k> KEY BACHELDERS ISOMETRICAL DRAWING GETTYSBURG BATTLE-FIELD, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE BATTLE. Imagine yourself in a balloon, two miles east of the town of Gettysburg, Pa. Looking towards the west, yon trace the Baltimore Pike, which crosses Rock Creek, and the rolling land. beyond, until it leads you past the Ceme- tery on the ridge, and descends to the village ; into which converge ten different roads, as the spokes of a wheel run to a common centre. At your right, yon look down upon the wooded summit of Wolf Hill, on which our right flank rested; Culp's Hill is farther on, while still farther to the right are Benner's and Hospital Hills, which were occupied by the enemy. In your front is Cemetery Ridge, running nearly through the picture. Its course is south, descending gradually until it is nearly lose ; then, rising aoruptly, it terminates in the rocky wooded hill known as "Round Top." This, virtually, formed our left. A bold granite spur, making out on its north side, has been called "Little Round Top." I have given it the name of " Weed's Hill," in honor of General Weed, who fell mortally wounded in its defence. Nearly paral- lel with Cemetery Ridge, and about a mile beyond, is 2 KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. another less elevated, known as Seminary Eidge ; from the theological seminary located on it, about half a mile beyond the town. On this were formed the enemy's lines. These are the leading features of the landscape. Be- yond are a series of ridges, until you see in the distance South Mountain, a spur of the Blue Eidge. The terri- tory represented is five and a half miles long by four and a half broad, covering twenty-five square miles, though the mountain ridge is some nine or ten miles away. The brilliant affair of General Gregg's Cavalry, in his attack and defeat of Wade Hampton, was two miles to the right, without the limits of this drawing ; while much of Kil- patrick's important movements on our left, on the 3d of July, in which he turned the enemy's right, and attacked him in flank, costing the life of the gallant General Farnsworth, can only be shown by crowding the posi- tions. The troops of both armies are represented by different characters for each day ; and by giving attention to the key for corps badges on the drawing, it will be easy to tell the brigade, division, and corps which any regi- ment was in. Where regiments are represented several times their name is not always given, though by noticing the brigade they may be found elsewhere. Where they remained two days in the same position, the two-day characters are laid down. The positions about the Ceme- tery have been shown with difficulty, as the troops were crowded, and the ground they occupied descending from you, it is difficult to represent them. It was, however, occupied entirely by the Eleventh Corps troops, General Steinwehr's Division lying there during the battle. The battle lasted for three days, commencing on Wed- nesday, July 1, 1863. The first day's engagement was west and north of the town, our left resting on the Millers- KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 3 town road, while our right was gradually prolonged to Rock Creek, on the Harrisburg road. On the 2d, our centre rested at the Cemetery, the line extending across the valley on the right to Culp's Hill, down its eastern slope, across Spangler's meadow, and resting on Rock Creek, while batteries were placed on McAllister's and Powers's Hills. The left wing, commencing at the Ceme- tery, extended down the ridge, and in front of it to Round Top. On the 3d, the lines were substantially the same, except the advanced positions of the left wing, which had been forced back to the ridge the evening be- fore, and a crotchet was formed from the left in the rear of Round Top. THE BATTLE. General Buford's Cavalry entered and passed through the quiet village of Gettysburg, on the evening of June 30th, and encamped half a mile beyond, throwing their pickets well to the front. These were attacked and driven in the next morning by the advance of Hill's Corps. At 10 o'clock, the First Corps began to arrive, on the Emmitsburg road, commanded by General Rey- nolds, who had galloped to the front to reconnoitre the position, and returned and met them at Cadori's house. From there they turned to the left, crossed the fields, and went into position on the right and left of the Chambers- burg Pike. The enemy's infantry were just advancing upon Calef's battery, and came immediately in collision with Wadsworth's Division, which had led the van. Neither body of troops knew of the presence of the other. General Archer was surprised, and, with several hundred of his men, was captured by Meredith's Brigade. Cut- ler's Brigade also captured two Mississippi regiments 4 KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. from Davis's Brigade. General Keynolds was killed near the commencement of the action, and the command de- volved upon General Doubleday. General Howard, commanding Eleventh Corps, who had now arrived, as- sumed command of both, the First and the Eleventh. The enemy were re-enforced by Rhodes's Division, who came under cover of Seminary Ridge, above Cobean's house. Their advance, General Iverson's Brigade, at- tacked Robinson's Divison, but, with the exception of one regiment, were captured. As the Eleventh Corps came up, Weidrick's battery were put in position on Cemetery Hill, supported by Steinwehr's Division. Gen- eral Schurz commanded the Corps. His Division, com- manded by General Schimmelpfennig, followed by Bar- low's Division, moved through the town, forming on the right and rear of the First Corps, witli which, however, a communication was not made. They were soon at- tacked by Early's Division, who had come in from York, and by Dole's Brigade. General Barlow was severely wounded, and left on the field. General Paul, of the First Corps, was shot through the head, and then supposed to be mortally wounded. After six hours of hard fighting, and being outnumbered three to one, Gene- ral Howard ordered a retreat to Cemetery Hill. The Corps Artillery re-formed north of the town. General Steinwehr ordered Custar's Brigade down to the right of the town, while Buford's Cavalry moved to the left, to cover the retreat. Great numbers of artillery wagons, ambulances, and caissons obstructed the streets ; the men became confused, and numbers were captured, including most of our wounded. General Meade, who was at Taneytown, on hearing of the death of Reynolds, dispatched General Hancock to the front, to assume command. Accompanied by Gene- KEY* TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 5 ral Warren, then Chief of Engineers, he arrived on Cemetery Hill as our troops were coming through the town. The Division which Howard had already placed here in reserve, formed a nucleus ; other troops were suc- cessively added as they came up, and in a short time G-eneral Hancock, assisted by Howard, Warren, Buford, and others, had re-formed the lines. The First Corps was divided, and thrown to the right and left of the Elev- enth, who occupied the Cemetery. General Slocum, with the Twelfth, came up, and formed on Culp's Hill, on the right of the First, prolonging the strong line of breastworks commenced by them. The Third Corps, General Sickles, arrived that night, and lay on Cemetery Eidge. The first day's engagement closed a complete success for the enemy. General Ewell, chief in command, was urged by General Trimble and others to continue the attack that night, while his army was flushed with victory. This he hesitated to do before the arrival of General Lee, and the golden moment was lost. General Meade arrived at one A. m. on the 2d, and approved of the position selected, and the disposition of the troops. The Second Corps, General Gibbon, arrived at 7 a. m., and were placed on the left of the First Corps ; the Third taking distance to the left, and eventually advancing to the Emmitsburg road. The Fifth Corps, General Sykes, came up at noon, halted an hour at Eock Creek, and then moved to the left of the line. The Sixth, General Sedgwick, arrived an hour later, after a forced march of thirty-four miles in twenty hours, and were massed on the Taneytown road, near Eound Top. The enemy's troops continued to come up. Johnson's Division moved through the town on Wednesday eve- ning, to Hospital Hill, where they lay until the next night, except Walker's Brigade, which went to Wolf Hill. 6 KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. Early's Division held the town, except Smith's Brigade (extra Billy), who were thrown out on the Hanover road. Heth's Division fell back to the woods near Harmon's house, where they remained in reserve on the 2d. Pen- der, Anderson, and McLaw's Divisions formed succes- sively on Seminary Ridge. Hood's Division arrived just before the engagement commenced on Thursday, and formed on their right, extending down to nearly opposite Bound Top. General Meade selected his position and assumed the defensive, well knowing that while " he could afford to wait," his adversary must fight. Except slight skirmishes, all was quiet until about four o'clock P. M. The Third Corps had been advanced to the Emmitsburg road, stretching down through the Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, and woods to the Devil's Den, in the ravine in front of Round Top. This long line was found to be too weak, and Barnes's Division of the Fifth Corps, and Caldwell's of the Second Corps, and eventually Ayers Division of Regulars, were sent to strengthen it. The attack was commenced on Ward's Brigade, on the left, by Hood's Division, and soon extended along the line. It was kept up with great fury, and with varied success, until nearly dark, when our troops were forced back to the original lines on the Ridge, where the enemy were repulsed by our artillery, and Colonel McCandless's Brigade of Pennsylvania Reserves. The latter, under the lead of General Crawford, forcing the enemy back to the Wheatfield, which they held for the night. Re-en- forcements from the First, Second, and Twelfth Corps hastened to their support, and the tide of success was stayed. General Sickles was wounded early in the action, and borne from the field, General Birney assuming com- mand. General Zook, Colonels Vincent, Willard, and Cross, commanding brigades, were killed. It had been KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBUEG. 7 comparatively quiet at the centre and on the right. At dark, however, General Hayes, with his Louisiana Tigers, left town, and, uniting with Hoke's Brigade, advanced to a desperate charge upon our batteries on Cemetery Hill. Barlow's Division, commanded by General Ames, were in position to support them, and, though nearly deci- mated from the losses of the previous day, checked their advance ; not, however, until a few succeeded in getting among the guns, which were stoutly defended by the gunners with their handspikes and rammers. Carroll's Brigade and other re-enforcements soon arrived, and quiet was restored. General Slocum, commanding the right wing, ordered General Williams, commanding the Twelfth Corps, to move to the support of the left when they were hard pressed, at sundown, leaving only Green's Brigade to hold the works. He had hardly gone when Johnson's Division, who had lain quietly on Hospital Hill since the previous night, advanced for a night attack; but, though outnumbered four to one, the veteran Green held his ground, and, by prolonging his line, used every expedient which thought could devise or courage exe- cute to hold the works of the troops who had just left. They fought in the darkness by the flashes of the mus- ketry. The enemy soon discovering that the right of our works was unoccupied, advanced, entered, and held them until driven out the next morning. Thus closed the second day. We had lost a half mile of ground on our left, though with no signal advantage to the enemy; we had only fallen back to a stronger position. The assault on our right centre had been repulsed. On the right a temporary advantage had been gained, which must be wrested from him, as our rear was seriously threatened. Long before daylight on the 3d, batteries were put in position on Powers's Hill, and in the fields near Spangle's 8 KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. house, commanding this portion of our works, which opened at daybreak, and for an hour shelled them in the most vigorous manner. Our infantry then advanced, and for four hours maintained one of the most continu- ous and uninterrupted fires of musketry of the battle, which resulted in regaining the position. The enemy, fully alive to the importance of what they had gained on the previous evening, and determined to hold it, brought up Walker, Smith, and Daniel's Brigades as re- enforcements. But it was unavailing. For several hours the combatants now seemed to rest on their arms, if we may except the usual fusilade of the pickets, and Gregg's affair, before mentioned, on our extreme right ; but each seemed gathering himself up for the outburst which it was felt must soon come. At one o'clock the enemy, having planted his artillery on the most commanding positions, from Benner's Hill, on the right, to Seminary Ridge, opposite Round Top, opened one of the most terrible cannonades ever experienced on this continent. Though partially replied to, our cannoneers generally withheld their fire for a shorter range, while the infantry did not require much caution from their officers to " lie low" in the slight breastworks which they had con- structed. At the end of an hour and a half, the enemy advanced to the attack ; and it was found that our left centre, one of the weakest portions of our line, would be the point assailed. Three long lines of infantry, and in places so doubled as to give the appearance of columns, advanced from the cover of the ridges and woods which they had formed. Their right was covered by Wilcox and Perry's Brigades, their left by McGowan and Thomas's. They were received by our artillery with round shot, spherical case, and canister, in succession ; still they marched desperately on. The withering fire of our mus- KEY. TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 9 ketiy, as they came within range, checked their advance, except Pickets' Division, who came up to our very works; and with General Armstead at their head, a few of their men actually entered them, near the bunch of trees on General "Webb's front ; but few, if any, re- turned. The troops on Webb's left rapidly changed front to the right, and, closing en masse, rushed upon the head- strong foe. Then commenced one of the most desperate hand to hand encounters of the battle. The bayonet and clubbed musket were freely used ; colors were en- twined, and men writhed and strove together in mortal combat. Troops were hurried to their support. The First Corps closed up ; the Third moved to the right and closed en masse. General Stannard, whose brigade was at the front, moved it by the right flank, changed front forward on first company, and with his Green Mountain boys opened a murderous fire upon their exposed flank. The effect was resistless. The ground lay thickly covered with killed and wounded ; hundreds, thousands, threw down their arms ; while the broken, shattered mass sought refuge behind the hills from which they had emerged. Turning to the left, Wilcox's column, seemingly without an object, came winding its way down the opposite field. They were quickly routed by McGilvary's Brigade of Reserve Artillery, and large numbers were swooped up by Stannard's troops. Thus terminated one of the most determined and for- midable assaults of modern days ; a more decided repulse or inglorious defeat could not have befallen their arms ; and with it virtually ended the battle, though the affair of Kilpatrick, before mentioned, closed at a later hour. The enemy's loss in numbers was very severe, while the casualties among officers of both armies was unprece- dented. On the Union side, Generals Hancock, Gibbon, 10 KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. Webb, and Stannard were wounded; on our enemy s, Generals Armstead and Garnet were killed ; Generals Kemper, Pettigrew, Trimble, and Colonel Frye, com- manding Archer's Brigade, were wounded, all within fifteen minutes' time, and within a hundred and fifty yards of a common centre. Skirmishing continued during the next day, though the beaten foe at once commenced his retreat, moving on the Fairfield and Chambersburg roads. Thus ended one of the great battles of modern days. On the issue hinged the destiny of a nation. I have only glanced at its leading features. Numerous brilliant episodes in the history of regiments, and hundreds of instances of personal bravery, present themselves in the great mass of manuscript material, which I have gathered during the past year of toil, of which I have been unable to speak, but which, at some future time, may be com- piled and published as a supplementary key to my pic- ture. Jno. B. Bachelder, 125 Washington street, Boston. 59 Beekiaan street, New York.