PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE, GETTYSBURG.
The cupola was first used by Union officers, and then by Coniederate, as a station for observation and signals. During the withdrawal of the First and Eleventh corps through the town, there was hard fighting in the college grounds.
was severely wounded, losing, both eyes. Meanwhile Daniel’s brigade advanced directly on Stone, who maintained his lines against this attack and also Broekenbrough’s, of Hill’s corps, but was soon severely wounded. Colonel Wister, who succeeded him, met the same fate, and Colonel Dana took command of the brigade. Ramseur, who followed Daniel, by a conversion to the left, now faced Robinson and Cutler with his o wn brigade, the remnant of Iverson’s, and one regiment of O’Neal’s, his right connecting with Daniel’s left, and the fighting became hot. Bast of the ridge, Doles’s brigade had been held in observation, but about 3:30 p. m., on the advance of Early, he sent his skirmishers forward and drove those of Devin — who had gallantly held the enemy’s advance in check with his dismounted troopers — from their line and its hillock on Rock Creek. Barlow, considering this an eligible position for his own right, advanced his division, supported by Wilkeson’s battery, and seized it. This made it necessary for Sehurz to advance a brigade of Schimmelfennig’s division to connect with Barlow, thus lengthening his already too extended line.
THE LINE OP DEFENSE AT THE CEMETERY GATE-HOUSE.
and Howard called on Sickles at Emmitsburg and Slocum at Two Taverns for aid, to which both these officers promptly responded. It was now no longer a question of prolonging Doubleday’s line, but of protecting it against Ewell whilst engaged in front with Hill. Schurz’s two divisions, hardly 6000 effectives, accordingly formed line on the open plain half a mile north of the town. They were too weak to cover the ground, and a wide interval was left between the two corps, covered only by the fire of Dilger’s and Wheeler’s batteries (ten guns) posted behind it.
That morning, whilst on the march to Cashtown, Ewell received Hill’s notice that his corps was advancing to Gettysburg, upon which he turned the heads of his own columns to that point. Reporting the change by a staff-officer to General Lee, Ewell was instructed that if the Federals were in force at Gettysburg, a general battle was not to be brought on until the rest of the army was up. Approaching Gettysburg, Rodes, guided by the sounds of battle, followed the prolongation of Seminary Ridge ; Iverson’s, Daniel’s, and Ramseur’s brigades on the western, O’Neal’s and Doles’s on the eastern
tions, was killed in the wood by a sharp-shooter. It was not, however, until by his promptitude and gallantry he had determined the decisive field of the war, and had opened brilliantly a battle which required three days of hard fighting to close with a victory. To him may be applied, in a wider sense than in its original one, Napier’s happy eulogium on Ridge : “ No man died on that field with more glory than he; yet many died, and there was much glory.”
After the repulse of Davis and Archer, Heth’s division was formed in line mostly south of the Cashtown pike, with Pender’s in second line, Pe-gram’s and McIntosh’s artillery (nine batteries) occupying all the commanding positions west of Willoughby Run. Doubleday reestablished his former lines, Meredith holding McPherson’s wood. Soon after, Rowley’s and Robinson’s divisions (two brigades each) and the four remaining batteries of the corps arrived. Rowley’s division was thrown forward, Stone’s brigade to the interval between Meredith and Cutler, and Biddle’s with Cooper’s battery to occupy the ridge between the wood and the Fairfield road. Reynolds’s battery replaced
GETTYSBURG FROM OAK HILL.
LUTHERAN CHURCH ON CHAMBERSBURG STREET, GETTYSBURG, USED AS A HOSPITAL.
brigade had occupied McPherson’swood, andas the regiments of Meredith’s “ Iron Brigade” came up, they were sent forward by Doubleday, who fully recognized the importance of the position, to dislodge Archer. At the entrance of the wood they found Reynolds in person, and, animated by his presence, rushed to the charge, struck successive heavy blows, outflanked and turned the enemy’s right, captured General Archer and a large portion of his brigade, and pursued the remainder across Willoughby Run. Wadsworth’s small division had thus won decided successes against superior numbers, but it was at grievous cost to the army and the country, for Reynolds, while directing the opera-
Oafc Hill is a mile north-west ot Gettysburg, anil tlie view here is south-east, showing Stevens Hall (named after Thaddeus Stevens), the preparatory department of the Pennsylvania College, on the left; then Culp’s Hill; then Pennsylvania College, and, to the right of its cupola, the observatory on Cemetery Hill.
slope. Ewell, recognizing the importance of Oak Hill, ordered it to be occupied by Carter’s artillery battalion, which immediately opened on both the Federal corps, enfilading Doubleday’s line. This caused Wadsworth again to withdraw Cutler to Seminary Ridge, and Reynolds’s battery was posted near McPherson’s house, under partial cover. Stone therefore placed two of his three regiments on the Cashtown pike, so as to face Oak Hill. This left an interval between Stone and Cutler, through which Cooper and Reynolds could fire with effect, and gave to these lines a cross-fire on troops entering the angle between them. Robinson now sent his two brigades to strengthen Cutler’s right. They took post behind the stone walls of a field, Paul’s brigade facing west, Baxter’s north. Rodes, regarding this advance as a menace, gave orders at 2:30 p. m. to attack. Iverson, sweeping round to his left, engaged Paul, who prolonged Cutler’s line, and O’Neal attacked Baxter. The repulse of O’Neal soon enabled Baxter to turn upon Iverson. Cutler also attacked him in flank, and after losing 500 men killed and wounded, 3 of Iverson’s regiments surrendered. General Robinson reports the capture of 1000 prisoners and 3 colors ; General Paul
Hall’s, and Calef’s rejoined Gamble’s cavalry, now in reserve. Robinson’s division was halted near the base of Seminary Ridge. By this time, near noon, General Howard arrived, assumed command, and directed General Sehurz, commanding the Eleventh Corps, to prolong Doubleday’s line toward Oak Hill with Schimmelfenuig’s and Barlow’s divisions and three batteries, and to post Stein-wehr’s division and two batteries on Cemetery Hill as a rallying-point. By 1 o’clock, when this corps was arriving, Buford had reported Ewell’s approach by the Heid-lersburgroad,
\ I
THE LUTHERAN SEMINARY.
Tlie upper picture from a war-time photograph.
Both pictures show tlie face of the seminary toward the town, and in the right-hand view is seen the Cliambersburg Pike. On the first day, Buford and Reynolds used the cupola for observations; thereafter it was the chief signal-station and observatory for the Confederates.