Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-04-26

published. The Second went in first
and we went in at the same time. TIL
Second was leading, and we were fol
lowing right after them. They wer
marching by the flank When the,
swung into line, we swung into line, Oh
their left, and the nineteenth indians
joining on u.s.
"What time in the morning was this p
sit was about $50. They have it Their
on the map later, but put it at $3.50
The Second and the Seventh opened tn,
battle. None of the Seventh had gul
loaded, and when we took Archer's pc
sition we did it with the bayonet. TIL,
fact was we were not anticipating an,
reception of the kind, even Gen. Rev
nolds was surprised. We had M
chance to load until after we had cap
tured Archer's brigade. Some of th,
Second might have had their gun.
loaded, but in the Seventh not a cur
was loaded. After the first charge
however, we had a chance to load an,
kill some of them. That is the begin
ming of the battle. We remained Their,
until three o'clock in the afternoon
when Gen. Meredith sent an orderly t.
me, saying he was hit, and ordering m,
| to get the men out of that little end O
" in as good shape as possible. W.
moved back, by the right of companies
to the rear, until the men had loaded
then wheeled into line and fired, Their
back again, and again into line, ant
marched that way for mile, back tc
the Seminary. There we met some o.
the batteries, that were firing so low
that they hit some of our own men, anC
while trying to stop their firing L was
hit in the lung
"There couldn't then have been 6
possibility of any regiment being be.
fore the Second?''
San Illinois cavalry regiment had
been in there in the morning, acting as
skirmishers; but we passed them, and
went ahead a mile and half the other
side of Gettysburg. That was ALL
There couldn't have been any in.
fantry regiment ahead of the Second il
the fight?"
"None on earth! I'll swear to it
There couldn't have been any regi.
ment ahead. The Second led all the
troops that went in there. The Iron
Brigade went in first, long ways
ahead. In fact we didn't see any
other troops until afternoon. Then,
think, some Pennsylvania troops came
to us. But the Second Wisconsin was
the first infantry regiment TO open the
fight that day
MIR. A. G. Morse, Clerk of the Court
for this county, and who, as member
of the Seventh, was considerably more
than an interested spectator of the
events of that first day of July, 1868,
was next brought under the pump.
That's all a fact said Morse after
reading over the magic slip produced
by the scribe. '.The Second opened
the fight and we wentin on the Second s
right without Il load in our guns and
the first order we received was to fix
bayonets and charge
1.-The Second opened the fightp''
Eyes sir and not only that, but
members of the Sixth now living in
the county, will tell you that they
passed our rear when we opened the
Highland wenton to herailroad cut. Then
we charged down to the run and cap
tured the greater portion of Archer s
brigade and the rest were captured by
the Sixth in the railroad cut The
Second was the first to get the enemy
fire for they were in full view and when
the rebs saw us they hadn't anything
to give US. If it hadn't been for the
Second drawing their fire there are a
great many men in Grant county to-
day who would have staid there
That would seem to show, of itself,
who opened the fight
'Of course it does. Why it was q
surprise all around. Before we got to
the Seminary the bands were playing
just as they do at home on holiday
and the first thing we knew of any
trouble a shell came whizzing over.
Nobody thought there would be any
thing goingon We let down the fence
and the Second went in and it did get
cut up terribly. They lost a third oil
the regiment there, almost in the first
fire."
"You are sufe there was no infantry
troops before the Second?"
81 know it, just exactly as Otis says,
because we were ahead. No one
thought there was going to be any trou-
BILE. The bands were playing lively
airs and we were going into the city in
good shape. There is not bit of doubt
but Otis tells the truth. If old John
Burns, of Gettysburg, was alive, he
would tell you the same story"
"What time of day was it when the
fight opened?'
Between nine and len, we had march.
ed four or five miles and it was a;
pleasant and fresh a morning as you
would wish to see. Talk about Penn
sylvania regiments going in first. why
they went off and left their flag and
Major Richardson rode out and saved il
for them. Fact. they had planted theiI
colors and the color guard fell back
into line and when they fell back il
the afternoon they left their colors there
and Richardson galloped out and
brought them in for Them
just here Gen. Calls dropped in, anC
recalling the incidents of the day, sal,
that afterwards, at the unvailing of tbs
monument, at the request of Gen
Meade he pointed out to that officer thu
place where the fight began, and where
Archer brigade was captured, Mead,
after viewing the situation a few minute
sand, That was very hazardous move
ment Colonel, but it was the most for