Taken 1896
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Return to the Valley. Battle at Winchester. Crossed the Potomac. Battle at Gettysburg. Charge of Hays and Hoke. Charge of 3rd Brigade.
Early in June Jackson's, now Ewell's corps, took up the march to the valley, passing through the Blue Ridge, crossing the Shenandoah River at Front Royal. From here Johnston's division, to which my brigade and regiment belonged, moved over the Front Royal road, while Early's division moved over the valley pike, on Winchester, now occupied by a Federal force under General Milroy. Johnston's division took position on the south and engaged the attention of the enemy, while Early moved to the north and by rapid and skilful movement captured the heights that dominated the fort and works of the enemy and made them untenable, but too late to complete the work of reduction on that day.
Anticipating the retreat of the enemy, Johnston's division was sent during the night to his rear on the Martinsburg road at Stephens Station, some four or five miles from Winchester. We had hardly gotten to position before the enemy appeared and, discovering their way blocked, made a vigorous effort to cut through our lines; but they were repulsed, and over three thousand surrendered. A small number, including General Milroy and his cavalry, escaped. The entire number of prisoners captured by us was about 4,000, together with a number of pieces of artillery, wagons and stores. The fighting and casualties were not heavy; but withal, the enterprise was well and skilfully managed by the Confederates. If there was a lack of wise leadership on the part of the enemy it was in not retiring in time.
We now moved on toward the Potomac, crossing into Maryland near Shepherdstown about the 20th. The Maryland line, one of the regiments of our brigade of Johnston's division, was given the honor of being at the head of the column, because we were entering their state. Before reaching the river the excellent band of this regiment had gone forward and had taken position in the middle of the stream, a little above the broad and shallow ford, and as the head of the column entered the ford the melodious strains of "Maryland, My Maryland" floated out from the band with such forceful expression as to stir to the depths the emotions of these war worn veterans of so many fields. The memory of this event when recalled will be of interest doubtless to those who witnessed it. We moved on to camp near Sharpsburg and near the great battle grounds of less than a year before. Here we remained two or three days, thence the course of our division was to Greencastle, thence our brigade made a detour to the left to disperse a militia force and to also gather supplies, thence by McConnelsburg to Chambersburg and on toward Carlisle.
We were still west of the Blue Ridge and in the beautiful valley of the Cumberland. Our march was easterly toward Harrisburg, but about the 29th our direction was suddenly changed to the south toward Gettysburg. We passed through the mountain range into the beautiful Susquehanna valley in which Gettysburg is located, and approached that place from the northeast over the Harrisburg road, reaching position late in the afternoon of July 1st, and after the first day's battle which had occurred earlier in the day between Heth's and Pender's divisions of A. P. Hill's corps and the First and Eleventh corps of the Federals, resulting in the retirement of the latter in great confusion to Cemetery Hill, already fortified and occupied by another corps of Federals under General Steinwehr. The battle was spirited and sanguinary, resulting in nearly a complete annihilation of the first corps of the Federals and the capture of two pieces of artillery and over two thousand prisoners by the Confederates. This ended the first day's battle just two months after the first day's battle at Chancellorsville; and it was now as then the first day of the month. The second day of the battle and of the month was to be a day of supreme effort, and the commanders of the two armies hurried their forces to position during the night. The responsibility was upon them and they were supposed to know conditions and advantages and to avail themselves of them. Was this done? Was any advantage of position that might have been taken overlooked, not seen, or seen and lost by either side? This must be decided by military experts from the facts.