News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-03-05
[Copyright by American z

wavering into a disastrous panic. In the
affair between Stuart and Gregg cavalry
met cavalry and struggled hand to hand
for the mastery. The hour was simultane-
GUS with that of Pickett's charge, and Stu
art was attempting to aid Pickett by a fire
in the rear of the Union line.
Since that time Gen. Gregg has resisted
every effort to draw the story from his pen,
and his lips remained closed until he met
the Count of Paris on the battlefield last
autumn and recounted the particulars.
He was marching on TO Gettysburg. he
said, on July 2, and his route led to the
right rear of Meade's army. He saw some
important points exposed to the COnfeder-
ates, guarded them until nightfall, skir-
mished with Lees infantry, put out pickets
and stationed artillery, and then reported
to headquarters. The instructions given
him for the next day, the Sd, were based
upon what he had reported about his action
of the ID, and he was told to go back and
hold the ground he had so wisely seized.
Gregg's force consisted of two brigades of
the Second cavalry division, as follows:
First brigade, Col. J. B. McIntosh-Third
Pennsylvania, First New Jersey, First
Maryland; Third brigade, Col. j. Irwin
Gregg-Sixteenth Pennsylvania, Fourth
Pennsylvania, First Maine and Tenth New
York. Company A, Purnell troop, Mary
land; Company A. First Ohio; Battery
E. First United States; NJ, Second United
States and a section of the Third Pennsyl-
vania artillery, were attached to the Sec
ond division The Second brigade, Third
division, was also serving with Gregg. 1t
was led by Col. George A. Custer, and con-
sisted of the First, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh
Michigan. The troops with Gregg, inclu-
ding Custer, numbered 5000 men.
About l O'Clock on the Sd an order came
from headquarters for Custer to rejoin his
division some miles away on the Union left
flank. His brigade at the moment was
deployed on the extreme front, a danger
point, and it was while relieving his men
by other troops that the action about to be
described was brought on. Gregg says
that when Custer came in in person from
the outpOsts he said, General, you'll have
IA fight here" Gregg then asked Custer to
stay, and he was well pleased to remain
Some of Stuart's troopers We're engaged
in Skirm4ShinE with CuEa~.3 men when
the attempt was made to relieve the latter.
Stuart had four brigades of cavalry and
three batteries, about 1000 men in all, and
his position was somewhat higher than
Gregg's and was well screened with woods
Between the two was an open space a mile
long and half Il mile wide, which soon be-
came bloody lane of strife. Gregg's bat
teries commanded the field.
The brigade of Col. Mcintosh had taken
position on the ground vacated by that of
Custer on retiring, and the carbine ammu-
milton of these men was exhausted in cop
ing with the enemy. When Clusters men
returned to relieve Mcintosh and resume
their place on the front line the Confed
crates began to force the fighting, and the
retiring men and their relief both had
10; L. f,,lI -
ginia regiment swept down from Stuart's
line along the open space, directing its
course upon Gregg's batteries. Near the
center of the field the Fifth Michigan of
Custer and the First New Jersey of McIn-
tosh stood in line across the pathway,
and not being able to withstand the Vir-
ginians separated in the middle, swinging
backward like double gates, and left a gap
for the enemy to dash thrOugh.