“Hill of Destiny” – Fierce Struggle for Culp’s Hill

 Friday, July 3rd 6:00 p.m.

On July 1st, the outnumbered Union forces that retreated from the fields west and north of town arrived on Cemetery Hill, the position chosen by Eleventh Corp General Oliver O. Howard as the rallying point for the Union army. General George Meade sent Major General Winfield S. Hancock to take command of the forces in Gettysburg until Meade could get there. General Hancock ordered, upon his arrival, that the Union extend its line right to Culp’s Hill and left down Cemetery Ridge. On July 2nd, Confederate General Robert E. Lee ordered his “Old War Horse” General James Longstreet to attack the Federal left. He also ordered General Richard Ewell to attack the Federal right, which was now situated on Culp’s Hill. After some delay, Ewell’s troops launched a massive assault.

 Facing the assault were entrenched Union troops under the command of General George Sears Greene. His brigade of about 1,500 men was faced with a daunting challenge as they found themselves to be alone. Meade had earlier ordered several brigades from General Slocum’s 12th Corps, to which Greene belonged, to withdraw from Culp’s Hill and proceed south to reinforce General Sickles. Greene expertly positioned his men and ordered them to entrench. His foresight would serve his men well as Confederates from General Johnson’s Division, with almost three times the numbers, ferociously attacked and were repeatedly repulsed until Federal reinforcements could be brought in to protect the exposed Union rear and gain a strategic victory that day. Experience the “Hill of Destiny” and the fierce struggle for Culp’s Hill on Friday at the Gettysburg 146TH Battle Anniversary Reenactment.

 
“Protecting the Union” – Virginians & Wolverines East Cavalry Field

 Saturday, July 4th 11:00 a.m.

General J.E.B. Stuart ordered the 1st Virginia Cavalry of Fitz Lee's Brigade to make a mounted charge to drive a wedge between the Union lines at the Rummel Farm and Low Dutch Road.  Stuart, unaware of the presence of the 1st and 7th Michigan over the ridge guarding the intersection of the Low Dutch and Hanover roads, ordered an assault by the 1st Virginia Calvary, his own old regiment, now in Fitz Lee’s brigade. General Gregg orders a charge against the 1st Virginia Regiment. Brigadier-General Custer places himself at the head of the charge and with his saber drawn led the 7th Michigan in the charge. Custer stood and turned in his saddle, took off his hat, and shouted, "Come on, you Wolverines!” To this point in the war the Confederate cavalry had maintained consistent superiority to their Federal counterparts. This Union victory not only prevented the Confederate cavalry from attacking and disrupting the rear of the Federal position  prior Pickett’s Charge, it also signaled the beginning of Federal cavalry’s advancement for the duration of the war.

 Cavalry actions are always a crowd pleaser at the reenactment and these reenactment equestrians typically salute the spectators with a close up Grand Review at the conclusion of the battle. Don’t miss “Protecting the Union” – Virginians & Wolverines on Saturday morning July 4th at the 146th Gettysburg Anniversary Battle Reenactment.

 “Forward of the Round Tops” The Sixth Corps

 Saturday, July 4, 5:00 p.m.

At approximately 4:30 p.m. on July 2, 1863, after an artillery duel that was particularly hard on the infantry near the Peach Orchard, Hood rode to the front of the Texas Brigade, and shouted, “Fix bayonets my brave Texans and take those heights.”  Ahead of Hood’s men were the Peach Orchard, the Wheatfield, Devils Den and the Round Tops. The amount of blood and sacrifice on that ground made it one of the most sanctified areas of any battlefield in the world.

 The Sixth Corps had been rushed to the front forward of the Round Tops around 5:00 p.m. with the Third Division’s, 3RD Brigade, commanded by Major David J. Nevin. By the time the corps arrived, the Union line had been pushed back to the slopes of Little Round Top and the southern part of Cemetery Ridge. The arrival of the Sixth Corps was just in time to save the front line from collapsing. Although a premature shot gave away the Federal position, the Sixth Corps inflicted heavy causalities while delaying the Confederates.

 With the Confederates having driven the Federals from Devil’s Den to the southwest, losing that critical southern slope of Little Round Top would have allowed the Confederate troops to flank the end of the Federal line and take the strategically high ground of Little Round Top.  In the end Colonel Vincent’s men, including the immortalized 20th Maine Regiment on Vincent’s left, held the Confederates until Brigadier General Stephen H. Weed’s brigade reached and secured the hill.  In the carnage both Vincent and Weed received fatal wounds on Little Round Top. The earlier defense by the Sixth Corp on the south slope had contributed significantly to the critical victory that day. You will be able to experience this historic battle “Forward of the Round Tops” on July 4th at 5:00 p.m., during the 146TH Gettysburg Anniversary Battle Reenactment.

 
“You Must Take Full Responsibility” Farnsworth’s Fatal Charge

 Sunday, July 5th 9:00 a.m.

A tragic footnote to the carnage at Gettysburg occurred in the farm fields and woods to the south of Big Round Top. Newly appointed Brigadier General Elon Farnsworth had received his promotion on June 29 just prior to the Battle of Hanover. On the afternoon of July 3rd, Farnsworth led his brigade of Union troops into his first and last battle at Gettysburg. Farnsworth was ordered by General Meade, through General Kilpatrick, to make what turned out to be a hopeless charge with the 1st Vermont cavalry, into the rear of Confederate General John B Hood’s division. Most of the 1st Texas was in a strong position in a ravine behind two stone and rail fences.

 Upon receiving the orders from Kilpatrick, Farnsworth spoke with emotion “General, do you mean it? Shall I throw my handful of men over rough ground, through timber, against a brigade of infantry’? Kilpatrick said “A handful! You have the four best regiments in the army.” Farnsworth answered “You forget, the 1st Michigan is detached, the 5th New York you have sent beyond call, and I have nothing left but the 1st Vermont and the 1st West Virginia, regiments fought half to pieces. They are too good to kill.” Kilpatrick turned greatly excited and said “Do you refuse to obey my orders? If you are afraid to lead the charge I will lead it.” Farnsworth reportedly rose in his stirrups, leaned forward with his saber half drawn and cried “Take that back!” Kilpatrick rose defiantly, but repentantly and said “I did not mean it, forget it.” For a moment nothing was spoken. Then Farnsworth spoke “General, if you order the charge I will lead it, but you must take the awful responsibility.”

 As they advanced, Farnsworth’s men received the concentrated fire of three lines of Confederates from the front and both flanks as they attempted to overcome the strong Confederate positions behind the fences.

Farnsworth made it to the first fence where his horse was shot out from under him and killed. Farnsworth quickly mounted another horse and dashed on. He was found on July 5th where he fell; fell just beyond the second fence pierced by five bullets. The number of Federal cavalry who rode in the charge totaled about 300. There were 65 causalities and 120 were taken prisoner.

 Captain Harry Parsons, Co. L, 1st Vermont accompanied Farnsworth that day. Upon returning to the same location fifty years later on July 3, 1913, Parson said, “Each man felt that he was summoned to a ride of death.” You can experience this exciting and historic cavalry and infantry battle on Sunday, July 5th at the 146TH Gettysburg Anniversary Reenactment.

 
“For the Glory of Virginia: Action at the Angle – Pickett’s Charge

Sunday, July 5th, 2:00 p.m.

Just the mention of the phrase “Pickett’s Charge” brings forth a multitude of vivid thoughts and sensory perceptions. The stone wall at the “copse of trees” on Cemetery Ridge came to symbolize the most significant Southern advance upon Union soil during the American Civil War. Massive artillery explosions, brutal hand to hand combat, cannons filled with canister, and wave after wave of Confederate soldiers being decimated was the order of the day.  At “the wall,” the Federals had rank after rank, infantry division after infantry division, artillery filled with canister and even the provost guards on the line awaiting the Confederate advance--to the rear of this force awaited a regiment of cavalry. Against a Federal army so disposed and driven to end the conflict, its different parts thrown from point to point with certainty and anticipating every possible Confederate movement, the Union forces awaited the Confederate advance across one mile of open fields.

 This year’s reenacted scenario will feature Kemper’s Brigade refusing the flank of the 13th and 16th Vermont at the wall. As the flank of Kemper is exposed the 13th and 16th Vermont come across the wall and pours heavy fire into the Virginians. The wounding and rescue of General Kemper signaled the sporadic withdrawal of Confederate troops and the end of the battle.  This energy filled  and desperate attack that  Lee had launched was, in truth, the mad and reckless movement that Meade characterized it to be and accomplished no more than a slight fraying of the edge of the front line of the Union troops as the Union Army rose up to repel the Confederates. The next day, the struggling Confederate army would begin its trek back south across the Potomac River signaling the “High Tide” of the Confederacy was on the decline.

 A massive artillery barrage between opposing artillery precedes Sunday’s troop advance at the reenactment. Experience this famous battle, which is a favorite among spectators and reenactors alike every year, on Sunday afternoon, July 5th at the 146th Gettysburg Battle reenactment.