The National tribune., 1892-10-27
AT GETTYSBURG.
Another Comrade Thinks the Iron Brigade
Opened the Battle.


TN the issue of Dec. 81, 1891. read the
communication of T. Benton Kelley, Co.
E. 9Th Ill. Cav, and / agree with him.
that while there are yet living witnesses
to tho opening of the Battle of Gettysburg, let
the truth come out, both in regard to the in
fantry as well as the cavalry.
l have read in The NATIONAL TRIBUNE at diff
ferent times about such and such regiment OF
infantry being the first to commence the fight at
Gettysburg OIL the part of the infantry, that 1t
has made me just little bit tired of the as
sumption, for it is nothing else, and think
that Comrade Kelley, of the Sth III. Cav, is in
the right IN regard to his regiment being the
first cavalry regiment to commence the action
on the part of the cavalry,
In his communication he says: About l0:20
q. m. the first advance of tho infantry reached
the rise of ground in front of the Seminary, near
the woods at the left of the pike" Further on:
"Let no one say they opened the battle from
any other point for no rebels came TO dettys.
burg on any other road until near 1870 a. m:
Now, the infantry spoken of by Comrade
Kelley was the advance of the Iron Brigade,
composed of the Cd. 9Th, 7th Wis. 18TH lnd.,
and oath Mich; the I'd Wis. being in the lead
that morning. Just after we had passed the
Seminary, i'll gully, we passed the horses Oh
the Sth III. Cav, and just after we had passed
them and got to the top of the knoll we formed
regiment by company to the left" AS l was
the Second Sergeant of the company that morn
ing, every man that has had any experience III
service knows that ut such a c0mnGnd pelhg
given the duty Scrgeant's place was to get on
the line and reverse his musket so that the
Captain of Co. L could continue the formation
of the regiment. This did, as can prove by
numbers of my comrades living at present
time.
At this time number of the cavalry boys
asked permission to fall in our ranks, and 1t
was accorded and they went down the hill with
u.s. This was near 1890 a. ID. and the only
infantry Oh the field and in line was the I'd
Wis. 1.-THE rest of the brigade got into position
as fast as they could), and il may be recorded
as 4 fact right here that the I'd Wis. las the
comrades of the 7th Wis. sayl commenced the
fight on the part of the infantry; and think
that all my old comrades will join with me in
SAYING there was no other infantry either TO
the right or left of our brigade at the COM
niencement, as the Iron Brigade had moved al
a sharp quickstep from the time we filed OIL the
road to the left about a mile from the town,
near Codcri's House.
A special in the New York Tribune at that
time and taken from History oath Mich. IN
Iron Brigade" describes the event: Gen. Key
nolds had ridden into the angle OF wood, a
bow shot from the Seminary, and cheers the
Iron Brigade as they wheel on the flank for a
charge. Like Il great fail of steel they swing
into the shadows with q hnrrah That is terri
bic low, crouching by his horses head, the
General peeps into the depths of the grove
Boom from the oaken rccesses breaks hail
storm Of lead, and Reynolds. with the word o.
command upon his tongne. falls forward. The
architect OF the battle has fallen dead across it:
portal Across the bronx and up the hil GU
from the wooded ravine, two jagged ares Leaf
in sight. Huzza! From the skirts of the OAK
The great doubc-dco.s Of the Iron Brigade shu
together with slam rs if of coliding mount
aims. folding between them 1,J00 rebel prison
crs Of war"
The record of the old Cd Wis speaks for it
self, from the time Of its first baptism under
fire on the 18th of July, 1851, ut Blackburn
Ford or Bull Run, when we made the attempt
to take Manassas Junction, MP to the time o.
Lees surrender at Apponattox. without need
of exciting envy Gcn. Lysander Cutier's
statement that the 56!h Pa, oil the Second Bri
cade was he first 80 commence the fight at the
battle of Gettysburg sill not hold good. Nc
dscredit to the 56th, who were as brave regi
mcut as any, but as Coinrade Kelley says
- Let the truth come out SO say /.
In closing Will say that was i'll the detail to
report the prisoners 10 the Provost Guard in
| Gettysburg. aud tall, cd with Gen. Archer I'M
til we arrived in tho streets of gettysburg, and
the prisoners were turned over to Lieut.. Walter
! Caldwell, Of the 9Th Y. Y. Cav / served with
Co. A. I'd Wis, from tho time Of muster-in a
Madison until its consolidation in the 9th Wis.
and then member of Co. q of that resi
ment until mustered ont ut Jacksonville. Ind.
on 18th of July lS6J.-FR8DERIcK G. WATER
MAN, Co. A, % Wis, Waterloo Ind.