The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-05-29
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Chr Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
The :. Wisconsin at Ge.trsburg.
Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
To us Of the I'd Wisconsin infantry it looks /
very much as though the 56th Pennsy wanna /
had no foundation on which TO base their claim /
OF having begun the infantry lighting at Get |
tysburg except Gen. Culers letter to Gov. /
Curtin written four months after the battle. /
Gen Holman in his letter, published in your
paper March Goth, takes it for granted that the
letter referred TO is a convincing argument ana
cannot be eainsaid. AS this communication is
made up largely Of extracts, VIII at once
pitch in.
The Adiu.ant-Gene OF Wisconsin, in his
report for 1865. says: They lthe Iron Brigade
arrived on the Both at Marsh Creek, IN Adams
county, Pa. At early hour on the LIST OF
July they moved cautiously ia the direction OF
Gettysburg. When within mile of that place
they turned to the leit unaerorders 10 advance
TO the support Of Gen. Buiord's cavalry, then
hard pressed by the eAemys advance on the
Casht0wn road. The ID Wisconsin having that
day the lead of the marching column, first met
the enemy lHeth's division of a. i. Hills
corps. The regiment came into line on the
double-qnick behind slight elevation, and,
without waiting for the rest Of the brigade to
form, advanced over the crest, receiving vol
ley which cut down over thirty per cent. Of
the rank and file After a conflict Of less than
half an hours duration, the rebels entirely
abandoned the field, leaving upwards OF so
prisoners, including Gen. Archer, IN the hands
OF the brigade"
Col. George II. Otis, or whom the command
Of the regiment devOlved on the afternoon OF
the LIST bat who at the time was captain of
company !, in his history of the regiment,
written IN 1850. says: /" Gen. Wadsworth was IN
command Of our (the 1st) division, which led
the corps,-the Iron Brigade under Gen. Mere
dith IN the advance, Ia the following order;
ID Wisconsin, 9TH Wisconsin, 18th Indiana
Oath Miuhigan and 9th Wisconsin. / am thus
particular il giving the position OF the regi-
ments as we marched upon the field, III order
TO disabuse the prevailing opinion that Penn
sylvania troops were the fiIst into the fight.
In PennsylvaI Sm told, that it is the boast
Of pulpit ora and sthers Of their distin-
guished citiz TO lay claim 10 the honor of
being the first ipon the field Of that memorable
battle. Nothing is further from the truth. The
Iron Brigade, and the % regimentOf Wisconsin
volunteers leading that brigade, was the first
of the infantry forces TO strike blow in the
battle Of Gettysburg, without wait
ing for the balance Of the brigade TO form for its
support or even hating to load, but loading as
ii advanced. When the I'd regiment
reforms on Culp's Hill and lies down to rest on
their arms for the night, there are but sixty
three Of the three hundred and two who
marched MP in the morning to open the battle"
Coming from the source it does, the above
must be considered strong evidence.
COlOaa d. b. Daily, OF Council Blafs, Iowa,
who, IN the battle, was a lieutenant IN COM
81. 1854: j know, as well as i know that
am living. that there was not a shot fired from
q musket In the hands Of an infantrynan until
our regiment took the place of Bufond's cav
airy, and We engaged General Archer's brigade
OF Heths division. 1t is conceded, l think, by
al the Confederate accounts have read OF the
commencement Of the battle, that General
Archer was first engaged"
Colonel Daily was by request Of General
Hoffman, assigned in February, 1860 10 the
command of the 147th New York
Hon. @. NJ. Woodward, member of Con-
gress from Wisconsin, was at that time an aid
on the stat Of General Meredith, our brigade
commander He wrote me a year ago as fol-
lows: :" rode at the head Of the brigade with
General Meredith. i am now prepared TO
swear that, unless ] am insane and have for
gotten everything / ever knew, there were no
troops ahead Of US. The infantry fighting at
Gettysburg commenced. and commenced only,
when the ID Wisconsin swung IN on the double
quick, between the battery Bufords light ar
tiilery) and Hetbis division OF the rebels. ]
would like TO know h0w the devil any Of the
other trOOFis-th0se Of Cutters brigade FOR in
stance-coUld have become engaged before we
did, when they were behind Us ali the way
and had 70 90 nearly, il moi quite, half mile
farther than we did-of TO our right-to visit
our battlefield. ] am entirely satisfied that no
infantry was engaged on that day sooner than,
or as soon as the ID Wisconsin" Such evil
dence coming from a staff officer, ought to be
considered convincing.
General John B. Calls. Of Lancaster. Wis,
who, IN 1854 was colonel of the TIN VISION
sin. writes: {" / wiz furnish my full indorse-
ment OF the fact that the I'd Wisconsin, under
Colonel Eairchild, was tie first infantry that
met the enemy on the 1st Of July, 1862, al Get
tysburg, and that the lib Wisconsin was next
on the Left OF the I'd, and so on. / think
know more about that fight than any field OIL
Ger Of our brigade, up to three and half OF
four O'Clock in the afternoon. If i can add
anything 70 Substantial the facts for the truth
Of history. l shall be glad to do so. ] want
The truth 10 be told, especially about the Piv
otal Battle Of the war"
By referring 70 the Official map Of the frs
days fight, every one must admit that at le.1;
a. m, the time the battle was opened by the IN
iantry, The ID Wisconsin was the closest 10 ths
enemy's lines-much nearer than any regi
ment Of CBller's brigade.
Captain Pierce, Of the 1z7th New York, says
The lst brigade was in cur rear and conse
ouentiy Oh our left when thrown forward int,
line Of battle" II that was So wiil be pleas,
explain how il happened that the LIST brigade
had 10 advance farther than the % did beior'
striking the enemy lie also conveys tn
idea that the LIST brigade camped at or nea
Lmmittsburgh the night Of june 30, but tn
fact is, they camped at Marsh Creek, severa
miles IN advance Of the ID brigade, and. uude
the circumstances, i is not probable the-
would have remained in camp until the latte
passed. just then time was too precious Z
waste On the question Of whose turn il was L
lead and no doubt General Reynolds ordere
the troops forward without any thought O
who should be on the right that day. All "
ask for is orr just dues, and when shown b,
good proof that we are il the wrong We vii
submit with good grace. but the evidence mus
be something more substantial than any We
offered. +. l. PHILLIPS
Company 4, I'd Wisconsin Inf
MADISON. WIS.