Annual Gettysburg Civil War Battle Reenactment

Early in the morning on July 1^st Confederate General Henry Heath moved toward Gettysburg from Cashtown on the Chambersburg Pike in search of supplies. Heath’s entire division was mustered for the march when one of his brigades had returned and reported a sizeable force of Union cavalry near Gettysburg. After exchanging a few shots with a Union cavalry picket post near Marsh Creek, Heath believed he may be facing some local militia and a small Union force as he approached Herrs Ridge, Willoughby Run, McPherson’s Ridge and Seminary Ridge. This belief was short-lived. Heath discovered the Rebels were facing General Buford’s dismounted cavalry who had been sent forward to McPherson’s Ridge and to Willoughby Run in order to stall the Confederate advance. Colonel William Gamble’s brigade of Buford’s division, supported by Lt. John H. Calef’s U.S. Battery with their breech loading carbines, did a fine job of delaying the Confederate approach. The Rebels were stalled--but only for a short period. The intense fighting of the First Day was just beginning.

Two brigades, commanded by General Archer & Davis, pressed slowly ahead crossing Willoughby Run. On Seminary Ridge from the cupola of Schmucker Hall, General Buford was watching his men being pushed back from Willoughby Run when General John Reynolds, riding ahead of his First Corps coming up in support, asked Buford to hold out until his troops arrived. “The devil’s to pay”, exclaimed Buford. Then he simply replied, “I reckon I can.” At the end of the first day’s battle, locations west of Gettysburg such as Herrs Ridge, McPherson’s Woods, Willoughby Run, the Railroad Cut, Iverson’s Pits, Oak Hill, Schmucker Hall and Seminary Ridge would be etched into American history. The Union forces were eventually driven back through the town, but the First Day delaying action that held the line gave Union reinforcements enough time to arrive and secure the strategic advantage on Cemetery Ridge. Experience this exhilarating ‘McPherson Ridge – Holding the Line’ action on Friday, July 6, 6:00 p.m. at the 149^TH Gettysburg Battle Anniversary Reenactment.

It all began with Custer ordering elements of the 6th and 7th Michigan cavalry to dismount and move south on foot beyond and below the ridge and along both sides of the Hunterstown Road east of Gettysburg. These troops, hidden by the wheat fields, inconspicuously moved forward to the Felty Farm where the unit’s marksmen took cover in the large bank barn on the west side of the road. The Felty’s barn was large enough to conceal Lieutenant A.C.M. Pennington’s 2nd U.S. Battery. Meanwhile the men of the 7th Michigan formed undetected in the tall wheat east of the Hunterstown Road to form a cross fire with the 6th Michigan.

Young Custer had set the perfect trap. He led approximately sixty mounted men of Company A, 6th Michigan, on a daring charge toward the Confederates. Since the Hunterstown Road is tightly flanked on both sides with post and rail fences, it was impossible for more than one company to move along the road at a gallop. Realizing this, Custer had “Company A” act as a small shock force and established contact with the Confederate Cavalry. After smacking them around and getting their fight up, Custer retreats drawing the southerners with him in pursuit. As the retreat ensued, Custer drew the CSA cavalry back north towards the ambush that was waiting east and west of the Hunterstown Road at Felty’s farm. The horses of Cobb’s Legion raced in the summer air, nose to tail with Company A, up the narrow Hunterstown Road, all-the-while bouncing between the fences which hemmed them in. They were so caught up in the chase that they fell like a hungry mouse right into the trap; which was released on them as soon as Custer’s cavalry cleared the waiting crossfire.

On Saturday morning July 7^th, at 11:00 a.m., experience the thrill of thundering hooves, the whinny of horses and the shouts of cavalry commands while witnessing the “Ambush at Hunterstown” cavalry battle at the 149^th Gettysburg Battle Anniversary Reenactment.

Devils Den is one of the most poignant visual and visited landmarks on the Gettysburg battlefield. On July 2, 1863, Smiths Union Battery used the hill to counterfire on Confederate artillery, prior to a relentless Confederate assault against Birney’s 1^st Division. Devils Den was not a favorable location to defend for either side. Shot and shell raced around and over the rocks killing many troops from bouncing shrapnel. The 15^th Georgia and 1^st Texas made repeated assaults on the heights and slowly wore down the Union defenders.

For over two hours, the rebels continued their assault and finally broke through and captured three of Smith’s guns. The 44^th Georgia would then pass over the Den and make their way through the gorge, attempting to take Little Round Top. The 6^th New Jersey and the 40^th New York would take on their assault in the Valley of Death at the base of Little Round Top. The stream that ran near the base became known as Bloody Run. Confederate sharpshooters took up position in the rocks of Devils Den and proceeded to pick off the Union defenders on Little Round Top.

Though the Confederates were successful in their efforts to take Devils Den, as dusk fell on the second day, they would fail in their attempt to take the heights of Little and Big Round Tops. Confederate command would draw up plans for a massive assault the following day. Experience the “Assault on the Devils Rocks” on Saturday July 7^th - 5:00 p.m. at the 149^th Gettysburg Battle Anniversary Reenactment.

South Cavalry Field is located along the Emmitsburg Road about one mile south of the Gettysburg National Military Park (GNMP) --it is not on the Park tour route, and few visitors wander out to it. In South Calvary Field, after Pickett’s Charge has been defeated, reckless cavalry charges against the right flank of the Confederate Army, ordered by Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick, were easily repulsed, resulting in the death of Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth.

Kilpatrick had little experience in commanding cavalry, and he demonstrated that by attacking a fortified infantry position in piecemeal fashion. All three battalion advances were turned back with great losses. In the final, futile assault, Farnsworth was felled with multiple wounds. Prior to the engagement, Farnsworth allegedly said to General Fitzpatrick, “General, if you order the charge I will lead it, but you must take the awful responsibility.” Major William Wells, who led the charge with Farnsworth, received the Medal of Honor for leading what remained of their troops back to safety.

This South Cavalry Field scenario will be the prelude to the 3:00 p.m. Battle, “Farnsworth’s Heroic Charge” that will include infantry, artillery and cavalry. Don’t miss the excitement of thundering hooves and the clash of sabers during South Cavalry Field on Sunday, July 8^th – 11:00 a.m. at the 149^th Gettysburg Anniversary Battle Reenactment.

On the morning of July 3^rd, Union Calvary Corps Commander Major General Alfred Pleasanton ordered two of his brigades to the left flank of the Union army; he ordered Merritt’s and Kilpatrick’s divisions to move to the area southwest of Little Round Top. By this time, the only brigade available in Kilpatrick’s division was that of Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth.

At approximately 1:00 p.m., about the time of the massive Confederate artillery barrage beginning Pickett’s Charge, Farnsworth and his 1,925 troops took up a position in a line south of the Bushman farm. The Bushman Farm is located along South Confederate Avenue near the intersection of the Emmitsburg Road and at the base of Big Round Top. On the Confederate line to the east of the Emmitsburg Road, only confederate infantry and artillery troops were involved in the July 3^rd action. The four brigades of Hoods Division, under the command of General Evander Law, had occupied the area from Round Top, through Devils Den and back to the Emmitsburg Road. Ever since the battle on July 2^nd, General Law had the 1^st Texas Infantry facing Farnsworth; they were soon reinforced by the 47^th Alabama Infantry and then the 1^st South Carolina Artillery.

Merritt went in first with his 6^th Pennsylvania cavalry, fighting dismounted because of the ground and fortifications. Anderson’s Georgian’s easily repulsed them. It should have been obvious that the rebel defenders were dug in behind fortified stone fences and piles of fence rails. Mounted cavalry were even easier targets for the infantry rifles and within the sights of the confederate artillery batteries. Accounts vary, but it was later reported that Kilpatrick dared, or shamed Farnsworth, into making the charge that Farnsworth knew would be suicidal. Farnsworth was down to only ten troopers when he was felled by five bullets from the murderous fire.

While the third day cavalry action at East Calvary Field was considered a positive turning point for the U.S. Cavalry in the American Civil War, Kilpatrick’s ill-advised and poorly executed cavalry charge in the vicinity of South Cavalry Field, is remembered as the low point in history for the U.S. Cavalry. It also marked the final significant hostilities at Gettysburg. Enjoy the exciting conclusion of the 149^th Gettysburg Battle Anniversary reenactment on Sunday, July 8^th - 3:00 p.m.--when cavalry, infantry and artillery take to the field and stimulate all your senses in “Farnsworth’s Historic Charge.”

July 6-8, 2012 Battle Descriptions