Pennsylvania Campaign 1863
Chapter 69: Gettysburg Day 1
The morning of May 25th began with Reynolds Pennsylvania Reserves and elements of the 15th Corp under Major General Thomas Sherman began attacking Confederate troops atop McPherson Ridge just outside of Gettysburg. The Confederate troops belonged to Jackson’s Corp the Kanawha Division. These troops were raised came from Western Virginia and had served under Lee personally when he commanded the Army of Western Virginia.
Now under one of Lee’s protégés Major General Robert S. Garnett these troops knew their mission…to hold up the Union advance, and when ordered to withdraw to the second line of defenses. These defenders held their ground until Union reinforcements under John Pope arrived and began a flanking movement to dislodge their opponents.
Under the watchful eye of Generals Jackson a withdrawal through the town of Gettysburg was ordered. After extracting his troops from their positions Jackson went to place his troops on the third defensive lines. Now Lt. General James Longstreet’s troops stood along the second defensive positions atop Seminary Ridge.
Here the Union troops met stronger Confederate resistance. After conferring with each other Reynolds, Sherman, and Pope called on McClellan to send the rest of the Army of the Susquehanna immediately as Jackson was in full retreat.
Around midday Union forces began their renewed thrust toward the Confederate positions. Already many Union commanders admiring the rebel defenses noticed that these troops had been dug in for awhile, and wondered what else awaited them.
The Confederate troops atop Seminary Ridge belonged to the divisions of Major Generals Richard Anderson and Theoliphus Holmes. These troops had been hardened by fighting along the Rappahannock and the Siege of Washington. As planned Anderson and Holmes held up the Union advance until near sundown. Throughout the day troops would later write of Longstreet, Anderson, and Holmes walking the battle lines encouraging their troops until Holmes himself was killed by a Union sharpshooter. This caused Brigadier General George Pickett to assume command of the division, and was given the honor to cover the retreat to the last defensive position atop Cemetery Ridge.
The morning of May 25th began with Reynolds Pennsylvania Reserves and elements of the 15th Corp under Major General Thomas Sherman began attacking Confederate troops atop McPherson Ridge just outside of Gettysburg. The Confederate troops belonged to Jackson’s Corp the Kanawha Division. These troops were raised came from Western Virginia and had served under Lee personally when he commanded the Army of Western Virginia.
Now under one of Lee’s protégés Major General Robert S. Garnett these troops knew their mission…to hold up the Union advance, and when ordered to withdraw to the second line of defenses. These defenders held their ground until Union reinforcements under John Pope arrived and began a flanking movement to dislodge their opponents.
Under the watchful eye of Generals Jackson a withdrawal through the town of Gettysburg was ordered. After extracting his troops from their positions Jackson went to place his troops on the third defensive lines. Now Lt. General James Longstreet’s troops stood along the second defensive positions atop Seminary Ridge.
Here the Union troops met stronger Confederate resistance. After conferring with each other Reynolds, Sherman, and Pope called on McClellan to send the rest of the Army of the Susquehanna immediately as Jackson was in full retreat.
Around midday Union forces began their renewed thrust toward the Confederate positions. Already many Union commanders admiring the rebel defenses noticed that these troops had been dug in for awhile, and wondered what else awaited them.
The Confederate troops atop Seminary Ridge belonged to the divisions of Major Generals Richard Anderson and Theoliphus Holmes. These troops had been hardened by fighting along the Rappahannock and the Siege of Washington. As planned Anderson and Holmes held up the Union advance until near sundown. Throughout the day troops would later write of Longstreet, Anderson, and Holmes walking the battle lines encouraging their troops until Holmes himself was killed by a Union sharpshooter. This caused Brigadier General George Pickett to assume command of the division, and was given the honor to cover the retreat to the last defensive position atop Cemetery Ridge.