The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-20
HFTH'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR
BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG
Colonel T. M. R. Talcott Cites Important Letter
Showing How Engagement Was
Brought On.

~ Olls
cumstancc determined the battle OF
Gettysburg being fought at Gettysburg
1T is well known that General Meade
tad chosen another point as his battle
field.
on the cath of June, 1869. General
Lees army was disposed as follows:
Longstreetsts Corps at or near Cham
bersburg; Ewell's Corps. which had
been pushed east as far as York, had
received orders to counteranarch anu
concentrate on Hills Corps. which lay (
on and at the base of South Mountain; !
the leading division tHcth's) occupy
ing Cashtown, at the base Of the
| from. probably at or near Car
| Isle. Hearing that supply of shoes
was 70 be obtained In Gettysburg,
!. eight miles distant from Cashtown, and
| greatly needing shoes for my men.
/ directed General Pettigre-w to go to
| Gettysburg and get these supplies
pettigrew's Move on Ge4;!sbnrS.
ON the goth of June General Petit
4 grew with his brigade went near Get
| tysburs, but did not enttsr the town,
returning the same evening to Cash
J town, reporting that he lad not car
ried out my orders. as GestysbIrg was
occupied by the enemY's cavalry. and
/ that some of his officers reported hear
ing drums heating on the, farther side
of the town; that under these circum-
4 stances he did not Geen it advisable
to enter Gettysburg. AT this time Cen
erai Hill rode up and this information
I was given him. He remarked 'rhe
only force at Gettysburg is cavalry
probably a detachment OF observation
III am Just from General Lee. and the
:, Information he has from his scouts cor
!. rohorates that I have received from
mine--that is the enemy are still a.
Mi6dleburg, and have not yet struct
their tents" I then said. If there is nc
: objection. / will take MY division to-
!. morrow and go to Gettysburg and ge
: those shoes. Hill replied None il
the world"
), Hcth's Command advances.
!, on July moved nsy division from
: C,ashtown. in the direction of Gettys
:. burg, reaching the heights. a mill
y (more or less) from this town. about
:, o'clock A. NJ. No opposition had bee
- made and no enemy discovered. Will
~ the division was coming up / place
!. several batteries in position and shelle'
:. the woods to the right and left of tn
=,
!. gades were then deploTed TO the RICH
- and left of the railroad leading int
~ Gettysburg, and, with the railroad q
w a point of direction, were ordered
" advance and occupy Gettysburg. Thes
- brfsades on moving forward 500
I'll struck the enemy, watch proved to
= Reynoldss Corps OF the Federal arm!
and were driven back with some los
-, This was the first intimatinn that GEL
~ ~ eral Lee had that the enemy had move
" from the point he supposed him to o
:. =, cupy, possibly thirty miles distant
Position oIe July 1.
- My division was 1hen formed in
~ wooded ravise to the right of the ra
~, road. the ground rising in front al
49,, In rear. The enemy was evidently
IA force in my front. General Rod
w. commanding division of Ewells Cor
- en- route to CashtoNyn, was followi
'.a. road running north OF Gettysbu1
rhr Rodes hearing the firing at Gettysbu1
80 raced by the left flank and approach
val the town. He soon became heavily 6
Ma gagged, and seeing tlNs sought for a
-, found General Lee, saying to the sc
ar. aral ''Rodes is very, heavily cngag
,1nt had not better att:rck?' General L
ne. replied mo. am not prepared
NV bring on q general engagement to-d;
i.v Lonestreat is not Mf.'
, non Returning to my division soon d
,,sh covered that the enemy were now
ko troops to my front and pushing til
aon against Rodes. / reported this fact
In General Lee and again requested to
us permitted to attach Permission y
ex- given. My division numbered SO
.es- seven thousand muskets. i found in
not front heavy skIrmish line and I
an, lines of battle. My division swept o
cor, these without hnEing. My loss
sjve severe, In Twenty-Five minutes 1
tbe ~ TOO men. killed and wounded,
tha last | saw or remember of this ds
~. fight was seeing the enemy In my III
Completely and utterly routed, and
division in hot pursuit. 1 was t
f,ct shot and remained insensible for 81
y ~ Had Cavalry Been There
con. Had our cavalry been in post
,rs.,, General Lee would have known of T
1ant. noldss approach in the direction
.han Gettysburg twenay-four hours be
,ann this corps reached Gettysburg. {
' ao.. sral Lee could and probably would,
~ ! he known tho en,smy were in mot
cir. have occupied Gelttysburg on tho