The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-05-30
GETTYSBURG.
Gen. j. u. Sweitzer's brigade in the
Fearful Struggles of the Second Day.

UEl 4 SDN iS1.
Cen. j. II. SweItzer's brigade in th'
Fearful Struggles of the Second Day.
Editor National Tribune: I read
with considerable interest the article Of
Comrade Plat "On Little Round Top.
Every true soldier viii give The gallant
Vincent and his brigade credit for tho
heroic work done on The Mount al Get
tysburg. But there are others. There
is enough of glory 10 so all around
The heroism and unil;ncaing Drawer,
shown by both sides in that great bat
tie are imperishable memories of tbs
civil war.
i. however take decided exception 10
the reference TO Col. Sweitzer as being
absent from his brigade. ComradC
Piatt quotes the statement from pre-
vious article published III The National
Tribune, of which Comrade West was
the author. Not having seen the West
article, I can only so By the reference.
The trouble is. many men who at
tempt to write the history of battles 40
years after they occur rely more on
fading memory than on facts.
Soldiers of the line who were in their
proper places during an engagement
had little time or opportunity to observe
What took place on other portions of the
field.
Col. ]. Bowman SweitZer commanded
the Second Brigade, First Division
Fifth Corps, from May, 1863, until July
3, 1854, when relieved to be mustered
out with his regiment by reason Of eX-
piration of term of service.
l want to say with all the emphasis
at my command that any statement to
tins effect Col. SweitZer was absent from
his brigade at any time during the bat
tie of Gettysburg is absolutely untrue.
Such statements coming long after the
pr ominent actors of the war have gone
10 their final rest is an unwarranted as
sumption of the freedom of speech
which no true American soldier SHOULD
indulge in. The memory of brave men
who performed their duty in the try
:ng times of war should be sacred 10
every patriot of the Republic.
There was no more competent and
faithful officer or gallant soldier in the
service than Brevet Brighten. ]. Bow
man Sweitzer. The fact that his horse
was shot under him and the crown OF
his hat laid open by 4 mimic ball while
in the Wheatfield is some evidence that
he was not far from his brigade while
it was engaged in that whirlpool OF
the battle
Permit me, Mr.. Editor. to quote from
my address delivered Sept. IL, 1889. al
the dedication of the monument of the
62d Regiment Pa. Vols, located in the
Wheatfield at Gettysburg, which will
give the operations of Sweitzer's Br;.
gade from July 1st until the close OF
the battle:
Gen. Lees movements north were
closely followed. Three days before the
battle Gen. Meade assumed command
of the Army of the Potomac. The Union
forces pushed forward into Pennsylva-
MIA, and in the morning, July 1, the
ene.ny's skirmishers were encountered
at Marsh Creek, near the Chambers
burg Pike. on which Gen. Hills Corp!
vas moving east. severe battle wa.
fought, in which the Federal troop:
were overpowered and driven back al
ell points, in considerable disorder.
About 4 O'Clock Gen. Hancock arriv.
ed on the field and directed the move.
ments for the final stand that wa.
made on East Cemetery Hill. On the
report of Gen. Hancock, Gen. Meade
decided to order up the remainder o.
the army for general battle at Get
tysburg. Orders were sent out hurry
ing forward all the troops. The Fifth
Corps, after a long and wearisomt
march, reached Hanover about
o'clock in the evening. At this poin
news of the battle reached us, and We
were asked to press forward to the as
sistance of our comrades at the front
The march was continued until aftel
midnight, when the Second Brigade
turned into a grove, about five miles
from the battlefield. for a short rest. Ar
incident occurred while on this nigh
march that illustrated the strong attach
ment and abiding confidence the troop
still had for their first commander
Word was passed along the line tina
Gen. Mcclellan was again in command
and awaited the arrival of his old bat
talions at Gettysburg. This announce
mcnt caused unbounded enthusiasm, an'
to that extent contributed to the vic
tory that followed.
On the Battlefield.
With the first flush OF day the brigad
was again IN motion. and reached IN
battlefield about o'clock. The divi5
ion was massed in 4 field not far fror
VOLTS Hill. on the right of our iin'
We then moved some distance to tn
left, crossed Rock Greek to the from
and massed in the orchard just abov
the bridge on the Baltimore Turnpik.
There was nothing to indicate the ter
riblc contest soon to shake the eartf
Everything was quiet till the middle q
the afternoon. But ii was the calm be
fore a storm. About 4 o'clock the bal
tie opened with undated fury on tn
left.
The lines of the Third Corps, Ger
Sickles commanding, extended from Tn
Codori house, on the right along tn
Emmitshurg road to the Peach Or
chard. then bending back were contin
ued to the base of Round Top. TIL
engagement commenced with a dete,
mined effort to turn the Union left {
Devils Den. Hoods and McLaws's al
visions advanced TO the attack. and III
action rapidly extended along the lin
until the entire position of the Thir
Corps was furiously asailcd- Reinforce
nents were called for. Gen. Barnes
Division of the Fifth Corps was III
first to respond, and moved over tt
fields left in front, in the direction
the woods near where Gen. Zook
monument now stands. When the hea
of the column came across the Tan,
town road Gen. Warren met ii, and l
permission of Gen. Barnes. detached III
Third Brigade and conducted IL to Ii
lie Round Top, where IT had a terrif
struggle with portion of Hoods d
vision for the mastery. In this confi
the gallant Vincent fell. but his brigat
held its ground. The rest of the divisic
proceeded to the LOOP" Col. Swei
zer's brigade in advance. The thr'
regiments formed in line of battle: II
32d Mass. on the left. in the positic
indicated by its tent-shaped monumel
and markers; the ed in the center. ar
the 4th Mich. on the right. The 81
Mass. was absent on picket duty. tt
FRS Brigade formed iii the woods flu
ther to the right. The enemy was 500
discovered advancing over the 10