Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.II, p.332

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History of Cambria County, V.2

332 HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

THE DEATH OF GEN. REYNOLDS, HIS BODY RESCUED BY CHARLES H. VEIL.

    At the unfortunate moment on Wednesday morning, July l, 1863, when Maj.-Gen. John F. Reynolds was killed, the only person near him was Charles H. Veil, a native of this county, aged about twenty-one, who resided with his parents at Scalp Level at the time of his enlistment. He was a member of Company G of the 9th Pennsylvania Reserves, and a short while before the battle of Gettysburg had been detailed as an orderly on the staff of Gen. Reynolds.
    After Gen. Reynolds had reached the enemy at Willoughby's Run, he sent all his staff officials, excepting Mr. Veil, with orders to locate the several commands. He then rode in advance of his line toward the enemy for probably one hundred yards with the young orderly by his side. He stopped and seemingly considering the topography of the vicinity and the advancing enemy, turned his head to look to the rear or to his own battle line, when he was shot, and fell from his horse. Not being able to see any wound, Mr. Veil thought the general had been hit by a spent ball, and the first move was to get him away before they would be captured. None of our troops were near, and the general was too heavy for the young man to carry, except by getting him on his back and dragging him toward our lines. The enemy, seeing the action, called him to halt and to “drop him,” but Mr. Veil continued to carry his chief as best he could until assistance came. The body of the general of the First Corps was soon safe within his own lines.
    The general had been struck in the back of his neck near the collar of his coat, which in his haste Mr. Veil had not observed, nor had he seen any blood.
    In the fall of '63, while Meade was south of the Rapidan, Mr. Veil was directed to report to Secretary Stanton forthwith, and upon doing so the secretary desired to know if he would be able to locate the spot where the general had been killed. Mr. Veil said he could do so if he could find a certain tree which was close by. The great secretary then directed him to accompany the sisters of the general to Gettysburg and assist them in this sad duty. With the Misses Reynolds he examined the ground, and after a little search found the stump of the tree which fixed the spot where the general had died, and upon it the Reynolds monument was erected. He returned with the

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332	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
THE DEATH OF GEN. REYNOLDS, HIS BODY RESCUED BY CHARLES H. VEIL. At the unfortunate moment on Wednesday morning, July l, 1863, when Maj.-Gen. John F. Reynolds was killed, the only person near him was Charles H. Veil, a native of this county, aged about twenty-one, who resided with his parents at Scalp Level at the time of his enlistment. He was a member of Company G of the 9th Pennsylvania Reserves, and a short while before the battle of Gettysburg had been detailed as an orderly on the staff of Gen. Reynolds. After Gen. Reynolds had reached the enemy at Willoughby's Run, he sent all his staff officials, excepting Mr. Veil, with orders to locate the several commands. He then rode in advance of his line toward the enemy for probably one hundred yards with the young orderly by his side. He stopped and seemingly considering the topography of the vicinity and the advancing enemy, turned his head to look to the rear or to his own battle line, when he was shot, and fell from his horse. Not being able to see any wound, Mr. Veil thought the general had been hit by a spent ball, and the first move was to get him away before they would be captured. None of our troops were near, and the general was too heavy for the young man to carry, except by getting him on his back and dragging him toward our lines. The enemy, seeing the action, called him to halt and to “drop him,” but Mr. Veil continued to carry his chief as best he could until assistance came. The body of the general of the First Corps was soon safe within his own lines. The general had been struck in the back of his neck near the collar of his coat, which in his haste Mr. Veil had not observed, nor had he seen any blood. In the fall of '63, while Meade was south of the Rapidan, Mr. Veil was directed to report to Secretary Stanton forthwith, and upon doing so the secretary desired to know if he would be able to locate the spot where the general had been killed. Mr. Veil said he could do so if he could find a certain tree which was close by. The great secretary then directed him to accompany the sisters of the general to Gettysburg and assist them in this sad duty. With the Misses Reynolds he examined the ground, and after a little search found the stump of the tree which fixed the spot where the general had died, and upon it the Reynolds monument was erected. He returned with the