p o r t i n g came u n d e r f i r e f r o m Major William J . P e g r a m s b a t t a l i o n o f
a r t i l l e r y . 9 Pegrams b a t t a l i o n o f f i v e b a t t e r i e s had t a k e n a

p o s i t i o n on t h e n o r t h s i d e o f t h e Cashtown r o a d on t h e west
20

Artillery Positions, 1 July a.m.

21

s i d e o f W i l l o u g b y Run, a m e a n d e r i n g stream r u n n i n g i n t h e v a l l e y w e s t o f McPherson R i d g e . A l t h o u g h a r e c o r d i n d i c a t i n g t h e e x a c t number and t y p e of g u n s which c o m p r i s e d P e g r a m s b a t t e r i e s could not be found, t h e average Confederate b a t t e r y a t G e t t y s b u r g had f o u r g u n s . A s t h e a r t i l l e r y f i r e i n t e n s i f i e d on b o t h s i d e s , so d i d t h e small arms f i r e as C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y a d v a n c e d on t h e c a v a l r y m e n . General B u f o r d s cavalrymen and C a l e f s b a t t e r y f o u g h t H e t h s d i v i s i o n and Pegrams b a t t a l i o n f o r o v e r an h o u r b e f o r e r e l i e f a r r i v e d . G e n e r a l W a d s w o r t h s F i r s t D i v i s i o n of t h e

I C o r p s moved o n t o McPherson R i d g e t o r e l i e v e G e n e r a l B u f o r d s
c a v a l r y on o r d e r s f r o m G e n e r a l R e y n o l d s . 1 0 Accompanying

General Wadsworth d i v i s i o n was t h e 2nd Maine B a t t e r y

commanded by C a p t a i n James H a l l . The a r t i l l e r y o d d s were p r e s e n t l y i n f a v o r o f t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s . J o i n i n g Pegrams b a t t a l i o n was Major David D . M c I n t o s h s b a t t a l i o n c o n s i s t i n g o f f o u r b a t t e r i e s emplaced o p p o s i t e Pegrams on t h e s o u t h s i d e o f t h e Cashtown r o a d . With n i n e b a t t e r i e s t o t a l i n g a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h i r t y -

s i x guns opposing h i s one b a t t e r y of s i x guns, L i e u t e n a n t

C a l e f s s i t u a t i o n had i n d e e d become p r e c a r i o u s . As G e n e r a l Wadsworths i n f a n t r y r e l i e v e d B u f o r d s c a v a l r y m e n , C a p t a i n Hall was o r d e r e d b y G e n e r a l R e y n o l d s t o r e l i e v e C a l e f s b a t t e r y and it was w i t h d r a w n by p i e c e t o t h e r e a r t o r e p l e n i s h i t s ammunition c h e s t s and await o r d e r s . Meanwhile, C a p t a i n
H a l l , u n d e r o r d e r s f r o m G e n e r a l R e y n o l d s , moved h i s b a t t e r y

of s i x 3-Inch Ordnance r i f l e s i n t o t h e p o s i t i o n p r e v i o u s l y
22

o c c u p i e d by C a l e f s r i g h t s e c t i o n on t h e n o r t h s i d e of t h e Cashtown r o a d . 1 1 The a r t i l l e r y c o r r e l a t i o n o f f o r c e s r e m a i n e d u n c h a n g e d . C a p t a i n Hall f o u n d h i m s e l f f a c i n g t h e same C o n f e d e r a t e b a t t a l i o n s t h a t Calef had o p p o s e d , o n l y now t h e i n f a n t r y t h r e a t was g r e a t e r a s Hall r e c e i v e d word o f enemy on h i s r i g h t f l a n k f r o m o n e o f h i s l i e u t e n a n t s who commanded h i s r i g h t s e c t i o n . T h e l i e u t e n a n t had a l r e a d y r e d i r e c t e d t h e f i r e of t h e c e n t e r and r i g h t s e c t i o n s o f t h e b a t t e r y , f i r i n g d o u b l e c h a r g e s of c a n i s t e r i n t o t h e o n r u s h i n g C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y m e n coming o u t o f t h e r a i l r o a d c u t . As t h i s was o c c u r r i n g , H a l l n o t i c e d t h a t t h e Union i n f a n t r y l o c a t e d i n and a r o u n d h i s p o s i t i o n w e r e w i t h d r a w i n g f r o m t h e a r e a . 1 2 B e L i e v i n g t h a t i f t h e p o s i t i o n was t o o f a r f o r w a r d f o r t h e i n f a n t r y i t w a s c e r t a i n l y t o o far f o r w a r d f o r a r t i l l e r y , w i t h o u t a w a i t i n g o r d e r s , he i n s t r u c t e d h i s b a t t e r y t o w i t h d r a w by s e c t i o n t o t h e r e a r . Due t o t h e h a s t y w i t h d r a w a l by t h e i n f a n t r y , r e b e l i n f a n t r y was a b l e t o move q u i c k l y i n t o

r i f l e r a n g e . They d i s a b l e d t e n o f h i s h o r s e s , and f o r c e d H a l l
t o abandon o n e gun f r o m h i s l a s t s e c t i o n . A l t h o u g h d i r e c t e d by General Wadsworth t o l e a v e t h e o n e gun b e h i n d , Hall d e t a i l e d o n e s e r g e a n t a n d f i v e men t o a t t e m p t a r e s c u e o f t h e abandoned g u n . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , a l l s i x men were e i t h e r wounded o r c a p t u r e d i n t h e a t t e m p t . W a d s w o r t h s o r d e r s t o H a l l a s he w i t h d r e w were t o s e t up h i s b a t t e r y on t h e h e i g h t s a b o v e G e t t y s b u r g and c o v e r t h e w i t h d r a w a l o f t h e i n f a n t r y .
13

23

As C a p t a i n H a l l s b a t t e r y was c o n d u c t i n g i t s

withdrawal, Lieutenant C a l e f s b a t t e r y was.resupplying its ammunition c h e s t s n e a r t h e s e m i n a r y , l o c a t e d a b o u t o n e h u n d r e d y a r d s s o u t h o f t h e Cashtown r o a d on S e m i n a r y R i d g e .

I t was h e r e t h a t Calef r e c e i v e d new o r d e r s f r o m G e n e r a l

B u f o r d . The message d i r e c t e d C a l e f t o p l a c e o n e o f h i s g u n s

in a p o s i t i o n n o r t h o f t h e Cashtown r o a d t o f i r e upon
C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y u s i n g t h e r a i l r o a d c u t a s t h e y moved t o w a r d t h e Union l i n e s . 1 4 C a l e f i m m e d i a t e l y s e n t L i e u t e n a n t Roder w i t h o n e gun f r o m R o d e r s s e c t i o n t o a p o s i t i o n w h e r e i t could e n f i l a d e t h e c u t . T h i s gun, u s i n g c a n i s t e r , e f f e c t i v e l y p r e v e n t e d t h e use o f t h e r a i l r o a d c u t b y t h e r e b e l f o r c e s , i f only for a brief time.

I t was a b o u t t h i s same time t h a t Wadsworths d i v i s i o n

s u c c e s s f u l l y r e c o v e r e d some o f t h e p r e v i o u s l y l o s t g r o u n d .

Because Halls b a t t e r y had moved t o t h e r e a r a n d c o u l d n o t be

q u i c k l y l o c a t e d , General Wadsworth r e q u e s t e d f r o m C o l o n e l C h a r l e s W a i n w r i g h t , t h e I C o r p s a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e commander, t h a t h e p r o v i d e a b a t t e r y t o s u p p o r t h i s d i v i s i o n as i t went on t h e o f f e n s i v e . C o l o n e l W a i n w r i g h t r e f u s e d , s t a t i n g he d i d n o t want t o p l a c e a b a t t e r y up on l i n e u n t i l t h e r e was i n f a n t r y a v a i l a b l e t o p r o t e c t its r i g h t flank.15 Wainwright remembered t h e s i t u a t i o n w h i c h had f o r c e d t h e w i t h d r a w a l o f

H a l l s b a t t e r y , and d i d n o t want a r e p e a t p e r f o r m a n c e .
What o c c u r r e d n e x t i n d i c a t e s t h e r e s o u r c e f u l n e s s o f Wadsworth. U n w i l l i n g t o a c c e p t W a i n w r i g h t s r e f u s a l a s t h e
24

f i n a l word on a r t i l l e r y s u p p o r t , Wadsworth l o c a t e d Calef and d i r e c t e d him t o r e o c c u p y H a l l s r e c e n t l y v a c a t e d p o s i t i o n w i t h h i s two r e m a i n i n g s e c t i o n s . l e T h i s p l a c e d C a l e f b a c k i n t o a c t i o n i n e s s e n t i a l l y t h e same l o c a t i o n he had s t a r t e d t h e b a t t l e e a r l i e r i n t h e m o r n i n g . As s o o n a s C a l e f s b a t t e r y moved i n t o p o s i t i o n and commenced f i r i n g , i t q u i c k l y became e n g a g e d i n an a r t i l l e r y d u e l b e t w e e n C a l e f s f o u r g u n s and

a t least t h r e e Confederate b a t t e r i e s t o t a l i n g about twelve

g u n s . A f t e r a p p r o x i m a t e l y f i f t e e n m i n u t e s , d u r i n g which t h e
b a t t e r y s u s t a i n e d t w e l v e c a s u a l t i e s , one of t h e t h r e e C o n f e d e r a t e b a t t e r i e s moved t o a p o s i t i o n on C a l e f s r i g h t f l a n k making t h e p o s i t i o n u n t e n a b l e . Calef was f o r c e d t o w i t h d r a w t o t h e r e a r as h e l o c a t e d a p o s i t i o n which o f f e r e d more p r o t e c t i o n f r o m t h e r e b e l b a t t e r i e s . Upon a r r i v i n g on t h e f i e l d C o l o n e l W a i n w r i g h t p o s i t i o n e d t h e t h r e e b a t t e r i e s t h a t a c c o m p a n i e d him on t h e

e a s t s i d e o f S e m i n a r y R i d g e t o await i n s t r u c t i o n s . 1 7 A
member o f General D o u b l e d a y s s t a f f , D o u b l e d a y h a v i n g assumed command o f I C o r p s a f t e r General R e y n o l d s d e a t h e a r l i e r t h a t d a y , d i r e c t e d t h a t W a i n w r i g h t p l a c e a b a t t e r y on HcPherson Ridge. W a i n w r i g h t i m m e d i a t e l y r e c o n n o i t e r e d t h e p r o p o s e d s i t e and d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e p o s i t i o n , which w a s t o t a l l y w i t h o u t s u p p o r t , would p l a c e t h e o c c u p y i n g b a t t e r y a t r i s k . l e No b a t t e r y was e m p l a o e d i n t h e d i r e c t e d p o s i t i o n u n t i l D o u b l e d a y s T h i r d D i v i s i o n , commanded b y B r i g a d i e r G e n e r a l Rowley, t o o k up p o s i t i o n s on HcPherson R i d g e w i t h C a p t a i n James H . C o o p e r s B a t t e r y 0 , F i r s t P e n n s y l v a n i a L i g h t
25

A r t i l l e r y . 1 9 As General R o b i n s o n s Second D i v i s i o n o f I

C o r p s moved o n t o t h e w e s t e r n s l o p e of S e m i n a r y R i d g e n o r t h o f t h e Cashtown r o a d , W a i n w r i g h t d i s p a t c h e d L i e u t e n a n t James S t e w a r t s Battery B , 4 t h U.S. A r t i l l e r y i n s u p p o r t . 2 0 W a i n w r i g h t c o n t i n u e d h i s i n s p e c t i o n o f t h e Union p o s i t i o n s , coming upon C a l e f s b a t t e r y s t i l l i n p o s i t i o n

f i r i n g a t a r o u n d 1 p.m. R e a l i z i n g t h a t Calef n e e d e d i m m e d i a t e
relief;
he s e n t f o r o n e o f h i s two r e m a i n i n g u n c o m m i t t e d

b a t t e r i e s , B a t t e r y L , F i r s t N e w York L i g h t A r t i l l e r y , commanded by C a p t a i n G i l b e r t H . R e y n o l d s . A s R e y n o l d s b a t t e r y moved up a l o n g s i d e C a l e f s g u n s , b o t h b a t t e r i e s f o u n d t h e m s e l v e s c a u g h t i n a d e a d l y c r o s s f i r e from t h e C o n f e d e r a t e b a t t e r i e s p o s i t i o n e d t o t h e i r f r o n t a n d b a t t e r i e s now i n p o s i t i o n on,Oak H i l l t o t h e i r r i g h t . Both b a t t e r i e s were f o r c e d t o withdraw, w i t h Captain Reynolds b e i n g s e v e r e l y wounded d u r i n g t h e s h o r t time h i s b a t t e r y was i n t h e p o s i t i o n . 2 1

A s b o t h b a t t e r i e s moved t o new p o s i t i o n s 500 y a r d s t o

t h e r e a r , G e n e r a l Wadsworth was becoming c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t h e

i n c r e a s i n g number o f C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y w h i c h was o p p o s i n g
h i s d i v i s i o n . 2 2 I n a n a t t e m p t t o s e c u r e more a r t i l l e r y s u p p o r t Wadsworth s e n t f o r C a p t a i n H a l l s b a t t e r y w h i c h h e had e a r l i e r o r d e r e d t o t h e rear t o c o v e r h i s w i t h d r a w i n g i n f a n t r y . H a l l s b a t t e r y moved west a l o n g t h e u n f i n i s h e d r a i l r o a d bed l e d by t h e s t a f f o f f i c e r s e n t t o l o c a t e t h e m . When h i s b a t t e r y a r r i v e d a t t h e r a i l r o a d c u t n o r t h o f t h e Cashtown r o a d i t i m m e d i a t e l y came u n d e r f i r e from C o n f e d e r a t e

26

a r t i l l e r y . U n a b l e t o t u r n a r o u n d o r move o f f t o t h e s i d e b e c a u s e o f t h e n a r r o w n e s s o f t h e r a i l r o a d bed and s t e e p n e s s o f t h e c u t s s i d e s , H a l l o r d e r e d h i s b a t t e r y t o a g a l l o p as t h e b a t t e r y moved f o r a d i s t a n c e of 1200 y a r d s t h r o u g h t h e

c u t . Amazingly, t h e b a t t e r y s u s t a i n e d n o damage o r c a s u a l t i e s
d u r i n g t h e movement. A f t e r l o c a t i n g a s t a f f o f f i c e r t o d e t e r m i n e w h e r e h e was n e e d e d , Hall g u i d e d h i s b a t t e r y t o w a r d McPherson R i d g e . W i t h i n a s h o r t d i s t a n c e he was s t o p p e d by a Union o r d e r l y who i n f o r m e d Hall t h a t he was h e a d i n g s t r a i g h t f o r t h e Confederate l i n e s . A q u i c k reconnaissance proved t h e o r d e r l y was c o r r e c t . Hall t u r n e d a r o u n d and moved h i s b a t t e r y back toward Seminary Ridge.23

A t S e m i n a r y R i d g e he met C o l o n e l W a i n w r i g h t who
m e n t i o n e d t h a t t h e g u n which H a l l was f a r c e d t o l e a v e b e h i n d

e a r l i e r i n t h e d a y was s t i l l abandoned on t h e f i e l d . Hall

q u i c k l y t o o k a l i m b e r and o n e s e r g e a n t b a c k t o McPherson R i d g e and r e c o v e r e d t h e weapon. O u t o f h i s o r i g i n a l s i x g u n s ,

o n l y t h r e e were n o t d i s a b l e d . By now t h e s e n i o r o f f i c e r on
t h e f i e l d was t h e X I C o r p s commander, G e n e r a l Howard. On Howards o r d e r s H a l l s t h r e e f u n c t i o n i n g g u n s were p l a c e d i n p o s i t i o n on t h e l e f t o f t h e c e m e t a r y , s o u t h o f G e t t y s b u r g . 2 4 D u r i n g t h e d a y C o l o n e l W a i n w r i g h t had o v e r h e a r d i n s t r u c t i o n s t o G e n e r a l Doubleday s t a t i n g t h e n e c e s s i t y o f h o l d i n g Cemetary H i l l a t a l l c o s t s . W a i n w r i g h t d i d n o t know o f t h e e x i s t e n c e o f C e m e t a r y H i l l , and assumed t h a t t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n was r e f e r r i n g t o S e m i n a r y R i d g e . 2 5 With t h e s i t u a t i o n d e t e r i o r a t i n g r a p i d l y , and a s s u m i n g t h a t i t was t h e

27

S e m i n a r y Ridge w h i c h had t o b e h e l d a t a l l c o s t s , W a i n w r i g h t p o s i t i o n e d C o o p e r s and S t e v e n s b a t t e r i e s on S e m i n a r y R i d g e . R e y n o l d s b a t t e r y , now commanded by L i e u t e n a n t G e o r g e B r e c k ,

was p o s i t i o n e d s o u t h o f McPherson Woods, w i t h o n e s e c t i o n

d e t a c h e d t o s u p p o r t t h e l e f t f l a n k of Wadsworths l i n e . S t e w a r t s b a t t e r y was s e n t t o s u p p o r t R o b i n s o n s d i v i s i o n by d e n y i n g C o n f e d e r a t e access t o t h e Cashtown r o a d and t h e railroad cut. Soon a f t e r t h e new p o s i t i o n s were o c c u p i e d , C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y moved o u t o f t h e woods a p p r o x i m a t e l y 500 y a r d s t o t h e f r o n t o f t h e Union f o r c e s . T h e y moved t o t h e
l e f t o f t h e Union l i n e i n a d o u b l e c o l u m n , f i n a l l y f o r m i n g a

d o u b l e l i n e o f b a t t l e and moving t o w a r d t h e c r e s t . G u r i n g t h i s movement o f t h e r e b e l c o l u m n s t h e f i r i n g o f L i e u t e n a n t B r e c k e s e c t i o n s was b l o c k e d by t h e movement o f Union

i n f a n t r y i m m e d i a t e l y t o t h e i r f r o n t . z e When t h e r e b e l l i n e s
r e a c h e d t o w i t h i n 200 y a r d s o f B r e c k s g u n s , W a i n w r i g h t had t o w i t h d r a w t h e b a t t e r y t o a p o s i t i o n b e h i n d a s t o n e w a l l on t h e c r e s t of Seminary Ridge. Although t h e f i r s t l i n e of C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y was h a l t e d m o m e n t a r i l y b y t h e combined

f i r e o f t h e Union i n f a n t r y a n d a r t i l l e r y , t h e s e c o n d l i n e d i d
n o t f a l t e r . A d d i t i o n a l r e b e l s o l d i e r s were d e p l o y i n g o f f t h e Caahtown r o a d . W a i n w r i g h t was u n a w a r e t h a t b y t h i s time Wadsworth had a l r e a d y o r d e r e d C a p t a i n S t e v e n s and h i s b a t t e r y t o w i t h d r a w . Z 7 S t i l l b e l i e v i n g i t was S e m i n a r y Ridge t h a t was t o b e h e l d , W a i n w r i g h t i n s t r u c t e d h i s
28

b a t t e r i e s t o remain i n p o s i t i o n . * e

N o t u n t i l W a i n w r i g h t n o t i c e d t h e Union i n f a n t r y
withdrawing d i d he o r d e r h i s b a t t e r i e s l i m b e r e d t o t h e r e a r f o r movement t o w a r d G e t t y s b u r g on t h e Cashtown r o a d . I n f a n t r y t r a f f i c on t h e r o a d f o r c e d t h e a r t i l l e r y t o move a t a w a l k . When t h e r o a d was f i n a l l y c l e a r o f o b s t r u c t i o n s t h a t would

a l l o w movement a t a t r o t , C o n f e d e r a t e s o l d i e r s w e r e c l o s e
e n o u g h t o i n f l i c t s u b s t a n t i a l damage t o t h e b a t t e r i e s , b o t h

i n e q u i p m e n t and p e r s o n n e l . Once t h r o u g h G e t t y s b u r g ,
W a i n w r i g h t p l a c e d h i s b a t t e r i e s on C e m e t a r y H i l l a l o n g w i t h one b a t t e r y f r o m t h e X I C o r p s . z e

I t h a s b e e n p r o p o s e d t h a t t h e Union w i t h d r a w a l from
S e m i n a r y Ridge was c a u s e d by t h e c o l l a p s e o f t h e Union p o s i t i o n t o t h e n o r t h o f G e t t y s b u r g . P r i o r t o t h e a r r i v a l of Howards X I C o r p s , now u n d e r t h e command o f General S c h u r z who assumed t h a t p o s i t i o n when Howard r e p l a c e d R e y n o l d s a s t h e commander o f t h e f i e l d , I C o r p s f o r c e s w e r e s p r e a d t h i n i n an attempt t o n o t o n l y s t o p t h e C o n f e d e r a t e t h r e a t from t h e w e s t , b u t a l s o t h e t h r e a t p o s e d by G e n e r a l E w e l l s f o r c e s t o t h e n o r t h . 3 0 By t h e time X I C o r p s f o r c e s had a r r i v e d t o

assist I C o r p s , E w e l l s t r o o p s had a l r e a d y o c c u p i e d Oak H i l l ,

a p i e c e o f key t e r r a i n which d o m i n a t e d t h e l e s s f a v o r a b l e

t e r r a i n h e l d by Union f o r c e s . 3 1 When E w e 1 1 i n i t i a t e d h i s
a t t a c k t o t h e s o u t h a t a r o u n d 2:30 p . m . , t h e two X I C o r p s

d i v i s i o n s of G e n e r a l s S c h i m m e l f e n n i g and Barlow had j u s t d e p l o y e d i n t h e a r e a b e t w e e n t h e Mummasburg and H a r r i s b u r g r o a d s n o r t h o f t o w n . 3 2 Accompanying e a c h o f t h e s e d i v i s i o n s

29

was o n e b a t t e r y , w i t h t h e t h r e e r e m a i n i n g b a t t e r i e s of t h e

corps a r t i l l e r y brigade held i n reserve.33 The f i r s t X I C o r p s b a t t e r y w h i c h saw a c t i o n was B a t t e r y I , F i r s t Ohio L i g h t A r t i l l e r y , commanded by C a p t a i n H u b e r t D i l g e r . D i l g e r , s u p p o r t i n g t h e T h i r d D i v i s i o n , was d i r e c t e d by G e n e r a l S c h u r z t o p o s i t i o n h i s b a t t e r y a s h e saw

f i t b e t w e e n t h e Taneytown and B a l t i m o r e R o a d s . 3 4

Initially

D i l g e r p o s i t i o n e d o n l y one of h i s s e c t i o n s , which immediately became e n g a g e d w i t h a four-gun C o n f e d e r a t e b a t t e r y a b o u t 1400 y a r d s t o i t s f r o n t . T h i s c a u s e d Dilger t o b r i n g up h i s r e m a i n i n g f o u r N a p o l e o n s , a l l g u n s now f i r i n g a t c l o s e t o

t h e i r maximum range o f 1600 y a r d s . With t h e C o n f e d e r a t e

b a t t e r y r e i n f o r c e d by a n o t h e r f o u r - g u n b a t t e r y , and soon t h e r e a f t e r a t h i r d , D i l g e r r e q u e s t e d a s s i s t a n c e from Major Thomas W . O s b o r n , t h e X I C o r p s a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e commander. Major O s b o r n o r d e r e d L i e u t e n a n t W h e e l e r ' s 1 3 t h N e w York

B a t t e r y f o r w a r d t o assist D i l g e r , u n d e r t h e c o n t r o l o f t h e

l a t t e r . 3 5 Wheeler's f o u r 3 - I n c h g u n s q u i c k l y z e r o e d i n on
t h e Confederate b a t t e r i e s ,

r e l i e v i n g t h e p r e s s u r e on Dilger

and a l l o w i n g h i m t o a d v a n c e h i s N a p o l e o n s f o r w a r d s e v e r a l h u n d r e d y a c d s . 3 6 Once i n t h e i r new p o s i t i o n , Dilger's g u n s p r o v i d e d c o v e r i n g f i r e for W h e e l e r as h e moved h i s g u n s f o r w a r d t o a p o s i t i o n on D i l g e r ' s r i g h t . I n t h i s p o s i t i o n t h e two Union b a t t e r i e s c o n t i n u e d t h e i r e n g a g e m e n t w i t h b o t h enemy a r t i l l e r y and i n f a n t r y , r e c e i v i n g m o u n t i n g p r e s s u r e from a C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y t h r e a t on t h e i r r i g h t f l a n k . Both 30

b a t t e r i e s r e m a i n e d on t h e f i e l d , moving p e r i o d i c a l l y t o make
i t more d i f f i c u l t f o r t h e C o n f e d e r a t e g u n s t o p u t a c c u r a t e

f i r e on t h e i r p o s i t i o n . 3 7 When t h e o r d e r was g i v e n f o r t h e
i n f a n t r y t o w i t h d r a w , Dilger and Wheeler u s e d t h e same t e c h n i q u e t h e y had u s e d when t h e y a d v a n c e d , w i t h e a c h o n e p r o v i d i n g c o v e r f o r t h e o t h e r as t h e y moved b a c k . 3 9

A s Dilger and Wheeler s u p p o r t e d t h e T h i r d D i v i s i o n on

t h e X I C o r p s l e f t , B a t t e r y G , 4 t h U . S . A r t i l l e r y , commanded by L i e u t e n a n t B a y a r d W i l k e s o n , was p r o v i d i n g s u p p o r t t o G e n e r a l B a r l o w s F i r s t D i v i s i o n on t h e c o r p s r i g h t . General Barlow s e l e c t e d W i l k e s o n s p o s i t i o n , p l a c i n g two s e c t i o n s u n u s u a l l y c l o s e t o t h e C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y l i n e s n o r t h o f t h e York r o a d . W i t h i n m i n u t e s o f moving i n t o t h i s p o s i t i o n L i e u t e n a n t W i l k e s o n was m o r t a l l y wounded, p l a c i n g t h e command of B a t t e r y
G i n t o t h e l a p o f L i e u t e n a n t B a n c r o f t . As was t h e case w i t h

Dilger and W h e e l e r , B a n c r o f t f o u n d h i s b a t t e r y i n a d u e l w i t h

a n u m e r i c a l l y s u p e r i o r enemy a r t i l l e r y f o r c e a n d s t e a d i l y
a d v a n c i n g i n f a n t r y m e n . P r e d i c t a b l y , t h e r e s u l t s were t h e same. B a n c r o f t was f o r c e d t o w i t h d r a w h i s b a t t e r y as t h e F i r s t D i v i s i o n Pel1 b a c k i n d i s a r r a y . 3 c The w i t h d r a w a l o f X I C o r p s u n i t s t h r o u g h t h e town of Gettysburg c r e a t e d problems f o r t h e a r t i l l e r y b a t t e r i e s w i t h t h e i r c a n n o n , c a i s s o n s and h o r s e s . The l i m i t e d access i n t o and t h r o u g h t h e town, combined w i t h t h e a p p a r e n t l a c k o f c o n t r o l , r e s u l t e d i n mass c o n f u s i o n , f o r c i n g p a r t o f b o t h

D i l g e r s and W h e e l e r s b a t t e r i e s t o p r o v i d e c o v e r i n g f i r e f o r
t h e d i v i s i o n s as t h e y scrambled t o s t a y ahead of t h e

31

p u r s u i n g C o n f e d e r a t e s . 4 0 Major Osborn d i r e c t e d C a p t a i n

L e w i s Heckman, commander of B a t t e r y K , F i r s t O h i o L i g h t
Artillery,

t o p o s i t i o n h i s b a t t e r y i n support of t h e

w i t h d r a w i n g Union f o r c e s . I n e x e c u t i n g t h i s m i s s i o n Heckman l o s t two o f h i s N a p o l e o n s t o C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y t h a t swarmed o v e r h i s p o s i t i o n b e f o r e h e had time t o f a l l b a c k himself.41 By l a t e a f t e r n o o n on 1 J u l y a l l of t h e I and X I C o r p s a r t i l l e r y b a t t e r i e s had t a k e n u p p o s i t i o n s on Cemetarv H i l l . D u r i n g t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e d a y o n l y a few s h o t s were f i r e d . G e n e r a l E w e 1 1 n e v e r a t t e m p t e d a s e r i o u s a s s a u l t on t h e Union p o s i t i o n . Meanwhile, t h e Union a r t i l l e r y t o o k s t o c k o f i t s l o s s e s i n men, e q u i p m e n t and a n i m a l s . T h e I C o r p s a r t i lsrv b r i g a d e l o s t e i g h t y - t h r e e men e i t h e r k i l l e d o r wounded a l o n g
w i t h e i g h t y h o r s e s . Three of Wainwright's guns belonging t o

C a p t a i n H a l l ' s b a t t e r y had b e e n d i s m o u n t e d and were n o l o n g e r s e r v i c e a b l e . The l o s s e s o f Major O s b o r n ' s X I C o r p s a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e were n o t a s well d o c u m e n t e d , b u t were a p p a r e n t l y n o t
a s s e v e r e a s W a i n w r i g h t ' s . Over t h e t h r e e d a y b a t t l e Osborn

l o s t n i n e t y - e i g h t h o r s e s compared t o t h e e i p h t y W a i n w r i g h t l o s t on t h e f i r s t d a y a l o n e . The same s i t u a t i o n h o l d s t r u e f o r p e r s o n n e l losses. Whereas W a i n w r i g h t ' s b r i g a d e e x p e r i e n c e d a loss o f e i g h t y - t h r e e men on 1 J u l y , Osborn l o s t o n l y s i x t y - n i n e men d u r i n g t h e e n t i r e b a t t l e . O s b o r n ' s b r i g a d e l o s t two g u n s d u r i n g t h e f i r s t d a y ' s a c t i o n . T h e r e p l e n i s h m e n t o f ammunition c h e s t s r e c e i v e d t o p p r i o r i t y i n

32

Artillery Positions, 1 July p.m.

33

both corps. Since the I Corps train had not yet arrived, both the I and XI Corps artillery brigades filled their ammunition chests from the XI Corps train as they prepared for the second day of battle.*= In analyzing the performance of the Union artillery during the first day of the battle, and assessing the significance of that performance, several aspects of the day's fight must be examined. One is the manner in which the artillery was employed. Another is its relationship with the forces it supported. Finally, the significance of its performance will require that it be measured against the outcome desired by the overall commander. The artillery employed on 1 July was part of an organization l e s s than sixty days old. The new artillery brigades showed promise, but problems experienced on the first day demonstrated how old habits are hard to break. An example is the method of artillery employment and position selection. As was previously discussed, one of the driving forces behind the organizational changes was the tendency for artillery assigned to divisions to be employed in a piecemeal fashion by the infantry commanders. These same officers had proven reluctant in the past to give up their artillery if it was determined that it could be better untilized somewhere else. Maneuver commanders, both at division and corps level, generally allowed their artillery commanders to select positions for their guns, probably
34

because of the respect

they had for the professional judgement of the artillery officers in matters relating to their field. In selecting positions the artillery commander was obligated to select one that would support the maneuver commanders scheme of maneuver. Therefore, batteries from the corps artillery brigade which were supporting a division came under the control of the division commander. While both Wainwright and Osborn were responsible for implementing their corps commanders guidance on fire support, this apparently did not mean that division commanders within the corps could direct the artillery brigades remaining batteries into action unless the artillery brigade commander consented. Colonel Wainwrights refusal to emplace a battery in a position when directed by the acting I Corps commander, General Doubleday, would at first glance appear to be a case of disobediance. In actuality this was a situation of an artillery commander advising a staff officer, who had transmitted the directive, of the unfeasibility of such an action, and that once the necessary infantry support was provided to the artillery, the fire support would be emplaced. General Doubleday did not pursue the situation, but provided the required infantry support and Wainwright provided the artillery. This would appear to be an example of a maneuver commander respecting the recommendations of his artillery specialist while demonstrating concurrently the authority which Wainwright exercised as the Corps Chief-of-Artillery. Both Colonel
35

W a i n w r i g h t and Major Osborn e x e r c i s e d c o n s i d e r a b l e a u t h o r i t y o v e r t h e i r two b r i g a d e s d u r i n g t h e f i r s t d a y o f t h e b a t t l e .

Since n e i t h e r rode with t h e i r corps lead d i v i s i o n though,

t h e s e n i o r a r t i l l e r y m e n t h e r e were t h e commanders of t h e b a t t e r i e s attached t o t h e lead divisions. I n i t i a l l y L i e u t e n a n t Calef was g i v e n t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o s e l e c t h i s own p o s i t i o n b y C o l o n e l Gamble, t h e F i r s t B r i g a d e commander o f G e n e r a l B u f o r d s c a v a l r y d i v i s i o n . Once i n p o s i t i o n he was o r d e r e d t o move two o f h i s s e c t i o n s by B u f o r d h i m s e l f . G e n e r a l R e y n o l d s , a c t i n g as t h e commander o f t h e f i e l d p e n d i n g t h e a r r i v a l o f G e n e r a l Meade, d i r e c t e d C a p t a i n Halls b a t t e r y i n t o p o s i t i o n when it was d e c i d e d t o - r e l i e v e Calefs u n i t . Whether o r n o t t h e g e n e r a l s f e l t t h e a r t i l l e r y o f f i c e r s were i n e x p e r i e n c e d and n o t q u a l i f i e d t o

s e l e c t a p r o p e r p o s i t i o n f o r t h e i r g u n s is i m p o s s i b l e t o s a y ,
b u t some i n f a n t r y o f f i c e r s o b v i o u s l y had c o n f i d e n c e i n t h e b a t t e r y commanders s u p p o r t i n g t h e i r f o r c e s , f o r e x a m p l e C o l o n e l Gamble o f B u f o r d - s d i v i s i o n . A n o t h e r was G e n e r a l S c h u r z o f t h e X I C o r p s . S c h u r z a l l o w e d C a p t a i n Dilger t o position h i s battery, exhibiting thereby confidence i n h i s

a r t i l l e r y s u b o r d i n a t e s a b i l i t y t o make a p r o p e r s e l e c t i o n .
G e n e r a l Barlow on t h e o t h e r h a n d , S c h u r z s F i r s t D i v i s i o n commander, s e l e c t e d t h e i n i t i a l p o s i t i o n o f B a t t e r y G , 4 t h

U.S. A r t i l l e r y . Whether by m i s t a k e , o r t h r o u g h a l a c k o f
u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f p r o p e r a r t i l l e r y employment, two s e c t i o n s o f
B a t t e r y G were p o s i t i o n e d t o o c l o s e t o t h e C o n f e d e r a t e l i n e s .

T h i s r e s u l t e d i n t h e loss of t h e b a t t e r y commander and f o r c e d

36

t h e withdrawal of t h e b a t t e r y . I t is p o s s i b l e t h e d e t a i l e d p o s i t i o n i n g i n s t r u c t i o n s g i v e n by s e v e r a l of t h e maneuver commanders is a r e s u l t o f t h e d i r e c t - f i r e n a t u r e o f t h e a r t i l l e r y t h a t was i n u s e . T h e r e q u i r e m e n t t o s e e t h e t a r g e t t h a t t h e b a t t e r y was t o e n g a g e may h a v e f o r c e d some o f t h e d i v i s i o n and corps Commanders t o i s s u e precise i n s t r u c t i o n s t o t h e a r t i l l e r y t o e n s u r e t h e b a t t e r i e s were emplaced i n p o s i t i o n s where t h e y c o u l d e n g a g e t h e t a r g e t s t h e maneuver commanders w a n t e d .

Once t h e a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e commanders a r r i v e d on t h e
b a t t l e f i e l d , b o t h t o o k a n a c t i v e r o l e i n t h e p o s i t i o n i n g of
t h e i r b a t t e r i e s . C o l o n e l Wainwright w a s e s p e c i a l l y i n v o l v e d .

On two o c c a s i o n s he e i t h e r d e f e r r e d o r r e f u s e d t o e m p l a c e

a r t i l l e r y on a s i t e s e l e c t e d by a maneuver commander. H i s d e c i s i o n s were b a s e d e i t h e r on a l a c k of i n f a n t r y s u p p o r t f o r

t h e b a t t e r y , o r t h e i r n e e d l e s s e x p o s u r e t o enemy f i r e .

T h e r e a p p e a r e d t o be a l a c k of c o o r d i n a t i o n between
t h e i n f a n t r y and a r t i l l e r y . Even t h o u g h t h e y were g e n e r a l l y

mutually supporting, t h e a v a i l a b l e r e p o r t s give the i m p r e s s i o n t h a t t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e two arms was

m i n i m a l a t b e s t . I n s e v e r a l i n s t a n c e s on t h e f i r s t d a y t h e
i n f a n t r y would s t a r t f a l l i n g b a c k w i t h o u t n o t i f y i n g t h e a r t i l l e r y . T h i s was most l i k e l y c a u s e d by h a v i n g two s e p a r a t e c h a i n s o f command on t h e l i n e o f b a t t l e . S i n c e w i t h d r a w i n g a b a t t e r y was more time c o n s u m i n g t h a n p u l l i n g b a c k i n f a n t r y , b e i n g t h e l a s t t o know meant b e i n g t h e l a s t t o w i t h d r a w . T h i s

37

r e s u l t e d i n l o s t h o r s e s and c a n n o n as a r t i l l e r y m e n s c r a m b l e d t o remove t h e i r g u n s o u t of t h e p a t h o f r a p i d l y a d v a n c i n g Confederate i n f a n t r y . The l a c k of c o o r d i n a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e i n f a n t r y and

a r t i l l e r y was j u s t a s e v i d e n t a t t h e h i g h e r e c h e l o n s o f
a u t h o r i t y . The f a i l u r e f o r C o l o n e l W a i n w r i g h t t o be i n f o r m e d o f t h e f i e l d commanders i n t e n t i o n s t o h o l d Cemetary H i l l a t
a l l c o s t s , o r t o h a v e i t e x p l a i n e d t o him e x p l i c i t l y how

Doubleday w a n t e d t h a t a c c o m p l i s h e d , n e a r l y c a u s e d t h e loss o f s e v e r a l b a t t e r i e s p o s i t i o n e d on S e m i n a r y R i d g e . Throughout t h e f i r s t d a y a t G e t t y s b u r g t h e a r t i l l e r y d i s p l a y e d t e c h n i q u e s o f t a c t i c a l employment t h a t a r e a s a p p r o p r i a t e t o d a y a s t h e y were t h e n . With t o d a y s s o p h i s t i c a t e d means of l o c a t i n g o p p o s i n g a r t i l l e r y , f r e q u e n t moves w i l l b e t h e norm. A l t h o u g h t h e means o f l o c a t i n g enemy
a r t i l l e r y was s t r i c t l y v i s u a l a t G e t t y s b u r g , i n t h e i n t e r e s t

o f s e l f - p r e s e r v a t i o n i t became n e c e s s a r y t o move f r e q u e n t l y t o s u r v i v e . C a p t a i n Dilger and L i e u t e n a n t W h e e l e r c o n s t a n t l y moved t h e i r b a t t e r i e s a b o u t i n a f i e l d n o r t h o f t h e town. T h i s movement c o m p l i c a t e d t h e R e b e l s e f f o r t s t o p l a c e e f f e c t i v e c o u n t e r - b a t t e r y f i r e on t h e Union b a t t e r i e s by r e q u i r i n g them t o c o n s t a n t l y reaim t h e i r g u n s . T h i s no d o u b t r e d u c e d t h e Union g u n s e f f e c t i v e n e s s as well s i n c e t h e y had t o p h y s i c a l l y p i c k u p and move t o new l o c a t i o n s t h r o u g h o u t t h e fight . To d e t e r m i n e t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e a r t i l l e r y s c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e f i r s t d a y s a c t i o n i t must b e g a u g e d
38

a g a i n s t w h a t t h e f i e l d commander w a n t e d t o a c h i e v e . T h e r e i s some c o n f l i c t i n t h e O f f i c i a l R e c o r d s o v e r what t h e o r i g i n a l i n t e n t i o n s w e r e . The d e a t h o f G e n e r a l R e y n o l d s added t o t h i s c o n f u s i o n s i n c e i t is d i f f i c u l t t o d e t e r m i n e e x a c t l y w h e r e h e i n t e n d e d t o d e f e n d , a l t h o u g h i t is b e l i e v e d t h a t h i s i n t e n t i o n s were t o d e f e n d i n t h e woods a l o n g McPherson R i d g e . 4 3 Yet t h e s e n i o r o f f i c e r on t h e f i e l d p r i o r t o G e n e r a l Howards a r r i v a l , G e n e r a l D o u b l e d a y , i n whose c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h an u n i d e n t i f i e d p e r s o n W a i n w r i g h t a p p a r e n t l y o v e r h e a r d t h e r e f e r e n c e t o h o l d i n g Cemetary H i l l ,

s t a t e s i n h i s o f f i c i a l r e p o r t t h a t h e had r e c e i v e d o r d e r s
f r o m G e n e r a l Howard t h a t i t was i n d e e d S e m i n a r y R i d g e w h i c h
was t o b e h e l d . 4 4 B u t t h e i n c r e a s i n g p r e s s u r e f r o m t h e

n o r t h , and t h e gap o f s e v e r a l h u n d r e d y a r d s b e t w e e n t h e i and

X I C o r p s made h o l d i n g S e m i n a r y R i d g e and t h e town o f

G e t t y s b u r g i m p o s s i b l e . T h i s f o r c e d a w i t h d r a w a l t o Cemetary H i l l , a p o s i t i o n w h i c h b o t h General Howard and t h e commander o f t h e I1 C o r p s , G e n e r a l H a n c o c k , r e c o g n i z e d as a s t r o n g o n e . 4 5 Assuming t h a t t h e w i t h d r a w a l t o Cemetary H i l l w a s an a c c e p t a b l e o n e i n terms o f a l l o w i n g t h e Union f o r c e s t o e s t a b l i s h a v i a b l e d e f e n s e i n which t o c o n d u c t o p e r a t i o n s f o r t h e remainder of t h e b a t t l e , than t h e artillerys c o n t r i b u t i o n

was a p o s i t i v e o n e . I t was s u c c e s s f u l i n o p e r a t i n g f i r s t w i t h
t h e c a v a l r y , and t h e n w i t h t h e i n f a n t r y i n d e l a y i n g and

s t o p p i n g t h e C o n f e d e r a t e a d v a n c e from t h e w e s t . A l t h o u g h t h e
X I C o r p s was u n a b l e t o s t o p G e n e r a l E w e l l s s o l d i e r s a d v a n c i n g

39

from t h e n o r t h , t h e a r t i l l e r y a s s i g n e d t o t h e X I Corps p r o v i d e d v a l u a b l e c o v e r i n g f i r e f o r t h e i n f a n t r y as it withdrew s o u t h through t h e town. P o s t e d on C e m e t a r y H i l l , t h e e l e v e n Union b a t t e r i e s

were s t i l l a c o n s i d e r a b l e f o r c e t o b e r e c k o n e d w i t h d e s p i t e
t h e d a y s l o s s e s . T h e y , a l o n g w i t h t h e Union c a v a l r y and i n f a n t r y , had s u c c e s s f u l l y d e l a y e d t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s , s e c u r i n g s t r o n g d e f e n s i v e p o s i t i o n s w h i c h t h e Army o f t h e Potomac would e x p l o i t d u r i n g t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e b a t t l e . The Union a r t i l l e r y , combined w i t h t h e oncoming d a r k n e s s and s u p p o r t i n g i n f a n t r y , no doubt convinced E w e 1 1 t h a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n a r y o r d e r s d i r e c t i n g him t o a s s a u l t t h e Union p o s i t i o n had b e s t n o t b e f o l l o w e d . 4 e T h i s was f o r t u n a t e a s

it a l l o w e d f o r t h e a r r i v a l o f t h e r e s t of t h e Army o f t h e
Potomac w i t h i t s r e m a i n i n g c o r p s a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e s , and i t s formidable a r t i l l e r y reserve

40

CHAPTER 2
ENDNOTES

I L . Van Loan N a i s a w a l d , O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y Press, 1 9 6 0 ) , 3 3 4 .

( N e w York:

' (New zEdwin B . C o d d i n g t o n , T h e GettvYork: C h a r l e s S c r i b n e r ' s S o n s . 1 9 6 8 ) . 30-31. Edward G . Longacre, ( N e w York: A . S . Barnes and Company, 1 9 7 7 ) , 1 5 0 .

aNaisawald, 329. 4 I b i d . , 330. S I b i d . , 334. W o d d i n g t o n , 13, and C l i f f o r d Dowdey, W o f a bLhn ( N e w York: A l f r e d A . Knopf, I n c . , 1 9 6 3 ) : 8 2 - 8 3 . 7U.S. D e p a r t m e n . t of . War,
of the
of t h e

of t h e

a t e Armies ( W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . : Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1880-1901). S e r i e s I , Volume XXVII, P a r t 1, 1 0 3 1 ( h e r e a f t e r c i t e d as O R and u n l e s s o t h e r w i s e n o t e d r e f e r s t o Series I).

e I b i d . , 1031. 9 F a i r f a x Downey, T h a l h ~ a~ t G e t t v w ( N e w York: David HcKay Company, I n c . , 1 9 5 8 ) , 2 0 .

IOOR,

X X V I I , 1, 9 2 7 .

1 1 I b i d . , 359. 1 z I b i d . . 245 XaIbid., 359. I'Ibid., 1JIbid.

1031

355.

l e I b i d , 1031. 1 7 I b i d . , 355. 41

leIbid. l e I b i d . , 364. ZOIbid., 356. 2lIbid. ZZNaisawald, 3 4 8 . Z a I b i d . , 348-349,

ZQOR,

and O R , X X V I I , 1, 3 6 0 .

X X V I I , 1, 3 6 0 .

P s I b i d . , 356. ZeIbid., 356, 363. 2 7 I b i d . , 361. Z e l b i d . , 357. ZeIbid., 357, 363. SoIbid., 696. SlNaisawald, 355. 3 2 I b i d . , 355 and O R , X X V I I , 1, 7 2 7 .

330R, X X V I I , 1, 7 4 7 .
SdIbid., 754. a a I b i d . , 747. 3 e I b i d . , 752, 754. 37Ibid., 748. SeIbid., 754, 3 Q I b i d . , 748, 756. QOIbid., 754. Q I I b i d . , 755. 42Ibid.

748.

4 3 I b i d . , 244. 42

4 4 I b i d . , 247. Q J I b i d . , 368, 6 9 6 .
~ S O R , xxvrr, 2, 445-446

43

CHAPTER 3

GETTYSBURG

THE T H I R D DAY

Day two o f t h e b a t t l e saw t h e a d j u s t m e n t o f l i n e s and t h e a r r i v a l o f t h e Army o f t h e P o t o m a c s remaining e l e m e n t s w h i c h would d o b a t t l e on t h e d e c i s i v e and f i n a l t h i r d d a y . Even t h o u g h t h e a c t i o n o f J u l y 2nd is n o t a d d r e s s e d i n d e t a i l b y t h i s s t u d y , i t would b e wrong t o n o t m e n t i o n t h a t b o t h Union i n f a n t r y and a r t i l l e r y f o u g h t w e l l t h a t d a y . S e v e r a l

a r t i l l e r y u n i t s fought d e s p e r a t e b a t t l e s as t h e y supported a
f a i l e d a t t e m p t b y S i c k l e s 111 C o r p s t o o c c u p y and h o l d t e r r a i n a p p r o x i m a t e l y 800 y a r d s f o r w a r d o f t h e p o s i t i o n t h a t G e n e r a l Heade had o r i g i n a l l y i n t e n d e d t h e n t o o c c u p y . B a t t e r i e s b e l o n g i n g t o t h e 111 C o r p s a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e and t o t h e 1st V o l u n t e e r B r i g a d e o f t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e f o u n d t h e m s e l v e s h e a v i l y engaged as t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s g a i n e d c o n t r o l o f t h e P e a c h O r c h a r d , t h e W h e a t f i e l d , and D e v i l s Den. I n t h e F e d e r a l c e n t e r Union a r t i l l e r y and i n f a n t r y f o u g h t a d e t e r m i n e d C o n f e d e r a t e f o r c e w h i c h e n j o y e d some s u c c e s s b e f o r e Union c o u n t e r - a t t a c k s r e g a i n e d l o s t g r o u n d . Union f o r c e s on t h e F e d e r a l r i g h t a l s o p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e d a y s a c t i o n as General Enells C o r p s a d v a n c e d a g a i n s t Union p o s i t i o n s on Cemetary and Culps h i l l s . B o t h t h e n i g h t o f J u l y 2nd a n d t h e e a r l y m o r n i n g hours of t h e 3 r d found a r t i l l e r y u n i t s of t h e Army of t h e
44

Fotomac s c r a m b l i n g t o repair t h e damage i n c u r r e d on t h e 2 n d . C h i e f among t h e m i s s i o n s f o r t h e n i g h t was t h e r e p l e n i s h m e n t o f ammunition c h e s t s . T h e ammunition t r a i n s o f s e v e r a l c o r p s had e i t h e r f a i l e d t o a r r i v e o r were p o s i t i o n e d t o o f a r away f o r a r t i l l e r y u n i t s t o r e s u p p l y . I t was a t t h i s t i m e t h a t

General H u n t s s p e c i a l a m m u n i t i o n t r a i n w h i c h h e had a t t a c h e d
t o h i s a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e proved its worth. Designed t o carry 250 r o u n d s p e r gun f o r b a t t e r i e s i n t h e r e s e r v e , i t a l s o c a r r i e d an a d d i t i o n a l 20 r o u n d s f o r e v e r y o t h e r gun i n t h e
army. L i e u t e n a n t G i l l e t , o r d n a n c e o f f i c e r o f t h e a r t i l l e r y

r e s e r v e , r e p o r t e d i s s u i n g a t o t a l of s e v e n t y wagon-loads of ammunition d u r i n g t h e n i g h t , w i t h 1 0 , 0 9 0 r o u n d s of ammunition i s s u e d t o c o r p s b a t t e r i e s a l o n e . 1 T h i s e x t r a ammunition p r o v e d c r u c i a l i n two ways. F i r s t , i t p r o v i d e d ammunition t o t h o s e c o r p s b a t t e r i e s w h i c h had d r a s t i c a l l y d e p l e t e d t h e i r s t o c k s d u r i n g t h e f i g h t i n g o f t h e 2nd and who would b e i n v o l v e d a g a i n on t h e 3 r d , most n o t a b l y I1 C o r p s u n i t s . S e c o n d , i t g a v e Hunt t h e c o n f i d e n c e t o a s s u r e Meade t h e r e was
a s u f f i c i e n t q u a n t i t y of a m m u n i t i o n a v a i l a b l e t o engage L e e s army i n b a t t l e , p r o v i d e d i t was n o t w a s t e d . T h i s a p p a r e n t l y

a l l a y e d Meades c o n c e r n s a b o u t an ammunition s h o r t a g e and t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of h a v i n g t o withdraw from t h e f i e l d . * S e v e r a l Union b a t t e r i e s were r e o r g a n i z e d d u r i n g t h e e v e n i n g a s p a r t o f t h e p r e p a r a t i o n s for t h e t h i r d d a y o f b a t t l e . E x c e s s i v e losses i n b o t h men a n d h o r s e s f o r c e d t h e s e b a t t e r i e s t o man f o u r g u n s i n s t e a d of t h e n o r m a l s i x . 3 U n i t s i n t h i s c a t e g o r y i n c l u d e d B B a t t e r y , 1st Rhode I s l a n d
45

A r t i l l e r y and B B a t t e r y , 1st New York A r t i l l e r y . O t h e r b a t t e r i e s had s u s t a i n e d s u c h t r e m e n d o u s c a s u a l t i e s t h a t t h e y were u n a b l e t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e f i g h t i n g on t h e 3 r d a t all. T h e s e i n c l u d e d t h e 9 t h M a s s a c h u s e t t s B a t t e r y , t h e 4 t h New York B a t t e r y and I B a t t e r y , 5 t h U . S . A r t i l l e r y . 4 F i g h t i n g e r u p t e d e a r l y on t h e t h i r d . D u r i n g t h e n i g h t

General Meade had d e c i d e d t h a t t h e X I 1 C o r p s would r e t a k e t h e

g r o u n d on C u l p ' s H i l l l o s t t h e p r e v i o u s d a y t o E w e l l ' s Confederate t r o o p s . A r t i l l e r y i n s u p p o r t of t h i s a t t a c k c o n s i s t e d o f t h e X I 1 C o r p s ' a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e o f two b a t t e r i e s o f 1 0 - p o u n d e r P a r r o t t r i f l e s , f o u r and s i x g u n s r e s p e c t i v e l y , a n d two b a t t e r i e s o f N a p o l e o n s , a g a i n o n e e q u i p p e d w i t h s i x g u n s and t h e o t h e r f o u r . T h e s e t w e n t y cannon c o n d u c t e d a f i f t e e n m i n u t e p r e p a r a t i o n o f t h e o b j e c t i v e area commencing a t 4 : 3 0 a . m . , c o i n c i d i n g w i t h t h e f i r s t l i g h t o f dawn. Once t h e a r t i l l e r y had c e a s e d f i r i n g , Union i n f a n t r y moved f o r w a r d o n l y t o r u n h e a d l o n g i n t o t h e advancing d i v i s i o n s of E w e l l ' s Corps. The r e s u l t i n g f i e r c e f i g h t i n g n e c e s s i t a t e d a r e s u m p t i o n o f Union a r t i l l e r y s u p p o r t , t h i s time augmented by t h e s i x 3 - I n c h O r d n a n c e
r i f l e s o f A B a t t e r y , Maryland L i g h t A r t i l l e r y , f r o m t h e artillery reserve.

The a b s e n c e o f C o n f e d e r a t e a r t i l l e r y a l l o w e d t h e Union g u n n e r s t o e n g a g e enemy t a r g e t s a t w i l l . The Confederate's i n a b i l i t y o r unwillingness t o b r i n g guns forward over t h e d i f f i c u l t terrain t o support t h e i r a t t a c k 46

p r o v e d c o s t l y . BY 10:30 i n t h e m o r n i n g t h e d e a d l y e f f e c t o f
t h e Union a r t i l l e r y and i n f a n t r y f i r e , combined w i t h

reinforcements, forced the Confederates off Culps H i l l t o p o s i t i o n s e a s t o f Rock C r e e k . Once G e n e r a l Hunt was s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h e s i t u a t i o n on C u l p s H i l l , h e began a f i n a l i n s p e c t i o n o f t h e a r t i l l e r y p o s i t i o n s a l o n g t h e e n t i r e f r o n t of t h e armys p o s i t i o n . O f t h e 366 cannon t h a t a c c o m p a n i e d t h e Army o f t h e Potomac and

were l o c a t e d i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f t h e G e t t y b u r g b a t t l e f i e l d ,
Hunt e s t i m a t e d s e v e n t y - f i v e were p o s i t i o n e d w h e r e t h e y c o u l d b r i n g under e f f e c t i v e f i r e Confederate t r o o p s c r o s s i n g t h e open a r e a west o f Cemetary R i d g e . 6 H e a l s o believed t h a t a few o f t h e f i f t y - f i v e g u n s l o c a t e d on and a r o u n d C e m e t a r y
H i l l c o u l d a s s i s t t h o s e on t h e r i d g e i n s t o p p i n g a

Confederate assault.

To t h e f o r t y - t h r e e r i f l e d cannon on Cemetary Ridge

went t h e m i s s i o n of c o u n t e r - b a t t e r y f i r e a g a i n s t t h e C o n f e d e r a t e a r t i l l e r y , c o n s i s t i n g o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y 120 t o 150 g u n s , now s e e n r o l l i n g o u t on t h e c r e s t o f S e m i n a r y R i d g e . Hunt b e l i e v e d t h e movement o f t h e R e b e l a r t i l l e r y c o u l d have o n e o f t h r e e p o s s i b l e meanings. O n e was t o f r e e C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y t o s u p p o r t Ewe11 i n h i s f a i l i n g a t t a c k on C u l p s

H i l l ; a n o t h e r was t o r e p e l a Union a s s a u l t s h o u l d Meads go on

t h e o f f e n s e ; a n d f i n a l l y , i t may s i g n a l a n a s s a u l t on t h e

Union c e n t e r . e Knowing Lees o f f e n s i v e n a t u r e , Hunt s u b s c r i b e d t o t h e l a t t e r and p r e p a r e d t h e a r t i l l e r y f o r c e s a c c o r d i n g l y . Hunt d i r e c t e d a l l Union a r t i l l e r y t o wait

47

f i f t e e n m i n u t e s b e f o r e r e t u r n i n g f i r e , and o n l y t h e n i f i t promised "adequate r e s u l t s ,

"

and t o e n g a g e l a r g e t a r g e t s o f

v a l u e , c o n c e n t r a t i n g t h e i r f i r e s on s i n g l e b a t t e r i e s u n t i l
t h e enemy g u n s s t o p p e d f i r i n g . R e a l i z i n g t h a t a C o n f e d e r a t e

c a n n o n a d e would most l i k e l y b e f o l l o w e d by a n i n f a n t r y a s s a u l t , Hunt e m p h a s i z e d t o t h e a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e and b a t t e r y commanders t h e n e e d t o n o t waste ammunition so t h e r e would b e a s u f f i c i e n t - q u a n t i t y r e m a i n i n g t o f i r e on t h e R e b e l infantry.'

A t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 p . m . two R e b e l g u n s s i g n a l e d f o r
t h e s t a r t o f what was t o d e v e l o p i n t o o n e of t h e l a r g e s t

a r t i l l e r y cannonades of t h e war. Confederate guns f i r e d c o n t i n u o u s l y f o r a l m o s t two h o u r s , c o n c e n t r a t i n g t h e g r e a t e r p a r t o f t h e i r f i r e on t h e Union c e n t e r o c c u p i e d by H a n c o c k ' s

I1 C o r p s . The Union a r t i l l e r y h e l d i t s f i r e u n d e r t h e
cascade of Rebel a r t i l l e r y s h e l l s , waiting t h e f i f t e e n minutes before they r e p l i e d .
T h e R e b e l a r t i l l e r y f i r e was more i m p r e s s i v e i n t e r m s

o f i t s v i s u a l d i s p l a y and t h e n o i s e i t p r o d u c e d t h a n t h e e f f e c t i t had on t h e Union f o r c e s . Emplaced on l i n e on S e m i n a r y R i d g e r o u g h l y p a r a l l e l t o t h e Union f o r c e s on Cemetary R i d g e , t h e R e b e l g u n s had more e f f e c t on F e d e r a l f o r c e s b e h i n d t h e r i d g e t h a n on i t . L i e u t e n a n t C o l o n e l H c G i l v e r y , commanding t h e 1st V o l u n t e e r B r i g a d e o f t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e , r e p o r t e d t h a t C o n f e d e r a t e s h e l l s s o a r e d 20 t o 100 f e e t o v e r t h e i r p o s i t i o n . 8 T h e s e s h e l l s c r e a t e d
48

havoc w i t h t h e r e m a i n i n g b a t t e r i e s and t r a i n s of t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e i n p a r k e a s t of C e m e t a r y R i d g e . A f t e r numerous c a i s s o n s were d e s t r o y e d and a n i m a l s k i l l e d t h e r e s e r v e p a r k was moved t o a l o c a t i o n s a f e f r o m t h e R e b e l fire. T h i s is n o t t o s a y t h a t Union a r t i l l e r y went u n s c a t h e d . S e v e r a l b a t t e r i e s on t h e Union r i g h t came u n d e r

intense c o u n t e r - b a t t e r y f i r e from Confederate a r t i l l e r y t h a t

was a b l e t o e n f i l a d e t h e i r p o s i t i o n on C e m e t a r y H i l l . B o t h
s i d e s claimed s u c c e s s i n d e a l i n g w i t h t h e o t h e r s i d e ' s a r t i l l e r y , b u t a s was o f t e n t h e c a s e , claims o f b a t t l e f i e l d a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s w e r e g r e a t l y e x a g g e r a t e d . T h e smoke p r o d u c e d b y t h e cannon o f b o t h s i d e s would have made i t e x t r e m e l y d i f f i c u l t t o b o t h s e e t a r g e t s t o e n g a g e and t h e n t o a s s e s s t h e damage a g a i n s t t h o s e t a r g e t s .

A c o n t r o v e r s i a l aspect of t h e r e t u r n f i r e o f f e r e d

by

t h e Union a r t i l l e r y c o n c e r n e d G e n e r a l H a n c o c k ' s d e c i s i o n t o h a v e h i s I1 C o r p s ' a r t i l l e r y o p e n f i r e p r e m a t u r e l y , a t l e a s t

i n t h e o p i n i o n o f G e n e r a l H u n t . I t is t r u e t h a t t h e I1 C o r p s
was r e c e i v i n g t h e b r u n t of t h e R e b e l c a n n o n a d e , c a u s i n g
Hancock some c o n c e r n a b o u t h i s t r o o p s h a v i n g t o e n d u r e t h e enemy f i r e w i t h o u t t h e m o r a l e b o o s t i n g b e n e f i t o f h e a r i n g t h e i r own c a n n o n i n r e p l y . Not o n l y d i d he d i r e c t C a p t a i n H a z a r d , I1 C o r p s A r t i l l e r y C h i e f , t o r e t u r n f i r e , h e a l s o a t t e m p t e d t o h a v e t h r e e o f L i e u t e n a n t C o l o n e l McGilvery's b a t t e r i e s from t h e r e s e r v e i n i t i a t e a r e t u r n f i r e . " T h e heavy volume o f t h e I1 C o r p s ' f i r e c a u s e d i t s b a t t e r i e s t o
49

e x p e n d i t s s h e l l and c a s e so t h a t a l l t h a t r e m a i n e d i n t h e i r ammunition c h e s t s a s t h e C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y s t a r t e d t h e i r

a s s a u l t was c a n i s t e r . T h i s p r e v e n t e d t h e I1 C o r p s b a t t e r i e s
f r o m e n g a g i n g t h e R e b e l i n f a n t r y u n t i l i t was w i t h i n c a n i s t e r

r a n g e , and was c o n s i d e r e d by Hunt t o b e t h e d e c i s i v e f a c t o r

i n why t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s were a b l e t o m o m e n t a r i l y b r e a k
t h r o u g h t h e I1 C o r p s l i n e . 1 0 T h i s d i s p u t e , a l o n g w i t h H a n c o c k s a s s e r t i o n t h a t someone had removed a r t i l l e r y u n i t s f r o m h i s l i n e , l e a v i n g an u n s u p p o r t e d g a p , was a r e s u l t o f t h e q u e s t i o n o f who had t a c t i c a l command a u t h o r i t y o v e r t h e c o r p s a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e s on t h e b a t t l e f i e l d .

I t is a p p a r e n t t h a t G e n e r a l Hancock b e l i e v e d
a r t i l l e r y w i t h i n h i s command was t o b e c o n t r o l l e d by h i m and

no o n e e l s e . 1 1 I t is a l s o a p p a r e n t t h a t G e n e r a l H u n t b e l i e v e d he was more c a p a b l e i n d e t e r m i n i n g how b e s t t o u t i l i z e a l l of t h e A r m y of t h e Potomacs a r t i l l e r y , i n c l u d i n g t h e b r i g a d e s u p p o r t i n g t h e I1 C o r p s . 1 2 T h i s c o n f u s i o n c o u l d

i n p a r t be a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e r a p i d and f r e q u e n t c h a n g e s i n
t h e a r t i l l e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n o f t h e army, a l o n g w i t h t h e t u r m o i l c r e a t e d by t h e numerous c h a n g e s i n t h e Army o f t h e P o t o m a c s commander. A l t h o u g h t h e armys f i r s t C h i e f - o f A r t i l l e r y , B r i g a d i e r G e n e r a l William B a r r y , p e r f o r m e d p u r e l y

a d m i n i s t r a t i v e d u t i e s f o r G e n e r a l H c C l e l l a n , Barrys s u c c e s s o r , B r i g a d i e r General H u n t , was g i v e n command a u t h o r i t y o v e r a l l of t h e a r t i l l e r y w i t h i n t h e a r m y . 1 3 U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h i s d e s c r i p t i o n o f H u n t s a u t h o r i t y was n e v e r

50

placed i n writing, leaving h i s exact d u t i e s t o the i n t e r p r e t a t i o n and whims o f M c C l e l l a n s s u c c e s s o r s . H u n t s a u t h o r i t y r e m a i n e d e s s e n t i a l l y unchanged when G e n e r a l B u r n s i d e t o o k command, b u t i t c h a n g e d d r a s t i c a l l y u n d e r h i s s u c c e s s o r , G e n e r a l H o o k e r . A l l t h a t Hunt had a c h i e v e d u n d e r M c C l e l l a n r e g a r d i n g t a c t i c a l command a u t h o r i t y o f a r t i l l e r y

was s t r i p p e d away by Hooker, l e a v i n g Hunt t o f u l f i l l o n l y

a d m i n i s t r a t i v e d u t i e s . O r d e r s t o a r t i l l e r y u n i t s were p a s s e d t h r o u g h t h e a r m y s a d j u t a n t g e n e r a l , b y p a s s i n g Hunt a l t o g e t h e r . Only a f t e r t h e mismanagement o f a r t i l l e r y a t C h a n c e l l o r s v i l l e d e m o n s t r a t e d t o Hooker t h a t h e had e r r e d d i d he r e s t o r e Hunt t o h i s f o r m e r p o s i t i o n o f a u t h o r i t y . When

General Meade t o o k o v e r from Hooker t h e r e was i n s u f f i c i e n t

time f o r Hunt t o c l a r i f y h i s d u t i e s w i t h t h e new army

commander. The a s s i g n m e n t s g i v e n t o Hunt by Meade, t h o u g h , seemed t o c o n f i r m t h a t H u n t was i n d e e d i n command o f t h e a r m y s a r t i l l e r y . The p e r c e i v e d a u t h o r i t y g i v e n t o H u n t by Meade, a l o n g w i t h p a s t p r e c e d e n t , no d o u b t l e d Hunt t o b e l i e v e he had P u l l a u t h o r i t y o v e r a l l a r t i l l e r y on t h e field.
As t h e a r t i l l e r y d u e l c o n t i n u e d u n a b a t e d f o r o v e r a n

h o u r , Hunt became i n c r e a s i n g l y c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t h e e x p e n d i t u r e of ammunition. P r e v i o u s e f f o r t s a t r e s u p p l y i n g t h e more h e a v i l y e n g a g e d b a t t e r i e s had met w i t h d i s a s t e r as t h e c a i s s o n s were d e s t r o y e d o r damaged from t h e R e b e l f i r e a s t h e y moved f o r w a r d . F e e l i n g i t was n e c e s s a r y t o s t o p t h e

f i r i n g i n o r d e r t o c o n s e r v e t h e ammunition t h e b a t t e r i e s had

51

r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e , Hunt p r o c e e d e d t o g e t Meade's a p p r o v a l f o r calling a cease-fire. U n a b l e t o l o c a t e Meade, Hunt f o u n d

G e n e r a l Howard and e x p l a i n e d h i s c o n c e r n s a b o u t t h e d w i n d l i n g ammunition s u p p l i e s . Howard a g r e e d t h a t t h e a r t i l l e r y u n i t s s h o u l d s t o p t h e i r f i r i n g , w h i c h Hunt p r o m p t l y d i r e c t e d . 1 4 T h i s d e m o n s t r a t e s t h a t Hunt was c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e o p i n i o n o f

t h e i n f a n t r y commanders and d i d n o t a c t c a p r i c i o u s l y i n

matters c o n c e r n i n g t h e a r t i l l e r y . H u n t ' s d e c i s i o n soon

r e c e i v e d s u p p o r t a s he r e c e i v e d a m e s s a g e f r o m Meade d i r e c t i n g a c e a s e - f i r e a f t e r Hunt had a l r e a d y d o n e s o . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e o r d e r a r r i v e d t o o l a t e t o p r e v e n t t h e I1 C o r p s b a t t e r i e s from e x p e n d i n g a l l of t h e i r ammunition e x c e p t canister. H u n t - s c e a s e - f i r e o r d e r p r o v e d t o be a Wise o n e . Not o n l y d i d i t c o n s e r v e t h e l o n g e r r a n g e ammunition t h a t would a l l o w t h e Union g u n n e r s t o f i r e a t t h e R e b e l i n f a n t r y b e f o r e
t h e y moved i n t o m u s k e t r a n g e , i t a l s o a p p a r e n t l y c o n v i n c e d

t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s t h a t t h e i r a r t i l l e r y had been s u c c e s s f u l a t d r i v i n g o f f o r s i l e n c i n g t h e Union a r t i l l e r y . S e e i n g w h a t appeared t o be a r t i l l e r y being p u l l e d o f f t h e r i d g e , t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s s t o p p e d f i r i n g l o n g enough t o allow t h e i r i n f a n t r y time t o move f o r w a r d t o w a r d t h e Union p o s i t i o n s on Cemetary R i d g e . 1 5 The R e b e l s t h e n resumed t h e i r c a n n o n a d e , a g a i n c o n c e n t r a t i n g i t s e f f o r t s on t h e Union c e n t e r . 1 6 As p r e v i o u s l y d e s c r i b e d , t h e I1 C o r p s ' l a c k o f l o n g - r a n g e ammunition p r e v e n t e d them f r o m f i r i n g a t t h e a d v a n c i n g
52

53

C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y u n t i l t h e y r e a c h e d p o s i t i o n s a b o u t 300 y a r d s f r o m t h e i r g u n s . No s u c h r e s t r i c t i o n s k e p t o t h e r Union g u n s f r o m f i r i n g . Smoke c o v e r e d t h e r i d g e l i n e s and t h e f i e l d , o b s t r u c t i n g t h e g u n n e r s f i e l d s o f v i e w and r e d u c i n g t o g u e s s w o r k t h e s i t i n g on a t a r g e t . The a d v a n c i n g R e b e l i n f a n t r y c o n f i r m e d G e n e r a l H u n t s

e a r l i e r s u s p i c i o n s t h a t an enemy a s s a u l t would b e d i r e c t e d

a g a i n s t t h e Union c e n t e r . The b r i e f lull i n t h e C o n f e d e r a t e

a r t i l l e r y f i r e made i t p o s s i b l e f o r H u n t t o i s s u e o r d e r s d i r e c t i n g t h a t f o u r a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e b a t t e r i e s be brought f o r w a r d a c r o s s t h e r i d g e l i n e w h i c h o n l y m i n u t e s b e f o r e had been s a t u r a t e d w i t h e x p l o d i n g Rebel s h e l l s . These b a t t e r i e s

were o r d e r e d t o r e i n f o r c e t h e c e n t e r o f t h e Union l i n e .
Hunt t h e n moved t o L i e u t e n a n t C o l o n e l M c G i l v e r y s p o s i t i o n on t h e I1 C o r p s l e f t . H e r e h e i n s t r u c t e d M c G i l v e r y t o r e d i r e c t h i s guns toward t h e r i g h t , t h u s e n a b l i n g h i s b a t t e r i e s t o e n f i l a d e t h e advancing Confederates r i g h t flank.1

Hunt b e l i e v e d i t was t h i s e n f i l a d i n g f i r e t h a t c a u s e d t h e
R e b e l l i n e s t o d r i f t t o t h e i r l e f t as t h e y a t t e m p t e d t o d i s t a n c e t h e m s e l v e s f r o m t h e d e a d l y f i r e of M c G i l v e r y s b a t t e r i e s . 1 a When t h e enemy i n f a n t r y a p p r o a c h e d t o w i t h i n 300 y a r d s of t h e c r e s t b o t h t h e Union i n f a n t r y and t h e I1

Corps a r t i l l e r y o p e n e d f i r e , u n l e a s h i n g a w i t h e r i n g f i r e of
m i n i e b a l l s and c a n i s t e r s h e l l s .

I t was i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f w h a t is r e f e r r e d t o as t h e
Angle t h a t t h e f i e r c e s t f i g h t i n g o f t h e a f t e r n o o n t o o k p l a c e .

A s C o n f e d e r a t e i n f a n t r y a p p r o a c h e d t h e low s t o n e w a l l m a r k i n g
54

t h e l e a d i n g e d g e of t h e Union p o s i t i o n s , t h e r e s e r v e

b a t t e r i e s e a r l i e r o r d e r e d f o r w a r d by H u n t made t h e i r t i m e l y a r r i v a l i n t o t h e gaps b e t w e e n I 1 C o r p s u n i t s . T h e s e b a t t e r i e s

were K B a t t e r y , 1st N e w York A r t i l l e r y , A B a t t e r y , 1st New

J e r s e y A r t i l l e r y , C B a t t e r y , 5 t h U . S . A r t i l l e r y , and t h e 1st

New York I n d e p e n d e n t B a t t e r y . R e b e l i n f a n t r y s u c c e s s f u l l y
b r e a c h e d t h e I1 C o r p s l i n e a t s e v e r a l p o i n t s , i n f l i c t i n g s u b s t a n t i a l damage upon s e v e r a l a r t i l l e r y b a t t e r i e s i n t h e i m m e d i a t e v i c i n i t y . A B a t t e r y , 4 t h U . S . A r t i l l e r y , t h e 1st New York I n d e p e n d e n t B a t t e r y , and B B a t t e r y , 1st N e w York A r t i l l e r y a l l f o u n d t h e m s e l v e s swarming w i t h enemy i n f a n t r y as g u n n e r s were f o r c e d i n t o hand-to-hand fighting within

t h e i r battery positions. A l l three b a t t e r i e s suffered numerous c a s u a l t i e s b e f o r e t h e combined f i r e o f t h e a r t i l l e r y b a t t e r i e s i n t h e I1 C o r p s s e c t o r and t h e f l a n k i n g f i r e of

t h e 8 t h Ohio I n f a n t r y Regiment o f t h e I1 C o r p s , and B r i g a d i e r

G e n e r a l S t a n n a r d s 3 r d B r i g a d e o f t h e I: C o r p s t h r e w b a c k t h e
r e m n a n t s o f G e n e r a l s P i c k e t t s and P e t t i g r e w s d i v i s i o n s . l e

General Hunt i m m e d i a t e l y began t o r e s t o r e t h e combat

power o f t h e a r t i l l e r y i n t h e Union c e n t e r as t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s b e g a n t o f a l l b a c k t o w a r d t h e i r l i n e s . The c a s u a l t i e s s u s t a i n e d by s e v e r a l b a t t e r i e s n e c e s s i t a t e d t h a t t h e y b e removed e n t i r e l y from t h e f i e l d . B B a t t e r y , 1st N e w York, A B a t t e r y , 1st Rhode I s l a n d , and A b a t t e r y , 4 t h U.S.

were a l l removed f r o m t h e f i e l d and r e p l a c e d w i t h b a t t e r i e s

from t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e . 2 0 A s a l r e a d y n o t e d , G e n e r a l

55

T h e F i g h t at t h e Angle

56

Hancock s e n t G e n e r a l Meade a message s h o r t l y a f t e r t h e r e p u l s e -of t h e Confederate a s s a u l t complaining about t h e u n a u t h o r i z e d r e m o v a l o f t w e l v e g u n s from h i s l i n e w h i c h , i n h i s o p i n i o n , c o u l d have b e e n d i s a s t e r o u s i f Hancock had " w o r s e t r o o p s " w i t h which t o p l u g t h e g a p . 2 1 A g a i n , t h e q u e s t i o n o f who h a s a u t h o r i t y o v e r t h e a r t i l l e r y a s s i g n e d t o

a c o r p s becomes an i s s u e . A l t h o u g h Hancock f a i l e d t o i d e n t i f y
t h e b a t t e r i e s t h a t h e b e l i e v e d were w i t h d r a w n , o r name a p e r s o n t h a t may have b e e n r e s p o n s i b l e , a s t u d y o f t h e o f f i c i a l r e c o r d s r e v e a l s t h a t a t l e a s t two of t h e t h r e e p r e v i o u s l y m e n t i o n e d b a t t e r i e s , and p o s s i b l y t h e t h i r d , were removed f r o m t h e f i g h t i n g b e f o r e t h e R e b e l a s s a u l t was r e p e l l e d , and n o t r e p l a c e d u n t i l t h e a s s a u l t was t u r n e d b a c k . 2 2 A s t o w h a t d e g r a d a t i o n t h e i r r e m o v a l had on t h e f i r e s u p p o r t a v a i l a b l e t o t h e I1 C o r p s ; i t would a p p e a r t h e r e

was n o n e . A l l t h r e e b a t t e r i e s had s u s t a i n e d s u c h s e v e r e
l o s s e s i n men, e q u i p m e n t and h o r s e s t h a t t h e y w e r e e s s e n t i a l l y combat i n e f f e c t i v e . C a p t a i n H a z a r d , I1 C o r p s Chief-of-Artillery, r e p o r t e d t h a t b o t h A B a t t e r y , 1st Rhode

I s l a n d A r t i l l e r y , and A B a t t e r y , 4 t h U . S . A r t i l l e r y had e x p e n d e d a l l o f t h e i r ammunition i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e i r h i g h l o s s e s . 2 3 I t is t h e r e f o r e e x t r e m e l y d o u b t f u l t h a t a t t h e p o i n t i n t h e b a t t l e t h e y were c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h e F e d e r a l e f f o r t t o r e p e l t h e R e b e l a s s a u l t . Hazard makes n o m e n t i o n of who d i r e c t e d t h e r e m o v a l o f t h e s e b a t t e r i e s , t h o u g h t h e w o r d i n g i n h i s o f f i c i a l r e p o r t c l e a r l y i n d i c a t e s he s u p p o r t e d , i f n o t o r d e r e d , t h e i r removal t o p r e v e n t t h e c a p t u r e of t h e

57

g u n s . I n v i e w o f t h e h o s t i l i t y b e t w e e n G e n e r a l s Hancock and H u n t , i t i s l i k e l y i t was H u n t t h a t Hancock had in mind when he w r o t e t h a t m e s s a g e t o Meade. O t h e r b a t t e r i e s on t h e l i n e h u r r i e d l y s e n t c a i s s o n s t o t h e rear as t h e y r e s u p p l i e d t h e i r a m m u n i t i o n c h e s t s and

prepared f o r a n o t h e r R e b e l a s s a u l t . As Hunt c o n t i n u e d h i s
i n s p e c t i o n o f a r t i l l e r y u n i t s on t h e Union l e f t h e n o t i c e d movement o f C o n f e d e r a t e t r o o p s , W i l c o x s b r i g a d e , as t h e y formed i n f r o n t of M c G i l v e r y s b a t t e r i e s i n a n a p p a r e n t
a t t e m p t t o s u p p o r t t h e now r e p e l l e d a s s a u l t by P i c k e t t s

d i v i s i o n . A f t e r g i v i n g i n s t r u c t i o n s t o McGilvery d i r e c t i n g him t o be p r e p a r e d t o f i r e upon t h e f o r m a t i o n once i t b e g a n t o move, H u n t r e t u r n e d t o t h e I1 C o r p s a r e a and i n s t r u c t e d t h e b a t t e r i e s t h e r e , most of w h i c h b e l o n g e d t o t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e , t o e n g a g e t h e e n e m y s l e f t f l a n k o n c e h e moved i n t o

t h e o p e n . As W i l c o x s . b r i g a d e a d v a n c a d t h e Union a r t i l l e r y

d i d as i n s t r u c t e d , r a p i d l y b r e a k i n g t h i s l a s t Confederate a s s a u l t b e f o r e i t r e a c h e d t h e Union l i n e . 2 4 D u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f t h e d a y s b a t t l e t h e Union a r t i l l e r y d e m o n s t r a t e d i t s e f f e c t i v e n e s s as a member o f a combined arms team f i g h t i n g a p o s i t i o n d e f e n s e . The n a t u r e of C i v i l War f i e l d a r t i l l e r y weapons r e q u i r e d t h a t t o be e f f e c t i v e i n t h e a t t a c k t h e y had t o maneuver i n c o n c e r t w i t h t h e i n f a n t r y . T h e d e v a s t a t i n g e f f e c t of t h e r i f l e d m u s k e t o n a r t i l l e r y l i m i t e d o f f e n s i v e u s e of cannon t o l o n g - r a n g e e n g a g e m e n t o f t a r g e t s w i t h p r o j e c t i l e and f u z e c o m b i n a t i o n s
58

t h a t were s o m e t i m e s l e s s t h a n e f f e c t i v e . P o o r l y f u n c t i o n i n g Bormann t i m e f u z e s p l a g u e d t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s a t G e t t y s b u r g a s s h e l l and c a s e r o u n d s e i t h e r d e t o n a t e d p r e m a t u r e l y , o r n o t a t

a l l . T h i s r e s u l t e d i n b o t h b e i n g used a s s o l i d s h o t , w i t h

c o n s i d e r a b l y l e s s e f f e c t . Combined w i t h t h e imprecise t a r g e t i n g r e s u l t i n g f r o m p o o r v i s i b i l i t y c r e a t e d by t h e smoke of t h e cannonade t h e e f f e c t of b o t h s i d e s long-range c o u n t e r - b a t t e r y a r t i l l e r y f i r e was n o t i n s t r u m e n t a l i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e b a t t l e s o u t c o m e . The U n i o n s a b i l i t y t o p o s i t i o n i t s a r t i l l e r y i n s e l e c t e d p o s i t i o n s and t o u s e c a n i s t e r a g a i n s t exposed i n f a n t r y proved t h a t t h e d e f e n s i v e
u s e o f a r t i l l e r y was more e f f e c t i v e t h a n t h e o f f e n s i v e

measures employed by t h e C o n f e d e r a t e a r t i l l e r y .

The s u p e r i o r i t y of a r t i l l e r y i n t h e d e f e n s e a t G e t t y s b u r g was n o t t h e o n l y f a c t o r w h i c h a f f e c t e d t h e o v e r a l l c o n t r i b u t i o n o f t h e Union a r t i l l e r y t o t h e F e d e r a l v i c t o r y . The i n a b i l i t y o f t h e R e b e l a r t i l l e r y t o p u t o u t o f a c t i o n t h e i r Union c o u n t e r p a r t s was s i g n i f i c a n t . A l t h o u g h s e v e r a l Union b a t t e r i e s on Cemetary H i l l and u n i t s b e h i n d t h e c r e s t o f Cemetary R i d g e s u s t a i n e d s e r i o u s damage, t h e R e b e l s f a i l e d t o p l a c e e f f e c t i v e f i r e on t h e b a t t e r i e s w h i c h c o u l d d o them

t h e most h a r m , namely t h o s e i n t h e Union c e n t e r . 2 5 The

C o n f e d e r a t e g u n n e r s were a l r e a d y h a n d i c a p p e d by d e f e c t i v e a m m u n i t i o n . F u r t h e r c o m p l i c a t i n g t h e i r s i t u a t i o n was t h e i r p o s i t i o n on S e m i n a r y R i d g e p l a c i n g them p a r a l l e l t o t h e g u n s

f i r i n g i n s u p p o r t o f t h e Union c e n t e r on Cemetary R i d g e .
T h e s e p o s i t i o n s made i t e x t r e m e l y d i f f i c u l t t o a c h i e v e t h e

59

c o r r e c t range s i n c e t h e s l i g h t e s t c h a n g e o r e r r o r i n gun t u b e e l e v a t i o n would e a s i l y c a u s e t h e round t o p a s s o v e r a t a r g e t t h a t d i d n o t h a v e much d e p t h . The C o n f e d e r a t e s were r e l y i n g upon t h e i r a r t i l l e r y t o f o r c e t h e Union b a t t e r i e s o f f Cemetary R i d g e b e f o r e t h e y would a t t a c k . 2 e T h e i r m i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f why t h e Union g u n s had c e a s e d f i r i n g and t h e movement t h e y saw on Cemetary R i d g e l e d them t o b e l i e v e t h e y had b e e n s u c c e s s f u l , and p r o v i d e d t h e t r i g g e r w h i c h l a u n c h e d t h e famous a s s a u l t . A s h o r t a g e of a v a i l a b l e a m m u n i t i o n p r e v e n t e d C o l o n e l A l e x a n d e r , General Longstreets Chief-of-Artillery, from s e n d i n g more

than eighteen guns forward w i t h t h e a s s a u l t i n g i n f a n t r y . The R e b e l a r t i l l e r y which had r e m a i n e d on S e m i n a r y Ridge was alsu low on ammunition and c o u l d n o t r e s u p p l y q u i c k l y s i n c e t h e t r a i n s were l o c a t e d t o o f a r away. The e n d r e s u l t was i n e f f e c t i v e a r t i l l e r y support of t h e Confederate i n f a n t r y a t

a time when t h e y n e e d e d i t m o s t . 2 7
The s i t u a t i o n t h a t p r e s e n t e d i t s e l f on t h e t h i r d d a y

was t h e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r t h e new a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e
o r g a n i z a t i o n t o p r o v e i t s w o r t h . The c e n t r a l i z e d c o n t r o l of a r t i l l e r y a t c o r p s l e v e l was i n s t r u m e n t a l i n many o f t h e s u c c e s s e s e n j o y e d n o t o n l y by t h e Union a r t i l l e r y , b u t by t h e
Army o f t h e Potomac a s a w h o l e . No l o n g e r was a r t i l l e r y

p a r c e l e d o u t t o t h e d i v i s i o n s , a p a s t h a b i t t h a t made i t v i r t u a l l y i m p o s s i b l e t o mass f i r e s o r r e s p o n d t o c r i t i c a l s i t u a t i o n s i n a t i m e l y manner. Key t o t h e s u c c e s s o f t h e

60

a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e was t h e c o n t r o l e x e r c i s e d by t h e b r i g a d e commander, and o f c o u r s e , t h e a r m y s C h i e f - o f - A r t i l l e r y , G e n e r a l H u n t . One c a n o n l y s p e c u l a t e how e f f e c t i v e t h e Union

a r t i l l e r y s s y s t e m would have b e e n i f a l e s s a g g r e s s i v e man

had o c c u p i e d t h e a r m y s t o p a r t i l l e r y m a n s p o s t . Hunts p e n c h a n t f o r p r o d u c i n g an e f f e c t i v e a r t i l l e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n and making i n d e p e n d e n t d e c i s i o n s no d o u b t s e t t h e t o n e f o r how h i s s u b o r d i n a t e a r t i l l e r y commanders c o n d u c t e d t h e m s e l v e s . Even t h o u g h no f o r m a l document e x i s t e d w h i c h o u t l i n e d t h e r e s p e c t i v e f u n c t i o n s and a u t h o r i t y of t h e a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e commanders, t h e p o s i t i o n made t h e b r i g a d e commander

as t h e C h i e f - o f - A r t i l l e r y

of t h e c o r p s and t h e p r i n c i p a l

a d v i s o r t o t h e c o r p s commander on a r t i l l e r y m a t t e r s . The o n l y d r a w b a c k t o t h i s r e o r g a n i z a t i o n , and one w h i c h Hunt f o u g h t t o c o r r e c t , was t h e i n a d e q u a t e r a n k s t r u c t u r e w h i c h accompanied t h e p o s i t i o n . I t was c e r t a i n l y e a s i e r f o r an a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e commander who was a c o l o n e l t o a f f e c t a s i t u a t i o n ,
e s p e c i a l l y o n e i n v o l v i n g a s i s t e r arm, t h a n i t would h a v e

been f o r a L i e u t e n a n t or C a p t a i n , t e n o f which were b r i g a d e commanders a t G e t t y s b u r g . The a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e commander, f r e e o f h a v i n g t o c o n c e r n h i m s e l f w i t h t h e c o n t r o l o f a n y o n e b a t t e r y , was a b l e t o c o n c e n t r a t e h i s e f f o r t s on t h e b r i g a d e as a w h o l e .

The

b r i g a d e commanders l a r g e r p e r s p e c t i v e f r e e d t h e c o r p s and d i v i s i o n commanders f r o m becoming h e a v i l y i n v o l v e d in a r t i l l e r y m a t t e r s , a l l o w i n g them t o d e v o t e more t i m e t o f i g h t i n g t h e i r maneuver f o r c e s a s t h e a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e

61

commander f o c u s e d on p r o v i d i n g t h e maneuver commander w i t h t h e f i r e s u p p o r t he n e e d e d . P r o b a b l y t h e b e s t e x a m p l e o f t h e b e n e f i t s p r o v i d e d by t h e a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e c o n c e p t was t h a t o f L i e u t e n a n t C o l o n e l

McGilverys 1st V o l u n t e e r B r i g a d e o f t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e .
M c G i l v e r y s t u b b o r n l y e x e r c i s e d command n o t o n l y o v e r h i s b a t t e r i e s , b u t several o t h e r s placed under h i s c o n t r o l , a l l o f w h , i c h w e r e p o s i t i o n e d t o t h e immedia.te l e f t o f t h e I1 C o r p s l i n e . M c G i l v e r y s e n e r g e t i c l e a d e r s h i p s t y l e and s k i l l

i n e m p l o y i n g a r t i l l e r y w e r e a p p a r e n t t o h i s s u b o r d i n a t e s and
e v i d e n t i n t h e manner i n w h i c h he f o u g h t h i s b a t t e r i e s . L i e u t e n a n t Dow, commander o f t h e 6 t h Maine B a t t e r y , commented

i n h i s o f f i c i a l r e p o r t t h a t M c G i l v e r y was c o n s t a n t l y moving
up and down t h e l i n e o f b a t t e r i e s e n c o u r a g i n g h i s men by w o r d s and e x a m p l e . * e M c G i l v e r y s d e c i s i o n t o h o l d h i s f i r e e v e n a f t e r G e n e r a l Hancock a t t e m p t e d t o o r d e r t h r e e o f h i s b a t t e r i e s t o open f i r e p r o b a b l y p r e v e n t e d them from e x p e n d i n g t h e i r l o n g - r a n g e a m m u n i t i o n as happened t o t h e I1 C o r p s b a t t e r i e s . T h i s a m m u n i t i o n p r o v e d c r u c i a l when t h e R e b e l s l a u n c h e d t h e i r i n f a n t r y a s s a u l t . I t was w i t h t h i s a m m u n i t i o n t h a t McGilverys command was a b l e t o e n f i l a d e t h e r i g h t f l a n k o f t h e a d v a n c i n g C o n f e d e r a t e s . The a b i l i t y t o r a p i d l y s h i f t t h e d i r e c t i o n o f f i r e of h i s cannon t o e n f i l a d e t h e a s s a u l t i n g i n f a n t r y s r i g h t f l a n k was f a c i l i t a t e d by t h e c e n t r a l i z e d c o n t r o l e x e r c i s e d by t h e a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e commander.

62

Hunt had originally planned on subjecting the enemy infantry to a crossfire of Union cannon. Unfortunately, the expenditure of all ammunition except canister by I1 Corps artillery units prevented the rightmost player of his crossfire strategy from participating.28 Hancocks post battle criticism of the ammunition supply for his artillery batteries was unjustified.30 If his batteries were imperfectly supplied as he described in his official report, it is through no fault of the General Hunt o r the ammunition train of the artillery reserve. Hancock admits in the same report that only one-half of his corps ammunition train had been brought forward, and that the corps was having to rely on those of other corps.31 I1 Corps batteries received ammunition from the artillery reserve amounting to
2 , 8 2 5 rounds. This equates to about 100 rounds p e r gun or

those batteries in the corps artillery brigade. This is significant when one remembers that Hunt had intended, through his initiative only, that the artillery reserve train would supply only an additional twenty rounds of ammunition per gun in the army.32 Hancocks batteries ran out of ammunition for two reasons. First, his batteries fired too early and for too long on the third of July against the wishes of General Hunt, and second, the corps failed to bring half of its ammunition train close enough to the battlefield to allow its ammunition to be of use. The artillery reserve proved its value on 3 July. Not only did the extra ammunition it carried provide an
63

i n v a l u a b l e a s s i s t a n c e t o t h o s e c o r p s who f a i l e d t o b r i n g a l l or p a r t o f t h e i r t r a i n s f o r w a r d , b u t i t s b a t t e r i e s r e p l a c e d damaged c o r p s u n i t s and augmented t h e f i r e s of corps u n i t s i n t h r e a t e n e d s e c t o r s , s p e c i f i c a l l y I1 C o r p s ' s e c t o r . T h e a b i l i t y t o w e i g h t t h e c e n t e r s e c t o r was c r u c i a l s i n c e t h i s i s

where t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s c o n c e n t r a t e d t h e i r e f f o r t s on 3 J u l y .
The i n s e r t i o n o f f r e s h b a t t e r i e s f r o m t h e r e s e r v e p r i o r t o t h e a s s a u l t p r e s e n t e d e s s e n t i a l l y a n undamaged a r t i l l e r y f o r c e t o t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s t h a t was no w o r s e f o r wear f r o m t h e long cannonade w h i c h preceded t h e a s s a u l t . D e s p i t e t h e i o s s e s i n c u r r e d by t h e a r t i l l e r y d u r i n g t h e b a t t l e , a d d i t i o n a l
a r t i l l e r y b a t t e r i e s were i n s e r t e d i n t h e Union c e n t e r t o

s t r e n g t h e n t h e Union l i n e a f t e r t h e r e p u l s e o f t h e Rebel i n f a n t r y as t h e F e d e r a l s prepared f o r a p o s s i b l e second attack.

L o s s e s f o r t h e a r t i l l e r y a t G e t t y s b u r g were
s u b s t a n t i a l . Over t h e c o u r s e o f t h e t h r e e d a y b a t t l e 105 o f f i c e r s and men l o s t t h e i r l i v e s , w h i l e 632 were e i t h e r wounded or m i s s i n g . T h e loss o f 881 h o r s e s added t o t h e c a r n a g e on t h e b a t t l e f i e l d . T h e a r t i l l e r y e x p e n d e d a p p r o x i m a t e l y o n e - t h i r d of i t s a m m u n i t i o n . The e x p e n d i t u r e o f
3 2 , 7 8 1 r o u n d s o u t o f a s u p p l y o f o v e r 98,000 l e f t a

s u b s t a n t i a l q u a n t i t y a v a i l a b l e s h o u l d General Meade have decided t o continue operations.33 The new a r t i l l e r y o r g a n i z a t i o n had d e m o n s t r a t e d i t s e f f e c t i v e n e s s on t h e b a t t l e f i e l d d u r i n g i t s f i r s t t e s t by

64

f i r e . Yet t h i s was a l s o i t s l a s t o p p o r t u n i t y t o p e r f o r m a s i t
was d e s i g n e d . A t no o t h e r t i m e t h r o u g h o u t t h e r e m a i n d e r o f
t h e war d i d t h e Army o f t h e Potomac f a c e a n o p p o n e n t a c r o s s

a n open f i e l d w i t h massed f o r c e s and h u n d r e d s of c a n n o n . B u t

as a t e s t i m o n y t o i t s e f f e c t i v e n e s s is t h e f a c t t h a t f o r t h e

r e m a i n d e r of t h e war t h i s o r g a n i z a t i o n r e m a i n e d u n c h a n g e d .

65

CHAPTER 3
ENDNOTES
1 U . S . Department of War, ' I bW a r of t h e R e b e & . . of t h e R -e c o d r s o f t h e Ilaun-and

(Washington, D.C.: Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1880-1901), S e r i e s I , Volume X X V I I , P a r t 1, 874 ( h e r e a f t e r c i t e d as O R and u n l e s s o t h e r w i s e n o t e d r e f e r s t o Series I ) . =Edward G . Longacre, T J ) . e Man &&.j.& t h e Gun.s (New Y o r k : A . S . Barnes and Company, 1 9 7 7 ) , 160-161. 3Ned B r a d f o r d , (New York: A p p l e t o n - C e n t u r y - C r o f t s ,
of

. . the Civ-

, .

I n c . , 1 9 5 6 ) , 384-385. (New York:

4L. Van Loan Naisawald, Oxford U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 6 0 ) , 410.

SOR, X X V I I , 1, 238.
SBradford, 385;

'OR,

X X V I I , 1, 238.

E I b i d . , 883-884. EIbid., 884.

IONaisawald, 439.
LIOR,

X X V I I , 1, 366.

IZBradford, 367. laNaisawald, 4 4 0 .

14OR,

XXVII,

1, 239.

15Bradf o r d , 395.
IBOR,

X X V I I , 1, 239

17Ibid. l a B r a d f o r d , 386. 66

ISOR, XXVII,
Z'JOR,

1, 3 5 0 , 4 5 7 .

X X V I I , 1, 239.

21Ibid.

366.

Z z I b i d . , 239. 2 3 I b i d . , 480 24Ibid.

, 240. ,
395.

ZBBradford, 386. ZeIbid.

2 7 I b i d . , 396-397.
ZaOR, XXVII,

1, 8 9 8 .

2 s B r a d f o r d , 386-387.

~ ' J O R , XXVII,
3 1 I b i d . , 372.

1, 373.

32Longacre, 159.
330R, X X V I I , 1, 241.

87

CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS The B a t t l e o f G e t t y s b u r g c o n c l u d e d w i t h L e e ' s Army of Northern V i r g i n i a r e t i r i n g from t h e f i e l d s surounding G e t t y s b u r g w h i l e h i s o p p o n e n t , General Meade, a l l o w e d h i m t o

escape. T h i s r e l u c t a n c e t o p u r s u e Lee r a i s e d t h e i r e o f many i n W a s h i n g t o n , j u s t as had G e n e r a l M c C l e l l a n ' s b e f o r e . The

army had s u f f e r e d a s u b s t a n t i a l number o f c a s u a l t i e s . A p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 3 , 0 0 0 Union s o l d i e r s were e i t h e r k i l l e d , wounded, o r m i s s i n g . T h i s amounted t o 27% o f t h e Army o f t h e P o t o m a c ' s t o t a l f o r c e . Compared t o t h e C o n f e d e r a t e ' s 2 1 , 0 0 0 c a s u a l t i e s , 29% o f t h e i r f o r c e , t h e m a r g i n f o r v i c t o r y was indeed narrow.
1

The army's a r t i l l e r y l o s s e s amounted t o a p p r o x i m a t e l y 10% o f i t s a r t i l l e r y p e r s o n n e l s t r e n g t h . Yet l o s s e s i n e q u i p m e n t w e r e r e l a t i v e l y l i g h t as o n l y f i v e o r s o b a t t e r i e s

were r e n d e r e d combat i n e f f e c t i v e d u r i n g t h e t h r e e d a y b a t t l e . 2

The r e m a i n i n g s i x t y plus b a t t e r i e s and 6 0 , 0 0 0 r o u n d s o f a m m u n i t i o n l e f t t h e A r m y o f t h e Potomac a f o r m i d a b l e

a r t i l l e r y f o r c e . T h a t t h e army f a i l e d t o p u r s u e Lee was i n no

way a r e f l e c t i o n on t h e a r t i l l e r y ' s a b i l i t y t o p r o v i d e t h e
n e c e s s a r y s u p p o r t , w h i c h i t was more t h a n c a p a b l e o f d o i n g . The p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e Army o f t h e P o t o m a c ' s
a r t i l l e r y a t Gettysburg demonstrated t h e c o r r e c t n e s s of t h e
68

r e o r g a n i z a t i o n a f t e r C h a n c e l l o r s v i l l e . T h i s is e s p e c i a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t i n l i g h t o f t h e f a c t t h a t G e t t y s b u r g was i t s

f i r s t t e s t by f i r e , and a f t e r o n l y an e x t r e m e l y s h o r t p e r i o d
of time. C e r t a i n l y t h e Union a r m y s s u c c e s s a t G e t t y s b u r g c a n n o t b e s o l e l y a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e e f f o r t s of i t s a r t i l l e r y . Nor c o u l d t h e i n f a n t r y claim s o l e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e v i c t o r y . T h a t t o w h i c h t h e Army of t h e Potomac owes i t s

s u c c e s s a t G e t t y s b u r g is t h e s u c c e s s f u l i n t e r a c t i o n and
m u t u a l s u p p o r t d e m o n s t r a t e d on t h e b a t t l e f i e l d by i t s c a v a l r y , i n f a n t r y and a r t i l l e r y . What d i f f e r e d between G e t t y s b u r g and p r e v i o u s b a t t l e s was t h e s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o n t r i b u t i o n t h e a r t i l l e r y made t o t h e Union v i c t o r y .

To s a y t h e a r t i l l e r y r e o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t t o o k p l a c e

i n May of 1863 was a l o n e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e a r t i l l e r y s

s u c c e s s f u l s h o w i n g would a l s o b e i n a c c u r a t e . T o e v a l u a t e t h e a r t i l l e r y s p e r f o r m a n c e i t must be r e v i e w e d i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e s i t u a t i o n i n which i t f o u n d i t s e l f on 1-3 J u l y 1863. C e r t a i n l y t h e f a c t t h a t t h e Union f o r c e s were d e f e n d i n g w h i l e

t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s were a t t a c k i n g is i n i t s e l f s i g n i f i c a n t . As

f a r a s t h e a r t i l l e r y was c o n c e r n e d , i t d e m o n s t r a t e d a t
G e t t y s b u r g , a s i t had on p r e v i o u s C i v i l War b a t t l e f i e l d s , t h a t i t was more s u i t e d t o t h e d e f e n s e t h a n t h e o f f e n s e . T h i s
was t r u e f o r s e v e r a l r e a s o n s . One

was t h a t t h e a t t a c k e r was

t h e o n e r e q u i r e d t o move, i n v a r i a b l y e x p o s i n g him a t some p o i n t t o t h e f i r e of t h e d e f e n d i n g f o r c e s r i f l e d m u s k e t s and a r t i l l e r y . Unlike t h e i r infantry counterparts, a r t i l l e r y

69

gunners moving forward with the infantry could not lie down
to seek cover in the face of a defender's fire. To employ an

artillery weapon effectively in the offense as it moved toward the defender's position required the gun's crew to stand erect as they manned their gun, exposing themselves to whatever fire the defenders sent their way. There is no doubt that gun crews who found themselves in this situation were not aimimg their weapons as carefully as they might. Movement and emplacement time reduced the amount of time an artillery weapon would be available to fire. Another problem which plagued both the Union and Confederate forces at Gettysburg was the relatively ineffective use of long-range fire. It was ineffective in the sense of the casualties it produced and the impact those casualties and damage had on the battle's outcome. Long-range firing as was practiced on the third day of the battle was of little consequence to the situation unless one views the Confederate's inability to force the Union artillery off of Cemetary Ridge during their cannonade as a plus for the Federals. Firing at the upper limit of their range capabilities, Union artillery could not place effective fire on the Confederate columns until they moved out of the protective woodline on Seminary Ridge. It was at this point

in the battle that artillery batteries posted on Cemetary

Hill made their contribution to the effort to repel the Rebel assault. Several batteries were able to fire at the advancing
70

i n f a n t r y ' s l e f t f l a n k , d e c i m a t i n g t h e r a n k s of b o t h Colonel B r o c k e n b r o u g h ' s and B r i g a d i e r G e n e r a l D a v i s ' b r i g a d e s . T h e f l a n k i n g f i r e proved v e r y e f f e c t i v e i n p r e v e n t i n g t h e s e b r i g a d e s f r o m r e a c h i n g t h e Union p o s i t i o n s a s t h e y w e r e b o t h r e d u c e d t o a d i s o r d e r l y mass o f men r e t r e a t i n g b a c k t o t h e i r own l i n e s . 3 C l a i m s of d i s m o u n t i n g R e b e l g u n s were made, and a l t h o u g h some were p r o b a b l y a c c u r a t e , a t t h e d i s t a n c e s i n v o l v e d and w i t h t h e b a t t l e f i e l d c o v e r e d w i t h smoke, i t would h a v e b e e n d i f f i c u l t e n o u g h t o l o c a t e a t a r g e t t o s h o o t

a t , l e t a l o n e d o a damage a s s e s s m e n t . The R e b e l s viewed t h e

r e t u r n f i r e o f t h e Union g u n s as g e n e r a l l y s c a t t e r e d and i n e f f e c t i v e . 4 An e x c e p t i o n was t h e c o u n t e r - b a t t e r y f i r e o f
C a p t a i n T a f t ' s 5 t h N e w York B a t t e r y o f 2 0 - p o u n d e r P a r r o t t

r i f l e s . P o s t e d on C e m e t a r y H i l l w i t h g u n s p o i n t e d b o t h n o r t h and w e s t , T a f t ' s b a t t e r y u s e d i t s h e a v y l o n g - r a n g e c a n n o n good e f f e c t , s i l e n c i n g s e v e r a l R e b e l b a t t e r i e s b o t h b e f o r e and d u r i n g t h e c a n n o n a d e . 5 The m a j o r i t y o f c a s u a l t i e s c a u s e d by t h e a r t i l l e r y a t G e t t y s b u r g were a c h i e v e d a t c l o s e r a n g e u s i n g s h e l l , c a s e and c a n i s t e r . C a n i s t e r employed a g a i n s t e x p o s e d , a d v a n c i n g i n f a n t r y was d e v a s t a t i n g on b o t h t h e f i r s t and t h i r d d a y s of t h e b a t t l e . A s t h e Union and C o n f e d e r a t e f o r c e s f o u g h t a m e e t i n g engagement on t h e f i r s t d a y , t h e r e l i a b l e c a n i s t e r round was u s e d w i t h g r e a t e f f e c t by t h e Union b a t t e r i e s of b o t h L i e u t e n a n t C a l e f and C a p t a i n Hall a s t h e y , a l o n g w i t h o t h e r b a t t e r i e s , c a v a l r y and i n f a n t r y , s u c c e s s f u l l y d e l a y e d t o s u c c e s s i v e p o s i t i o n s , b u y i n g time f o r t h e a r r i v a l o f o t h e r
t G

71

Union f o r c e s . T h e C o n f e d e r a t e s on t h e f i r s t d a y , as on t h e t h i r d , were g e n e r a l l y t a k i n g t h e i n i t i a t i v e a n d c o n d u c t i n g o f f e n s i v e o p e r a t i o n s . O n l y i n a f e w i n s t a n c e s were R e b e l b a t t e r i e s r e q u i r e d o r a b l e t o f i r e its most r e l i a b l e and

d e v a s t a t i n g p r o j e c t i l e . I n t h e o f f e n s e i t was r e q u i r e d t o move w i t h i n 400 y a r d s o f t h e d e f e n d i n g f o r c e s . On b o t h t h e

f i r s t and t h i r d d a y s of t h e b a t t l e , b u t especially t h e t h i r d d u r i n g P i c k e t t s c h a r g e , t h i s would h a v e r e q u i r e d a l e n g t h y e x p o s u r e t o t h e U n i o n d e f e n d e r s f i r e f o r t h e h o r s e s , men a n d equipment. The d e f e n s i v e s t r e n g t h s o f a r t i l l e r y were f u r t h e r enhanced b y t h e s i t u a t i o n a t G e t t y s b u r g . The Union
a r t i l l e r y s a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e a m m u n i t i o n t r a i n and r e s e r v e

b a t t e r i e s were p o s i t i o n e d c l o s e e n o u g h t o t h e l i n e o f b a t t l e t h a t ammunition r e s u p p l y and t h e i n s e r t i o n o f f r e s h b a t t e r i e s c o u l d b e a f f e c t e d r e l a t i v e l y q u i c k l y . T h i s was d o n e b o t h b e f o r e t h e s t a r t of t h e Rebel cannonade, j u s t p r i o r t o t h e i n f a n t r y a s s a u l t , and i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r i t 5 , r e p u l s e . The r e s u l t was e s s e n t i a l l y n o d e g r a d a t i o n o f Union a r t i l l e r y f o r c e s throughout t h e afternoon of t h e t h i r d day. The o r g a n i z a t i o n a l c h a n g e s d i r e c t e d i n S p e c i a l O r d e r s

No. 129 were s i g n i f i c a n t a n d p o s i t i v e l y e n h a n c e d t h e Union

a r t i l l e r y s p e r f o r m a n c e on t h e f i r s t a n d l a s t d a y o f t h e

b a t t l e . I t c o r r e c t e d o n e of t h e b a s i c d e f i c i e n c i e s w h i c h h3d
p e r s i s t e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e Army o f t h e P o t o m a c .

T h e p r o b l e m o f t h e m i s u s e o f a r t i l l e r y when a s s i g n e d t o a n d
72

c o n t r o l l e d by d i v i s i o n s h a s a l r e a d y b e e n p r e v i o u s l y a d d r e s s e d . The o r g a n i z a t i o n o f c o r p s a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e s u n d e r t h e c o n t r o l of a b r i g a d e commander p r e v e n t e d t h e p i e c e m e a l employment of t h e a r t i l l e r y a t G e t t y s b u r g . T h e b r i g a d e s t r u c t u r e c e n t r a l i z e d t h e a r t i l l e r y of a c o r p s under one a r t i l l e r y m a n who i n t u r n p r o v i d e d t h e c o r p s commander t h e a r t i l l e r y s u p p o r t h e r e q u i r e d . Even on t h e f i r s t d a y b o t h C o l o n e l W a i n w r i g h t and Major O s b o r n , a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e commanders f o r t h e I and X I C o r p s , d e m o n s t r a t e d c o n t r o l o v e r s u b o r d i n a t e b a t t e r i e s as t h e y p o s i t i o n e d t h e b a t t e r i e s d u r i n g t h e b a t t l e t o s u p p o r t t h e i n f a n t r y . T h e i r a u t h o r i t y was p a r t i c u l a r l y e v i d e n t a s t h e f i r s t d a y drew t o a c l o s e . Both p o s i t i o n e d t h e i r b a t t e r i e s on Cemetary H i l l t o s u p p o r t t h e armys d e f e n s e of t h a t p o s i t i o n . W h i l e t h e b r i g a d e o r g a n i z a t i o n p r o v i d e d f o r more c e n t r a l i z e d c o n t r o l o f a r t i l l e r y a s s e t s t h a n was p r a c t i c e d p r e v i o u s l y , it was n o t o v e r - c e n t r a l i z e d . The c e n t r a l i z e d

c o n t r o l allowed f o r t h e b r i g a d e t o respond a s a whole, given

t h e c o n s t r a i n t s o f t h e t y p e s o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n o f t h e d a y and
t h e n e c e s s a r y r e s p o n s e time t o c a r r y o u t o r d e r s . The b r i g a d e
s y s t e m was made w o r k a b l e by t h e p l a c e m e n t of a n a r t i l l e r y o f f i c e r i n t h e b r i g a d e commanders p o s i t i o n . T h i s one o f f i c e r assumed t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for e m p l o y i n g h i s e n t i r e b r i g a d e

i n a manner w h i c h s u p p o r t e d t h e c o r p s commanders p l a n o f
m a n e u v e r . On 1 J u l y I C o r p s b a t t e r i e s , u n d e r t h e w a t c h f u l e y e o f C o l o n e l W a i n w r i g h t , were p o s i t i o n e d o n S e m i n a r y Ridge a s h e p r e p a r e d t o make a s t a n d on t h e p o s i t i o n h e b e l i e v e d

73

w a s t o b e h e l d . As was p r e v i o u s l y m e n t i o n e d , b o t h W a i n w r i g h t

and O s b o r n c o n t r o l l e d t h e p o s i t i o n i n g o f t h e i r b a t t e r i e s o n t h e e v e n i n g o f t h e f i r s t . P e r f o r m e d u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o n of o n e man, and w i t h t h a t man a n a r t i l l e r y m a n , e a c h o f t h e two b r i g a d e s was s u r e t o b e p l a c e d i n p o s i t i o n c o r r e c t l y , w i t h t h e i n d i v i d u a l b a t t e r y p o s i t i o n s s e l e c t e d i n terms o f t h e i r i n t e g r a t i o n i n t o and s u p p o r t o f t h e b r i g a d e as a w h o l e . The b r i g a d e o r g a n i z a t i o n f a c i l i t a t e d t h e massing o f t h e f i r e s of t h e b a t t e r i e s i n t h e b r i g a d e onto s i n g l e
t a r g e t s . From t h e e a r l i e s t d a y s of N a p o l e o n , who i n t r o d u c e d

massed a r t i l l e r y f i r e on a l a r g e - s c a l e ,

i t was d e m o n s t r a t e d

t h a t c o n c e n t r a t i n g t h e f i r e s o f s e v e r a l b a t t e r i e s on s i n g l e

t a r g e t s was more e f f e c t i v e t h a n t h e d i s p e r s e d f i r e o f s e v e r n i b a t t e r i e s an s e v e r a l d i f f e r e n t t a r g e t s . L i e u t e n a n t C o l o n e l M c G i l v e r y s 1st V o l u n t e e r B r i g a d e e x h i b i t e d t h i s a b i l i t y on

s e v e r a l o c c a s i o n s . On t h e t h i r d McGilvery a c t i v e l y f o c u s e d
t h e e f f o r t s o f h i s b a t t e r i e s a g a i n s t s i n g l e t a r g e t s . The most s i g n i f i c a n t example was t h a t o f h i s o r d e r , i n c o m p l i a n c e w i t h B r i g a d i e r General H u n t s d i r e c t i v e , t o s h i f t t h e f i r e o f h i s b a t t e r i e s t o t h e i r r i g h t t o e n f i l a d e t h e Confederate i n f a n t r y s r i g h t f l a n k a s t h e y a p p r o a c h e d t h e Union l i n e . Of e q u a l s i g n i f i c a n c e t o t h e a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e i n c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h e Union a r t i l l e r y s s u c c e s s a t G e t t y s b u r g

was t h e p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e . Its n i n e t e e n
b a t t e r i e s o f 110 g u n s p l a y e d an i n v a l u a b l e p a r t d u r i n g t h e b a t t l e , most n o t a b l y on t h e f i n a l d a y . T h e reserve p r o v i d e d
74

t h e army commander, t h r o u g h h i s C h i e f - o f - A r t i l l e r y ,

a means

t o e i t h e r r e p l a c e damaged b a t t e r i e s w i t h f r e s h o n e s f r o m t h e r e s e r v e , t o augment t h e f i r e s o f c o r p s b a t t e r i e s i n t h r e a t e n e d s e c t o r s , o r t o p e r f o r m m i s s i o n s t h a t c o u l d n o t be t a s k e d t o c o r p s b a t t e r i e s . O n t h e t h i r d of J u l y r e s e r v e batteries fulfilled a l l three functions. The c o n c e p t of t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e was a f u n c t i o n o f t e c h n o l o g y . S i n c e t h e f i e l d a r t i l l e r y weapons i n u s e by

t h e Army of t h e Potomac were d i r e c t f i r e l i n e - o f - s i g h t

weapons w h i c h n e e d e d t o b e p l a c e d i n s i g h t of t h e i r t a r g e t , space l i m i t a t i o n s prevented p u t t i n g a l l a v a i l a b l e a r t i l l e r y forward t o engage t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s , e i t h e r d u r i n g t h e c a n n o n a d e o r t h e a s s a u l t . T h e modern a r t i l l e r y w e a p o n s i n d i r e c t f i r e c a p a b i l i t y a l l o w s f o r i t t o be p o s i t i o n e d i n d e p t h , t a k i n g more of a two d i m e n s i o n a l a p p r o a c h t o p o s i t i o n i n g t h a n t h e o n e d i m e n s i o n a l l i n e a r o p t i o n w h i c h was a v a i l a b l e t o t h e Army o f t h e P o t o m a c s g u n s on C e m e t a r y R i d g e . General H u n t s e s t i m a t i o n t h a t o n l y a b o u t s e v e n t y - f i v e g u n s would b e a b l e t o t a k e u n d e r e f f e c t i v e f i r e R e b e l i n f a n t r y t h a t c r o s s e d t h e f i e l d s west o f t h e r i d g e i s o n e i n d i c a t i o n o f t h e crowded c o n d i t i o n s w h i c h e x i s t e d . W i t h d e n s i t y o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y 28,000 men p e r m i l e , i t i s n o t s u r p r i s i n g Hunt c o u l d n o t p l a c e a l l o f h i s a r t i l l e r y on line.6
3

O f no small i m p o r t a n c e t o t h e Union a r t i l l e r y s
s u c c e s s was t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n o f i t s C h i e f - o f - A r t i l l e r y , B r i g a d i e r General Henry J . H u n t . From t h e t i m e h e was f i r s t
75

c o m m i s s i o n e d a s a Second L i e u t e n a n t i n t h e F i e l d A r t i l l e r y , t o when he l e f t t h e s e r v i c e , h e was c o n s t a n t l y d i s p l a y i n g i n g e n u i t y , f o r e s i g h t , and i n i t i a t i v e i n a r t i l l e r y m a t t e r s . The a r t i l l e r y b r i g a d e and r e s e r v e o r g a n i z a t i o n s d e t a i l e d i n S p e c i a l O r d e r s No. 129 were h i s i d e a s . A t G e t t y s b u r g Hunt saw h i s c o n c e p t s on a r t i l l e r y u s a g e come t o f r u i t i o n , e v e n t h o u g h t h e l a c k o f a r t i l l e r y s t a f f o f f i c e r s and i n e q u i t i e s i n t h e r a n k s t r u c t u r e were s t i l l s i g n i f i c a n t p r o b l e m s i n h i s e y e s . 7

I t was t h r o u g h h i s a g g r e s s i v e l e a d e r s h i p t h a t r e s e r v e
b a t t e r i e s q u i c k l y r e p l a c e d damaged o n e s , and t h a t b a t t e r i e s w e r e q u i c k l y r e s u p p l i e d w i t h a m m u n i t i o n a f t e r t h e Union f o r c e s r e p e l l e d P i c k e t t s t r o o p s . In a n a t t e m p t t o c o n s e r v e a m m u n i t i o n H u n t had d i c t a t e d t h e c o n d i t i o n s u p o n w h i c h I:niun b a t t e r i e s would r e t u r n f i r e d u r i n g t h e c a n n o n a d e . He a l s o was t h e f i r s t t o r e a l i z e t h e i n e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f t h e Union r e t u r n f i r e a n d t h e d w i n d l i n g a m m u n i t i o n s u p p l i e s , recommending t h a t
t h e f i r i n g c e a s e t o save a m m u n i t i o n f o r what h e b e l i e v e d

would b e t h e i n e v i t a b l e i n f a n t r y a s s a u l t . 8 And i t was Hunt who p l a n n e d on s u b j e c t i n g t h e a s s a u l t i n g C o n f e d e r a t e s t o a c r o s s f i r e f r o m t h e armys g u n s as h e p e r s o n a l l y d i r e c t e d

McGilvery t o s h i f t t h e g u n s o f h i s command t o t h e r i g h t .
A l l t h r o u g h o u t t h e b a t t l e a t G e t t y s b u r g , from t h e

m e e t i n g engagement on 1 J u l y , t o t h e d e f e n s i v e b a t t l e on t h e

l a s t d a y , t h e Union a r t i l l e r y p l a y e d a c r i t i c a l r o l e as a
member o f a combined arms team. T h i s s t u d y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t
t h e a r t i l l e r y s s u c c e s s f u l employment a t G e t t y s b u r g c a n b e

d i r e c t l y a t t r i b u t e d t o its r e o r g a n i z a t i o n a f t e r t h e

C h a n c e l l o r s v i l l e d e b a c l e , and t o t h e s t r o n g l e a d e r s h i p of

B r i g a d i e r G e n e r a l H e n r y H u n t , w i t h o u t whom t h e c h a n g e s t h a t
p r o v e d s u c c e s s f u l w o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n i m p l e m e n t e d . How t h e n e w l y r e o r g a n i z e d Army o f t h e P o t o m a c s a r t i l l e r y w o u l d h a v e p e r f o r m e d on o t h e r b a t t l e f i e l d s is o p e n t o s p e c u l a t i o n , as

never a g a i n was i t s a r t i l l e r y e m p l o y e d i n mass. I t s

e f f e c t i v e n e s s i n t h e d e f e n s e on t h e t e r r a i n s o u t h o f G e t t y s b u r g was c l e a r l y d e m o n s t r a t e d i n J u l y o f 1863. How i t w o u l d p e r f o r m i n t h e o f f e n s e h a d General Meade b e e n t h e a t t a c k e r a n d G e n e r a l Lee t h e d e f e n d e r is a s u b j e c t b e y o n d t h e s c o p e o f t h i s t h e s i s a n d s h o u l d be c o n s i d e r e d f o r p o s s i b l e future study.

77

CHAPTER 4

ENDNOTES
l P a d d y G r i f f i t h , 6.a.Lle i n t h e C l v l l W England: F i e l d b o o k s , 1988), 46.

. .

u (Mansfiela,

2L. Van Loan N a i s a w a l d , V ( N e w York: Oxford U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 6 0 ) , 4 4 6 .

3U.S. D e p a r t m e n t o f War, The W a r of T h e Po n : A

o f t h e OPflclal R e c a r d s o f t h e Confederate ' ( W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . : Government P r i n t i z g O f f i c e , 1 8 8 0 - 1 9 0 1 ) , S e r i e s I , Volume X X V I I , P a r t 2 , 651 ( h e r e a f t e r c i t e d as O R and u n l e s s o t h e r w i s e n o t e d r e f e r s t o Series I ) . Q I b i d . , 352.

. .

J O R , X X V I I , 1, 891.
W r i f f i t h , 19.

70R, X X V I I , 1, 2 4 2 - 2 4 3 .
E I b i d . , 239.

78

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A WEAPON RANGE DATA

6 P d r Gun

1841-44
1841-44 1841-44
1857

3.67"

5 degrees
5 degrees
5 degrees

1,525 yds 1,660 yds 1,37C yds 1,680 yds 4,180 yds

12 P d r Gun 12 P d r How 12 P d r Gun

4.62"
4.62" 4.62" 3.00" 3.00" 3.67"

5 degrees
16 d e g r e e s

3-Inch Ordnance 10 Pdr P a r r o t t

N/A
N/A

35 d e g r e e s

6,200 y d s 4,500 y d s

20 P d r P a r r o t t

N/A

15 d e g r e e s

SOURCE: W i l l i a m H . F r a n k , William F . Barry, a n d H e n r y J . H u n t , instruction f o r Fie, (Washington, U . C . : Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1 8 6 4 ) .

80

APPENDIX B
BARRY'S PRINCIPLES OF ARTILLERY ORGANIZATION
1. " T h a t t h e p r o p o r t i o n o f a r t i l l e r y s h o u l d b e i n t h e
r a t i o n of a t l e a s t two a n d a h a l f p i e c e s t o 1 , 0 0 0 men, t o b e expanded i f p o s s i b l e t o t h r e e pieces t o 1,000 men." 2 . " T h a t t h e p r o p o r t i o n of r i f l e d g u n s s h o u l d b e r e s t r i c t e d t o t h e system o f t h e U.S. O r d n a n c e D e p a r t m e n t , a n d o f P a r r o t t a n d t h e s m o o t h b o r e ( w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f a few h o w i t z e r s f o r s p e c i a l s e r v i c e ) t o b e e x c l u s i v e l y t h e 12p o u n d e r g u n o f t h e m o d e l 1 8 5 7 , v a r i o u s l y c a l l e d t h e "gun howitzer," t h e "light, 12-pounder," o r t h e 'Napoleon.
_''

3 . "That e a c h f i e l d b a t t e r y s h o u l d , i f p r a c t i c a b l e , be
composed of s i x g u n s , a n d none t o b e less t h a n f o u r g u n s , and i n a l l cases t h e g u n s o f e a c h b a t t e r y s h o u l d b e o f u n i f o r m caliber.
"

4.

" T h a t t h e f i e l d b a t t e r i e s were t o b e a s s i g n e d t o

d i v i s i o n s a n d n o t t o b r i g a d e s , and i n t h e p r o p o r t i o n o f f o u r t o e a c h d i v i s i o n , o f w h i c h o n e was t o b e a b e t t e r y o f r e g u l a r s , t h e remainder of volunteers: t h e c a p t a i n of t h e r e g u l a r b a t t e r y t o b e t h e commander o f a r t i l l e r y o f t h e d i v i s i o n . I n t h e event of s e v e r a l d i v i s i o n s c o n s t i t u t i n g an army c o r p s , a t l e a s t o n e - h a l f o f t h e d i v i s i o n a l a r t i l l e r y was

t o c o n s t i t u t e t h e r e s e r v e a r t i l l e r y of t h e c o r p s . " 81

5. " T h a t t h e a r t i l l e r y r e s e r v e o f t h e whole army

s h o u l d c o n s i s t o f 100 g u n s , and s h o u l d c o m p r i s e , b e s i d e s a s u f f i c i e n t number o f l i g h t mounted b a t t e r i e s , 311 of t h e g u n s
o f p o s i t i o n , and u n t i l t h e c a v a l r y was massed a l l t h e h o r s e a r t i 1l e r y .
"

6 . " T h a t t h e amount o f a m m u n i t i o n t o accompany t h e

f i e l d b a t t e r i e s was n o t t o b e l e s s t h a n 400 r o u n d s p e r g u n . "

7. "A s i e g e t r a i n o f f i f t y p i e c e s . T h i s was
s u b s e q u e n t l y expanded ( f o r s p e c i a l s e r v i c e a t t h e siege of Yorktown) t o v e r y n e a r l y 100 p i e c e s , and c o m p r i s e d t h e u n u s u a l c a l i b e r s and e n o r m o u s l y h e a v y w e i g h t o f metal o f two ZOO-pounders, f i v e 1 0 0 - p o u n d e r s , and t e n 1 3 - i n c h s e a - c o s s t

mortars."

3 . " T h a t i n s t r u c t i o n i n t h e t h e o r y and p r a c t i c e o f
g u n n e r y , a s w e l l a s i n t h e t a c t i c s of t h e arm, was t o b e g i v e n t o t h e o f f i c e r s and non-commissioned o f f i c e r s o f t h e v o l u n t e e r b a t t e r i e s by t h e s t u d y o f s u i t a b l e t e x t - b o o k s and by a c t u a l r e c i t a t i o n s i n e a c h d i v i s i o n , u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o n o f t h e r e g u l a r o f f i c e r commanding t h e d i v i s i o n a l a r t i l l e r y . "
9. "That p e r s o n a l i n s p e c t i o n s , as f r e q u e n t as t h e

n a t u r e o f c i r c u m s t a n c e s would p e r m i t , s h o u l d b e made by me, t o be a s s u r e d of t h e s t r i c t observance of t h e e s t a b l i s h e d o r g a n i z a t i o n and d r i l l and of t h e s p e c i a l r e g u l a t i o n s and o r d e r s i s s u e d f r o m time t o time u n d e r t h e a u t h o r i t y o f t h e commanding g e n e r a l , and t o n o t e t h e p r o g r e s s i v e improvement o f t h e o f f i c e r s a n d e n l i s t e d men o f t h e v o l u n t e e r b a t t e r i e s , and t h e a c t u a l f i t n e s s f o r f i e l d s e r v i c e of t h e w h o l e , b o t h 82

r e g u l a r and v o l u n t e e r . " SOURCE: U . S . D e p a r t m e n t o f War, L h . . The War of n : A C o w o n o f t h e -Q o f t h e Union d r ' ( W a s h i n g t o n , D.C. : Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1889), S e r i e s I , Volume X I V , P a r t 1, E 7 . T h e s e p r i n c i p l e s were i n c l u d e d i n t h e r e p o r t of B r i g a d i e r G e n e r a l William F . B a r r y , C h i e f - o f - A r t i l l e r y , Army o f t h e P o t o m a c , of t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n and o p e r a t i o n s o f t h e a r t i l l e r y o f t h a t army from J u l y 2 5 , 1 8 6 1 , to S e p t e m b e r 1, 1 8 6 2 .
1 .

83

APPENDIX C

SPECIAL O R D E R N O . 129

I . " I n c nsequence of t h e r d u c t i o n

P t h e str ngth

o f t h e i n f a n t r y o f t h e d i v i s i o n s , a c o n s o l i d a t i o n and r e d u c t i o n of t h e a r t i l l e r y a t t a c h e d t o army c o r p s w i l l b e affected. The a r t i l l e r y a s s i g n e d t o e a c h c o r p s w i l l c o n s t i t . u t e a b r i g a d e , u n d e r t h e command o f t h e c h i e f of a r t i l l e r y o f t h e c o r p s f o r i t s command and a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . The f o l l o w i n g - n a m e d b a t t e r i e s , now s e r v i n g w i t h d i v i s i o n s o f t h i s army, w i l l r e p o r t w i t h o u t d e l a y t o B r i e . Gen. R o b e r t 0 . T y l e r , commanding A r t i l l e r y R e s e r v e :
B a t t e r i e s E and G , F i r s t U . S . A r t i l l e r y , C a p t a i n

Randol commanding; B a t t e r y H, F i r s t U . S . A r t i l l e r y , L i e u t e n a n t S a n d e r s o n commanding; B a t t e r i e s F and K. T h i r d

U.S. A r t i l l e r y , L i e u t e n a n t T u r n b u l l commanding; B a t t e r y C,
F o u r t h U . S . A r t i l l e r y , L i e u t e n a n t Thomas commanding; B a t t e r y
C , F i f t h U.S. A r t i l l e r y , C a p t a i n Ransom commanding; B a t t e r y

D , F i f t h U . S . A r t i l l e r y , L i e u t e n a n t H a z l e t t commanding;
Battery F , F i f t h U . S . A r t i l l e r y , Lieutenant Martin

commanding; B a t t e r y B , F i r s t N e w York A r t i l l e r y , C a p t a i n P e t t i t commanding; B a t t e r y G , F i r s t N e w York A r t i l l e r y , L i e u t e n a n t A m e s commanding; B a t t e r y K, F i r s t N e w York

A r t i l l e r y , C a p t a i n F i t z h u g h commanding; F i r s t New York

84

I n d e p e n d e n t B a t t e r y , C a p t a i n Cowan c o m m a n d i n g ; T e n t h N e w York I n d e p e n d e n t B a t t e r y , C a p t a i n Bruen commanding; E l e v e n t h N e w Y o r k I n d e p e n d e n t B a t t e r y , C a p t a i n von P u t t k a m m e r c o m m a n d i n g ;

Battery F , F i r s t P e n n s y l v a n i a A r t i l l e r y , L i e u t e n a n t K i c k a t t s

commanding; B a t t e r y G , F i r s t P e n n s y l v a n i a A r t i l l e r y , C a p t a i n Amsden commanding; T h i r d I n d e p e n d e n t P e n n s y l v a n i a B a t t e r y , L i e u t e n a n t F l e m i n g commanding; F o u r t h I n d e p e n d e n t P e n n s y l v a n i a B a t t e r y , C a p t a i n Thompson c o m m a n d i n g ; B a t t e r y A , F i r s t N e w H a m p s h i r e A r t i l l e r y , L i e u t e n a n t E d g e 1 1 commanding; B a t t e r y A, F i r s t M a r y l a n d A r t i l l e r y , C a p t a i n R i g b y commanding; B a t t e r y E , F i r s t M a s s a c h u s e t t s A r t i l l e r y , C a p t a i n P h i l l i p s commanding; B a t t e r y H , F i r s t O h i o A r t i l l e r y , C a p t a i n H u n t i n g t o n c o m m a n d i n g ; B a t t e r y C , F i r s t [West] V i r g i n i a A r t i l l e r y , C a p t a i n H i l l commanding; S i x t h I n d e p e n d e n t Maine
B a t t e r y , L i e u t . E . B . Dow c o m m a n d i n g ; B a t t e r y G , F i r s t Rhode

I s l a n d A r t i l l e r y , C a p t a i n Bloodgood commanding."

11. " T h e u n d e r - m e n t i o n e d f i e l d o f f i c e r s o f a r t i l l e r y w i l l r e p o r t t o B r i g . G e n . R.O. T y l e r , commanding A r t i l l e r y

Reserve : M a j o r T o m p k i n s , F i r s t Rhode I s l a n d A r t i l l e r y ; M a j o r

De P e y s t e r , F i r s t N e w Y o r k A r t i l l e r y ; M a j o r M c G i l v e r y , Maine
A r t i l l e r y ; Major M a t t h e w s , F i r s t P e n n s y l v a n i a A r t i l l e r y . "

111. " T h e b a t t e r i e s r e m a i n i n g w i t h t h e c o r p s w i l l be
c o m p l e t e d t o a t h o r o u g h s t a t e o f e f f i c i e n c y ( w i t h t h e number o f g u n s t h e y now h a v e ) b y t h e t r a n s f e r o f s u f f i c i e n t o f s u c h

men o f t h e r e m a i n i n g [ o t h e r ] b a t t e r i e s o f t h e c o r p s as a r e
a t t a c h e d from t h e i n f a n t r y . "
85

I V . " T h e a r t i l l e r y ammunition t r a i n of t h e b a t t e r i e s a t t a c h e d t o c o r p s w i l l b e o r g a n i z e d , and p l a c e d u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o n o f t h e commander o f a r t i l l e r y o f t h e c o r p s ; t h e s u r p l u s w i l l be t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e A r t i l l e r y Reserve."

SOURCE: U . S . D e p a r t m e n t o f War, . . A nC of the O s f

O f f i c e , 1880-1901),

o f t h e llnisn ( W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . : Government P r i n t i n g S e r i e s I , Volume X X V , Part 2 , 4 7 1 - 4 7 2 .

86

APPENDIX D

U N I O N ARTILLERY AT GETTYSBURG
A r t i l l e r y Reserve: B r i g a d i e r General T y l e r

1st R e g u l a r B r i g a d e : C a p t a i n Ransom

- 6 H , 1st U . S . F/K, 3 r d U . S . - 6 - 6 C, 4th U.S. C, 5 t h U.S. - 6

12-pdr 12-pdr 12-pdr 12-pdr

Napoleons Napoleons Napoleons Napoleons

T o t a l : 24 g u n s

1st V o l u n t e e r Brigade: L i e u t e n a n t C o l o n e l M c G i l v e r y
5 t h Mass. B t r y & 1 0 t h N . Y . - 6 3 - i n c h - 6 12-pdr 9 t h Mass. B t r y - 4 12-pdr 1 5 t h New Y o r k B t r y C/F, P e n n . L i g h t A r t i l l e r y - 6 3 - i n c h T o t a l : 2 2 guns 2nd V o l u n t e e r Brigade: C a p t a i n T a f t rifles Napoleons Napoleons rifles

B , 1st C o n n . Heavy A r t i l l e r y M , 1st C o n n . Heavy A r t i l l e r y 2nd C o n n . L i g h t B a t t e r y

5 t h N e w York B t r y

4 4.5-inch r i f l e s 4 4.5-inch r i f l e s 4 ;James r i f l e s & 2 1 2 pdr Napoleons 6 20-pdr P a r r o t t rifles

Total: 12 guns (Both batteries of 4 . 5 - i n c h r i f l e s d i d n o t accompany t h e brigade t o Gettysburg.)

3rd V o l u n t e e r B r i g a d e : C a p t a i n H u n t i n g t o n

1st N e w H a m p s h i r e B t r y H , 1st O h i o F/G, 1st P e n n . L i g h t A r t i l l e r y C , W.Virginia Light Artillery 87

6 3-inch rifles 6 3-inch r i f l e s

6 3-inch r i f l e s 4 10-pdr P a r r o t t

rifles T o t a l : 22 guns 4 t h Volunteer Brigade: Captain Fitzhugh

- 6 12-pdr 6 t h Maine Btry - 6 3-inch A , Maryland L i g h t A r t i l l e r y A, N e w J e r s e y L i g h t A r t i l l e r y - 6 10-pdr rifles - 6 12-pdr G , 1st N e w York - 6 3-inch K, 1st N e w York
T o t a l : 30 g u n s A r t i l l e r y reserve t o t a l :

Napoleons rifles Parrott Napoleons rifles

1 1 0 g u n s a n d 19 b a t t e r i e s ( n o t inc1udir.g t h e 2 4.5-inch h a t t e r i e s , .

Corps A r t i l l e r y Units:

I C o r p s A r t i l l e r y Brigade: C o l o n e l Wainwright

- 6 3-inch 2nd M a i n e B t r y 5 t h Maine B t r y - 6 12-pdr L , 1st N e w York - 6 3-inch 8 , 1st P e n n . L i g h t A r t i l l e r y - 4 3 - i n c h B, 4 t h U . S . - 6 12-pdr

T o t a l : 28 guns

rifles ?lapoleons rifles

rifles
Napoleons

I1 C o r p s A r t i l l e r y B r i g a d e : C a p t a i n H a z a r d
B, A, B, I, A,
1st 1st 1st 1st 4th

- 4 10-pdr New York Rhode I s l a n d - 6 3 - i n c h Rhode I s l a n d 6 12-pdr U.S. - 6 12-pdr U.S. - 6 3-inch

Parrott rifles rifles Napoleons Napoleons rifles

T o t a l : 28 guns

I11 C o r p s A r t i l l e r y B r i g a d e : C a p t a i n R a n d o l p h
B , New J e r s e y L i g h t A r t i l l e r y - 6 10-pdr P a r r o t t rifles D , 1st N e w Y o r k - 6 12-pdr Napoleons 4 t h N e w York B t r y - 6 10-pdr P a r r o t t rifles

E , 1st Rhode I s l a n d K , 4 t h U.S.

- 6 12-pdr Napoleons - 6 12-pdr Napoleons

T o t a l : 30 guns

V Corps A r t i l l e r y Brigade: Captain Martin

C , Mass. L i g h t A r t i l l e r y C , 1st N e w Y o r k L , 1st O h i o D, 5 t h U.S. I , 5 t h U .S .

6 4 6 6 4

12-pdr 3-inch 12-pdr 10-pdr 3-inch

Napoleons rifles Napoleons Parrott rifles rifles

T o t a l : 26 g u n s

VI C o r p s A r t i l l e r y B r i g a d e : C o l o n e l T o m p k i n s
A , Mass. L i g h t A r t i l l e r y 1st New York B t r y 3 r d N e w York B t r y C , 1st Rhode I s l a n d G , 1st Rhode I s l a n d D , 2nd U . S . G , 2nd U . S . F, 5 t h U.S.

6 12-pdr 6 3-inch - 6 10-pdr - 4 3-inch - 6 3-inch - 6 12-pdr - 6 12-pdr - 6 10-pdr

Napoleons rifles Parrott rifles rifles rifles Napoleons Napoleons P a r r o t t rii'lez

T o t a l : 46 p u n s

X I C o r p s A r t i l l e r y B r i g a d e : Major Osborn

I , 1st Neu Y o r k - 6 3-inch 1 3 t h N e w York B t r y - 4 3 - i n c h I , 1st O h i o - 6 12-pdr K , 1st O h i o - 4 12-pdr G. 4 t h U . S . - 6 12-pdr

rifles rifles Napoleons Napoleons Napoleons

T o t a l : 26 g u n s

X I 1 C o r p s A r t i l l e r y Brigade: L i e u t e n a n t M u h l e n b e r g

M , 1st N e w Y o r k
E, Penn. Light Artillery F , 4 t h U.S. K , 5 t h U.S.

4 10-pdr 6 10-pdr 6 12-pdr 4 12-pdr

Parrott rifles Parrott rifles Napoleons Napoleons

T o t a l : 20 guns Cavalry Corps:

89

1st B r i g a d e : C a p t a i n R o b e r t s o n 9 t h Michigan B t r y - Not found 6 t h N e w Yorlc B t r y - 6 3 - i n c h r i f l e s B / L , 2nd U . S . - Not f o u n d M, 2nd U . S . - 10 3 - i n c h r i f i e s E, 4 t h U.S. - 4 10-pdr P a r r o t t r i f l e s 2nd B r i g a d e : C a p t a i n T i d b a l l

- Not f o u n d K , 1st U . S . - 6 3-inch r i f l e s A, 2nd U . S . - 6 3-inch r i f l e s C , 3 r d I1.S. - 6 3-inch r i f l e s H, P e n n . Heavy A r t i l l e r y - 2 3 - i n c h r i f l e s t a t t n c h o d j

E/G, 1st U . S .
C a v a l r y C o r p s t o t a l : 50 3 - i n c h r i f l e s Army o f t h e P o t o m a c t o t a l s : 366 g u n s an,:! 6.5 batteries. SOURCES: U . S . D e p a r t m e n t o f War, The '/Jar o f -he . . Amis 0 . c t p .e 5 r . i ~ L . fG !and C o n f e d ~ t ra~ U e ( W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . : Government P r i 2 t i 7 . r : O f f i c e , 1980-1901) S e r i e s I , Volumes XXV and XXV, i n t h e O f f i c i a l R e p o r t s o f B r i g a d i e r G e n e r a l H e n r y J . H u n t . i. V m Loan N a i s a w a l d , * ' t ( N e w York: Oxford U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 6 0 ) , 553-556.

90

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY B r a d f o r d , Ned. York: A p p l e t o n - C e n t u r y - C r o f t s , C a t t o n , B r u c e . E l o r v RQ&. I n c . , 1952.

pf

Inc.,

thrr_c i v i ] war .
1956.

New

N e w York: D o u b l e d a y and Company,

C o d d i n g t o n , Edwin B . The GettvC h a r l e s S c r i b n e r s Sons, 1 9 6 8 .

N e w York:

Coggins, J a c k .

C i t y , N e w York: Doubleday and Company, I n c . , 1 9 6 2 .

. . 3 . Garden

D a v i s , George B . , L e s l i e J. P e rr , Jo ph W . Kirkley, and .M .y .ts e. Ca l v i n D . C o w l e s . T h e t l l l a r v .v . i l W a p . New York: The F a i r f a x P r e s s , 1983. Dowdey, C l i f f o r d . W n f a N Knopf, I n c . , 1 9 6 3 . Downey, F a i r f a x . T h e Guns-urg HcKay Company, I n c . , 1958.

U . N e w York: A l f r e d A
,

N e w York: Davit!.

F r a n k , William H . , William F . B a r r y , and Henry J . Hun:. f o r F i e l d . Washington, D . C . : Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1 8 6 4 . Gibbon, J o h n . N o s t r a n d , 1860.

w m.

N e w Y o r k : D . Van

G i b b o n , J o h n . Personal R e c o l l e c t i o n s o f t h e C l v l l W a r . New York: G . P . P u t m a n s S o n s , 1 9 2 8 . G o s s , Warren L . Becdllections o f a P r i v a h . N e w York: Thomas Y . Crowell & C o . , 1890. G r i e s s , Thomas E . ALIAS f o r T h e Bmerican C i v l l W a p . Wayne, N e w J e r s e y : Avery P u b l i s h i n g G r o u p , I n c . , 1 9 8 6 .
G r i f f i t h , P a d d y . 0a.UI.s i n t h e C l v l l W a c . H a n s f i e l d , E n g l a n d : F i e l d b o o k s , 1986.

. .

. .

. .

L o n g a c r e , Edward G . Barnes and Company, 1 9 7 7 . N a i s a w a l d , t. Van L o a n . U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1960. 91

9

t h e Guns.
.

N e w York: A . S .
New York: O x f o r d

. Nesmith, V a r d e l l E . Jr. W i e t P a w e , Th of t h e F d ArtLUerv D 0 c t r - m 1861- 1 9 0 5 . Ann A r b o r , M i c h i g a n : U n i v e r s i t y Microfilms I n t e r n a t i o n a l , 1979.

P e t e r s o n , Harold L . t P e n n s y l v a n i a : S t a c k p o l e Books, 1969.

. Harrisburg,

P f a n z , H a r r y , W . G&Ly&uru: The S e c m . C h a p e l H i l l , N o r t h C a r o l i n a : The U n i v e r s i t y o f N o r t h C a r o l i n a P r e s s ,

1987.
P r e s t o n , R i c h a r d A., a n d S y d n e y F . Wise. k York: H o l t , R i n e h a r t and W i n s t o n , 1 9 7 9 . R i p l e y , Warren. Promontory Press, 1970.

r i~n 4u.s, N e w

. .

. New Y o r k :

tR o t h e n b e r g , G u n t h e r E . The A r t o f Warfare i n t h e Age G . Bloomington, I n d i a n a : I n d i a n a U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1978.

U . S . D e p a r t m e n t o f War. The W f the * . ar o nf t h e OffRecords of t h e

- .

Confederate.1 2 8
D.C.:

Volumes and I n d e x , W a s h i n g t o n ,

1880-1901.

92

I N I T I A L DISTRIBUTION LIST
1.

Combined A r m s R e s e a r c h L i b r a r y U . S . Army Command and General S t a f f C o l l e g e F o r t L e a v e n w o r t h , K a n s a s 66027

2.

Defense T e c h n i c a l I n f o r m a t i o n Center Cameron S t a t i o n A l e x a n d r i a , V i r g i n i a 22314

3.

LTC D a n i e l W . Bagby, I11 C e n t e r f o r Army T a c t i c s ( C T A C ) U . S . Army Command and G e n e r a l S t a f f C o l l e g e F o r t L e a v e n w o r t h , Kansas 66027

COL R i c h a r d M.Swain Combat S t u d i e s I n s t i t u t e ( C S I ) U.S. Army Command and G e n e r a l S t a f f C o l l e g e F o r t L e a v e n w o r t h , Kansas 66027

4.

93