St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-02-22
Gettysburg Battle.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF A STAFF
OFFICER.


The personal experiences of officers
and prlvates who participated in the
late war are being recalled, and afford
highly entertaining and instructive
reading. We give to-day the expert
ences Of Major Jacob F. Slagle, of this
city, during the three days conflict at
Gettysburg, which resulted in so signal
victory for the Federal army. The
account which we publish is an extract
from letter written to a brother of Ma
jOr S., under date of September I3,
1868, in response to inquiries as to the
individual part which he had acted in
the memorable battle. Major Slagle
was on the staff of General Doubleday,
and the narrative of what he saw and
did is told without any attempt to make
1t thrilling ortO construct finely wrought
sentences.
The night of June Both we laid alone
four miles from Gettysburg, at a place
called Marsh Run. We received orders
to march early in the morning, and at
the same time General Doubleday was
ntoiied that General Reynolds assumed
command of the left wing, composed of
the First, Eleventh and Third corps,
and that General Doubleday should as
sumo command of the First Corps. The
First and Second Divisions were order
ed to proceed by the Emmetsburg road.
with three batteries of artillery, while
the Third Division took a side road
covering the left flank. The First Di-
vision had started before General
Dou bleday assumed command. | was
ordered back to bring up the artillery
and the Second Division. | went back
and got them started upon the road and
then rejoined the General, who was in
rear OF the First Division, the position
he usually took when on the march
commanding the corps. When we got
within mile, perhaps more, of Gettys-
burg, we heard cannOnading and we
then hurried up. Part of the First Di-
vision had halted in field to the left of
the road, nearly half mile from Get
tysburg. As soon as we got in that
field, Gen. Doubleday told me to take
across the country and find the Third
Dlvlslon and hurry it up, but as we did
not know exactly where the enemy was,
directed me to he cautious. | crossed
through the fields and woods for about
mile, when | struck the road which
they were upon, and after following
that about two miles found General
ROwley, gave him the orders and went
back. l went at a gallOp, and was not
long gone. When / returned | found
that the First Division had been sent
forward and part of it was in position
III the woods, where the fight COM
menced, and one Brigade was then eu-
gagged. The General then told me to
go back and send General Rowley up
double quick. His advance guard had
arrived on the field and was near the
woods and the road, about where the
brick house and barn were burned. |
was told to stop and put them in posi-
ton as l went down for ROwley, and |
put them on the ridge, about half way
across the open fields in front of the
seminary, then went back and found
that General Rowley had been turned
OF the road and taken up through the
fields. l turned around and came back
and found that he had got upon the
ground, and his second brigade was en-
gagged on the right of the woods, and
were driving the enemy, who had got
over the brow of the hill near a little
house and barn, to the right of the
woods. We drove them back hand
somel y. About this time the Second
Division came on the ground, and was
sent back to tell them to halt in the
woods, to the left of the Seminary, to
be held IN reserve. just at this time it
was announced to General Doubleday
that General Reynolds had been killed.
He then had to take the whole respon-
sIbIllty, which he felt very much. He
was not informed of Reynolds plans.
However, he said all he could do was to
fight until he got sufficient information
to form his own plans. We, the Cen
eral and staff, took our position in the
woods in front of the seminary. When
| speak of "front," ''rightn or cleft l.
OF course, use the words in reference to
our position in line of battle.
The Eleventh Corps came on the
ground about this time and General
Howard assumed command of the two
corps, and ordered General Doubleday
to hold the ground to the last man. At
ter we had driven them back, the reb-
els kept up the attack upon our right,
and as they moved up of course we had
to lengthen our line, and finally we had
placed the whole of the Second Divis-
lou in the line, and had but one brig
ade in reserve.
From about ii o'clock to there was
little fighting on our left. | was sent
out to see the position of Col. Stones
brigade, and went to the front of the
lines and came back and reported.
About this time the rebels got battery
on our right, and were throwing shells
across the field. 1t WAS then reported
tlat they were moving up to outflank
us Oh the left, and | was sent across to
change the position of General RowIey's
troops to the left of the road. moved
them over, and as soon as | oot hacl,
Ghe General sent me to return them to
thelr former position, all the time tbe
battery on our right was shellinp us
nght lively. Their shells fell ar0und
me, out none touched. | was then sent
10 hnd Colonel Wainwright, who was
supposed to be at a battery which was
IN the open field l had hardly oot
pack, when | was sent to Geparai
w ardsworth, First Division. who was
me centre of our corps. He told me
'nat Cnere was vacant space between
our right and the Eleventh Germs
winch L reported to Gen. DoubIedaW
ana he ordered the only brigade We
nad IN reserve to go and take that no
sltion, and told me to go to Gen. How
ara and report the fact, and fell hin,
'hat we were in danger of being fIankad
l'nu I'i needed that brigade, and asked
HlHl lh 10 SEND brigade to relieve if. Nv
,u,s Ii,ne we were engaged along our
Mhole line. L went to the town and no
que could tell me where Howard was
| was directed to go to the north of
Lown. ~ l. went, and could not find him
ouC nnaiiy found Major who was go'
ng 10 see him, and went with him to
me cemetery and deliyered ~. w