Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1914-01-16
'0 WAR
HHHan!s:,cHI:'ygZHss .
FIRST TO SEE cONFEDERATES
Boston Man Sighted Approach of Van
guard of Army of Virginia.
Brought Out the Reserves.

Thomas Benton Kelley, the custo-
| dian of the rooms OF the Vermont as
ISOLATION of Boston, sighted the APP
proach of the vanguard of the Army
of North Virginia, gave the alarm
which brought up the reserves, and
| saw the first shot fired in the battle
of Gettysburg.
Mr. Kelley served as a private in
Company E. Eighth Illinois cavalry.
| Born in Vermont, he went to Illinois
when boy with his father. who was
boyhood friend of Stephen A. Douglas.
| Kelley had met Abraham Lincoln i'll
| Chicago in 1856, and had attended
| the famous debates between Lincoln
and Douglas, and had become an
| ardent follower of Lincoln. He en-
| listed in a company commanded by
! his uncle, who was not only one of
| the strongest men in Illinois of his
| day, but was a notable swordsmaa.
Our cavalry reached Gettysburg
| two days before the Union infantry"
| said Mr. Kelley, speaking Of his ex-
periences in that battle. ION the
| morning of July l detail from our
| regiment was on picket duty watching
the approach by the Chambersburg
| pike.
Il was posted at six a. M. on July l
with Private James o. Hale of our
company by Sergeant Levi S. Shafer.
We were on high ground between Will
ioughby Run and Cashtown creek.
About ten minutes after we went
ON duty Hale and | noticed a thin
! cloud of dust rising about two miles
away. In few minutes we could dis
Germ dark cloud extending about
mile and a half. We watched the
cloud coming nearer for about 40 min
utes and then we saw what we be-
heved was the head of the Confeder-
ate line making its way out to the
pike in the vicinity Of Cashtown
creek.
When we finally made out the
Confederate flag in advance | looked
for Sergeant Shafer, as it was my
duty to report to him. He was not
in sight and | did not wish to lose
the advantage we had in occupying
the high ground. | wanted to get the
reserves up in time to hold that
ground against the Confederates.
so | felt justified in leaving my
post. and after telling Private Hale
to tell Sergeant Shafer that the John
MES were coming | galloped back to
where the reserves were camped.
Lieut.. Marcellus e. Jones was in
command of this small force about As
rods in the rear. When l gave him the
message he snatched his bride rein
from the limb of a sapling, vaulted in
to the saddle and ordered the relief.
! composed of two troops, to rush to the
outpost
when we reached the post Ser
| geant Shafer and Private Hale were
| there. Lieutenant Jones' after scan
ming the approaching Confederates.
took Sergeant Skaters carbine and
stepping to the rail fence rested the
barrel in a crotch. The head OF the
column was then within range and
Lieutenant Jones picked out man
riding a large gray horse just at the
left of the colors. He aimed at him
and fired, but | do not think he hit
| him.
This was the opening shot of the
battle of Gettysburg. Immediately the
Confederate column halted, and line
of skirmishers was thrown out Only
a few minutes had elapsed since /
gave the alarm, but we had been
reinforced by our cavalry, and we sent
out skirmishers.
Our command was ordered to dis
mount and our horses were sent to
the rear. In 10 or ~ minutes the bat
tie was on in earnest.
I'VE fought the Confederate dis
mounted cavalry while waiting for the
infantry to come up to reinforce us,
and although we were outnumbered
five to one we held our ground for
time. We were forced back slowly,
but we kept on firing as we retreated.
BY this time the action was general.
After we were relieved by the in
fantry our regiment was ordered to
take the prisoners back and deliver
them to the provost marshal. We did
so and after that we supported the In
fantry, taking care of the left flank
movement OF our infantry"