The Approach.
Neither commander yet foresaw Gettysburg as a field of battle. Each had expected to take a strong position and force his adversary to attack. But in the hot summer weather fate was moving the mighty hosts closer and closer. The sky was cloudless, and the summer moon was at its brightest. The wheat was ripe, and the armies marched between partly reaped fields.
The Pennsylvania Monument, with bronze figures of distinguished officers and a roster of all Pennsylvanians in battle.
On the 30th, Hill, in the front at Cashtown, sent Pettigrew’s Brigade to Gettysburg for supplies, shoes especially being badly needed. In the meantime, Meade ordered Buford, with two brigades of cavalry at Emmitsburg, to make a reconnaissance to Gettysburg. Buford reported:
“I entered this place today at 11 A.M. Found everybody in a terrible state of excitement on account of the enemy’s advance.”
On reaching Seminary Ridge, Pettigrew saw the approach of Buford. Not wishing to bring on an engagement, he withdrew to the vicinity of Cashtown.
Buford moved through the town and bivouacked for the night west of the Seminary, along McPherson Ridge. He assigned to Gamble’s Brigade the task of watching the Fairfield and Cashtown roads and to Devin the Mummasburg, Middletown (now Biglerville), and Harrisburg roads. Early on the morning of the 1st, he picketed all the roads leading north and northeast.