The National tribune., 1909-09-09

Y
THE 55Tf OHIO AT GETTYSBURG.
Watching the Battle From Cemetery
Hill.
Editor National Tribune: I wish to
contribute a few items as l saw and
experienced them relating to the move
ments of the Second Brigade, Second
Division, Eleventh Corps. composed of
! the SD Mass, 136th n. Y, 73d and
55th Ohio, from the evening of June 80,
near Emmitsburg. to the close of July
| I, 1863, at Gettysburg.
The 55th Ohio went into camp with
! the brigade near Emmitsburg on the
evening of June 80. AT about 10 p. m
! the 55th Ohio was rounded up and
marched in devious and mystifying di-
rections-it seemed nearly two miles
and were halted in q wood, not on but
I presumably near a road, and ordered
to remain there for the night No one
to sleep and to keep still: no loud talk
ing and to listen for any unusual sounds
that might indicate the movements OF
an enemy. We must have been a de-
tached general picket for the corps. or
something of that import. Soon after
we had received our orders nearly all
the officers camped down and went to
sleep. Later all of them did so, leaving
the companies in command of the junior
officers
| About ] a. IN. man on foot, in citi-
zen's dress, appeared, and up to about
a. m 1 think four or five had arrived.
tAli were told they would be detained
until morning, as they might be spies
iof the enemy. This in no manner seemed
to disconcert them. and all said they
were looking for our army to give in
formation from the enemy. They told
US there were riders on the Chambers
burg, Carlisle and York roads; also
| men on foot going across lots and thru
the woods. carrying information into
\ Gettysburg. and in the same manner
they at Gettysburg were trying to reach
our army with all the Information OBJ
tainable. Tie riders were in danger of
being Intercepted by rebel cavalry, and
some of them were This made a very
1 good courier service for the benefit OF
our army. l was a wide-awake listener
to their stories until morning.
| Awhile: after sunrise these men
'lunched'' with US; thought it very
| crude" but they were hungry. After
lunch they were conducted to some
! headquarters Of the corps by single
guard.
About 8 a.. m. we fell in, marched
some 10 minutes, when We found the
Second Brigade coming into road we
had reached and marched in It's rear.
This brigade marched in rear of the
4 CDTpS tloF udy- we fldNlHS TAKEN IHe
| ''cue" duising the night, were sure there
might be something doing" in the
vicinity OF Gettysburg before night, and
| about 9:3D to 10 a. m. we were sure of
ii. as cannon could be distinctly heard.
Before reaching Gettysburg the bri-
Igade crossed from the Taneytown road
to the Baltimore pike. The last mile or
lmore of tits march was at double-quick,
during which we halted, and opened
franks for b battery to go thru us on the
run unde5 the lash. We reached the
cemetery gate by way of this pike, filed
into the cemetery thru the gate, halted,
faced west, our then right just inside
the gate, eur line running nearly south
thru the cemetery. Here We remained
in line. Our knapsacks on the ground
until near night, in plain view of the
battle wess. northwest and north of the
town. Here, about p. m, after his
historic interview and order to Orlando
Smith, our brigade commander. Han
cock, first appeared to us, asked for our
Colonel Campbell and said: Colonel,
want you to hold this line right here"
The Colonel saluted Snd answered: It
will do it, sir" Hancock turned To the
regiment. threw up one arm full length,
tiemen. j want you to hold this line if
all - comes" We threw up our caps
and shouted: I'VE will, General"
This conversation took place about 20
feet from where ] stood Soon after
this, or about this time. Coster's Bri-
gaoe. Second Division, Eleventh Corps,
was sent north of the town to cover the
retreat of the First and Third Divisions,
Eleventh Corps, the First Corps having
also started TO retreat.
On our arrival at the cemetery the
33d Mass. was detached to support a
battery on the north side of the pike. on
northeast Cemetery Hill, and finally
1 f,rHnniGI a nnCitinn xtho 10
known as SteVens's Knoll. This left the
balance of our brigade alone in the
cemetery except two of three batteries.
We soon received orders, and were
marched out at the gate back the way
we came and around TO the south end
OF the cemetery. and as we came up in
sight again and into our former line
were ordered to cheer at the very ron
of our voices at intervals of a minute or
: two. This process continued without
halting until we had made the circuit
four or five times. many too hoarse 10
3 yell any more. We were finally halted
on our former line. and, the retreating
forces coming in pretty freely, we were
! soon thereafter marched west to the
2 east side of the Taneytown road and
l east side OF the Emmitsburg road end
: ing at the Baltimore pike. The right OF
the bath Ohio was at the pike, the bri-
j gaze continuing thence south to the
crossing of these roads, thence south
:. along the Taneytown road. the I36th
!, N Y. on the left
e As the troops in retreat came up a
:. second line was formed about half way
f up the slope to the cemetery in our
. rear, in which also more artillery was
= being placed. The stone fence behind
h which we were posted, at my company
II UJ. was on bank some four feet high
: er than the road. At the center of my
:. company the dirt from the road to the
k fence and about SO feet south had beer
e taken away. leaving at the north end a
u straight bank from fence to road.
: Sharpsheoters occupied houses on our
:. right front; were picking off our men
S and officers. We made a barricade OF
s stone about four feet high, half-moon
/ shape, fOr the protection of Colonel and
e staff. few feet in rear of right of Co
: l. Finally brass siy-pounder cannon
t was brought down the road from the
e south by hand. placed at the north
bank OF The excavation and fired a shell