Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-05-03
More From Gettysburg.

More From Gettysburg.
A copy of The HERALD containing
the interview had with Gen. Calls and
A. G. Morse, in relation to the opening
of the fight at Gettysburg, was sent by
Prof. Wood to Prof. Bates of Meadville,
Pa, state historian of Pennsylvania.
The following communication was re-
ceived in reply:
"That article is all bosh. Cutters
brigade was the first to 60 into position
and Col. Hoffman's regiment, of Phila-
delphia. seth Pa, opened the fight.
That is well settled. But Cutters bri-
gade stood on different part of the
field, north of the Chambersburg pike
and the railroad cut. The Iron Bri-
gade came next south of the pike But
| cannot see as 1t is of any moment
which fired first. The Iron Brigade
fought too well on that field to care
about time. No Drawer troops stood on
that field than the End Wis. The old
guard of Napoleon never fought better.
The Iron Brigade made magnificent
fight, bold, successful, well manouvered;
it was absolutely the best fighting done
on that field"
With the above communication in
hand HERALD representative waited
on Mr.. Alex. lvey, at the time of the
fight at Gettysburg Sergeant in Co. F,
9TH Wis, but now prominent and sue
cessful merchant of Lancaster. After
he had perused the card fire was opened
"What is your impression about the
opening of that fight?"
II always supposed the Iron Brigade
fired the first gun. 1t might have been
SO close that it was hard to tell''
THAT brigade was at the head of the
column that morning, was it not?''
Eyes"
''And the Second at the head of the
brigade?"
81 think it was. You see was Ser
geant of the brigade guard in the fight
that day, looking after stragglers. so that
we were in the rear of the brigade. My
impression was though that the Second
went in first. Just as they opened fire
we saw a string of rebels skulking
across into the railroad cut which was
about quarter of mile to the right
and the Sixth regiment with two COM
panies of the brigade guard were
wheeled about and started against them
to prevent flank fire."
Here rough diagram was drawn
and Mr.. Ivey continuing said, "We
were marching along here and when
we came to this point we went right off
with the Sixth, that is the brigade
guard"
WAS there any other brigade to the
right of you?"
mo sir. If there was it must have
been long ways ahead"
"How could any brigade have gotten
a long ways ahead?"
Il don't think there was any there.
l think we were on the extreme right
Those fellows might have went in around
here-indicating but don't think it.
| don't think Prof. Bates onght to put
| in that word sbosh,' as | believe the
Second opened the fight. What makes
me more certain that there was no
| brigade in front of us as we charged
the railroad cut, or to the extreme
| right, is that the rebels had battery
stationed on rise of ground some dis
lance back of the cut. | was wounded
before we reached the cut and four OF
the drum corps run in and dumped me
on blanket and started to carry me
Off While they were doing this, one
gun from that battery opened fire on
our little group and covered us with
dirt two or three times. Now if there
had been any brigade over there to the
right, they would have had their hand:
full without firing at party carving
off wounded man. They afterward.
fired some shots at a little brick hous,
behind where the wounded were car
ried Certainly if there had been {
brigade of troops in front of them the,
could not have been able to turn thei
attention in our direction
| With this corrobative link the re
porter withdrew.