The Battle of Gettysburg: The Country, the Contestants, the ResultsStorrick, W. C. (William Clayton)
History
The Battle of Gettysburg: The Country, the Contestants, the Results
Storrick, W. C. (William Clayton)
Gettysburg National Military Park (Pa.); Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863
“_The leading division of Hill met the enemy in advance of Gettysburg
on the morning of July 1. Driving back these troops to within a short
distance of the town, he there encountered a larger force, with which
two of his divisions became engaged. Ewell coming up with two of his
divisions by the Heidlersburg road, joined in the engagement. The
enemy was driven through Gettysburg with heavy loss, including about
5,000 prisoners and several pieces of artillery. He retired to a high
range of hills south and east of the town. The attack was not pressed
that afternoon, the enemy’s force being unknown, and it being
considered advisable to await the arrival of the rest of our troops.
Orders were sent back to hasten their march, and, in the meantime,
every effort was made to ascertain the numbers and position of the
enemy, and find the most favorable point of attack. It had not been
intended to fight a general battle at such a distance from our base,
unless attacked by the enemy, but, finding ourselves unexpectedly
confronted by the Federal Army, it became a matter of difficulty to
withdraw through the mountains with our large trains.... Encouraged by
the successful issue of the engagement of the first day, and in view
of the valuable results that would ensue from the defeat of the army
of General Meade, it was thought advisable to renew the attack._”
FIRST DAY HIGHLIGHTS
Death of Major-General Reynolds
Major-General John Fulton Reynolds, killed at Gettysburg while
commanding the 1st Corps, was born in Lancaster, Pa., on the 21st day of
September, 1820. His father, John Reynolds, also a native of Lancaster
County, was the son of William Reynolds, who came to America in 1760
from Ireland. His mother’s maiden name was Lydia Moore, daughter of
Samuel Moore, who held a commission in the Revolutionary Army. He had an
elder brother, William, who served as Admiral in our Navy with great
distinction, and also two other brothers who served in the war, one as
paymaster, and the other, the youngest of the four, as
Quartermaster-General of Pennsylvania.
William and John went first to an excellent school at Lititz, in
Lancaster County, going thence to Long Green, Md., and from there they
returned to the Lancaster Academy. Through the influence of James
Buchanan, they received appointments, one as midshipman in the Navy, and
the other as cadet at West Point. John was graduated from West Point on
June 22nd, 1841, at the age of twenty-one. He served with distinction
during the Mexican War, and at the outbreak of the Civil War entered the
Union Army. At the battle of Gaines’ Mill, on June 28th, 1862, he was
captured, and after a confinement of six weeks in Libby Prison, he was
exchanged for General Barksdale.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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