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tion of Ewell's corps at York and Carlisle. Jenkins' cavalry at same place and Stuart at Westminster, Md., in the rear and east of Hancock's 2d Corps and Sedgwick's 6th. |
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Creek in the rear of Sickles. Kilpatrick (Capt. Hamilton) at Littlestown, Pa. Reynolds' 1st Corps and Howard's 11th, with Buford's cavalry at Emmittsburg, about three miles south of the enemy – Hill's Crops. |
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June 30th – Ewell fell back from York and Carlisle to Heidlersburg, with White's brigade of cavalry. Hill was at Cashtown and Greenwood; Ewell at Fayetteville and Longstreet still at Chambersburg. Stuart's cavalry at Hancock in a combat with Gen. Kilpatrick's division of cavalry, in which Capt. Hamilton's company participated. |
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Sickles' Corps (Capt. Fite) was north of Taneytown. Sykes' Corps (Capt. Jones) was at Union Mills, south of Hanover, and Kilpatrick (Capt. Hamilton) and Stuart's cavalry fighting at Hanover, Pa., which was the opening of the Gettysburg battle. |
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The First Day's Battle. |
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July 1, 1863. |
From 8 to 10 a.m. – Hill was west of Willoughby's Run; Reynolds and Buford were east of it in conflict, being west of seminary Ridge which was west of Gettysburg on the Chambersburg pike.
At 3:30 p. m. – Hill was still west of Willoughby's run with Doubleday, who had succeeded Reynolds, holding him in check. Ewell's Corps made an attack on the north of Gettysburg, where a part of Howards' Corps was posted.
About 4 p.m. – Hill had crossed the run and was on Seminary ridge, slowly driving Doubleday back to Gettysburg. Ewell also pressed Howard's force back through the town, and had troops there. |
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Reynolds' 1st Corps and Buford's cavalry arrived on the field early. Moved west of Seminar Ridge where they met the enemy, and were soon followed by Howard's 11th Corps, which connected with Reynolds' right and faced Ewell north of the town. Reynolds was killed a few minutes after 10 o'clock a. m. These were the only troops Meade had on the field until late in the evening. They held and prevented the enemy from occupying Cemetery Ridge. Capt. Jones' company in Sykes' Corps, left big Pipe Creek about 5 a. m., marched through and encamped after midnight east of McSherrystown.
Capt. Hamilton's company, with Kilpatrick, was at Berlin, southeast of Gettysburg, in pursuit of Stuart's cavalry. |
About 5 p. m. – Hill and Ewell had driven Doubleday and Howard to Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill, where their artillery was planted, and which they held.
About 6 p. m. Hill's and Ewell's Corps occupied the town, with two brigades south of it facing Howard on the turn of the Cemetery Ridge, near Zeigler's grove and Culp's Hill.
Doubleday's 1st Corps was on Howard's left along Cemetery Ridge, still holding the two corps of the enemy. Longstreet was yet at Chambersburg.
When Hill was pressing Doubleday back the last soldier in the rear of the union corps was Benjamin Crippen, the young color-bearer of the 149th Pennsylvania, who fell back slowly and every few minutes he stopped and turned, facing Hill's entire corps, shaking his fist in defiance. He was killed. |
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Capt. Fite's company in Sykes' Corps was detailed to guard Smith's Battery at Hagerstown.
Hancock arrived about 3:30 p. m., in advance of his 2d Corps, and assumed command of the field. He quickly decided that the battle should be fought right there, and directed Doubleday and Howard to hold the position until he should return with Meade's entire army. Meade was then 13 miles south of Gettysburg.
About 6 p. m. part of Sickles' Corps was on the Taneytown road northeast of Little Round Top. Capt. Fite of that department was at Hagerstown and Slocum's 12th Corps was west of Sickles' 3d Corps, both advancing to Doubleday and Howard. Part of Slocum's command was at Wolf's Hill east of Culp's Hill. Buford's cavalry was on the Emmittsburg road west of Little Round Top. |
Thus the first day's battle closed with some success to Lee, but Reynolds, Doubleday and Howard had done some
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