page_title: Erasmus Corwin Gilbreath
section_title: Gettysburg
hierarchical_section_title: Erasmus Corwin Gilbreath / 20th Indiana Volunteer Regiment / Gettysburg
caption_attribution_description: 20th Indiana Infantry Monument, Slocum Avenue, Gettysburg Battlefield.
context_page_description: Erasmus Corwin Gilbreath was a major in the United States Army who began his 37-year career as a first lieutenant in the 20th Indiana Volunteer Regiment. Gilbreath was involved in numerous battles during the American Civil War, such as Gettysburg and bearing witness to the battle between the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor, the American Indian Wars, in which he helped establish Fort Custer, and the Spanish–American War. Gilbreath is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife, Susan, and daughter, Etta.
context_section_description: Further Information: Battle of Gettysburg
  On July 1, General Birney ordered the 20th Indiana to Gettysburg.  They had been camped between Taneytown and Bridgeport. The regiment arrived at 10:30 at night, taking positions along the right side of Cemetery Hill.
  As part of General Daniel Sickle's III Corps, Gilbreath's regiment was moved along with the rest of Sickle's defensive line roughly a half-mile in front of Cemetery Ridge early on July 2, with the 20th Indiana finally defending position locally known as Devil's Den.  Sickles moved his line without permission from General Meade in order to occupy slightly higher ground.  Although this did give Sickles' troops a slight advantage in height, it opened a salient along the Union lines.  By the time Meade learned of Sickles unauthorized maneuver, it was too late to move the troops back without endangering them to the enemy's assault.
  The Confederate assault under General Longstreet began at 4 P.M. along Sickles' line.  The most savage fighting, according to James McPherson, occurred in the Peach Orchard, a wheat field near by the orchard, at Little Round Top, and Devil's Den.  The current commanding officer of the 20th Indiana, Maj. John B. Wheeler, was shot through the temple by a Confederate sharpshooter.  Gilbreath, being the most senior officer available in the regiment, took temporary command.  Gilbreath sent a messenger to General Ward requesting a resupply of ammunition.  An aide of General Ward returned with orders for Gilbreath to hold his position using all possible ammunition at his current disposal, including stripping the wounded and dead for ammunition in necessary.  If ammunition ran out or the situation became to tenuous to hold, Gilbreath was given permission to retreat back to Cemetery ridge.  The 20th Indiana, under Gilbreath's leadership, held its position throughout the day, incurring 156 casualties.
  On July 3, Gilbreath and his company witnessed Picket's Charge. Gilbreath does not explicitly make mention of his company taking part in the fight, but does give a detailed account of the fighting that took place in his journal.  Gilbreath was removed from temporary command of the 20th Indiana, with Lt. Col. Taylor, originally from Company G, being promoted to full colonel.
caption: Monument commemorating the actions of the 20th Indiana Regiment and the death of Col. Wheeler at the Battle of Gettysburg.  The monument is located at the battle site, near Devil's Den.
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