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
After an encounter with a portion of Kilpatrick’s forces at Hunterstown
on the afternoon of July 2nd, he moved up to a position between the
Hunterstown and Harrisburg roads on Ewell’s left, expecting to reach
Meade’s rear about the time of Pickett’s Charge on Meade’s front. He was
joined by Jenkins’ Confederate Brigade of mounted infantry armed with
Enfield rifles. Jenkins was wounded at Hunterstown, and the brigade and
the command fell to Colonel Ferguson.
General Gregg, in command of the 2nd Cavalry Division of the Union Army,
reached the field east of Gettysburg at the intersection of the Hanover
and Low Dutch roads at 11 A.M. on July 2nd. In the afternoon he halted a
movement of Walker’s brigade of Johnson’s Division, Ewell’s Corps, in
their movement from Brinkerhoff Ridge to assist in the attack on Meade’s
right at Culp’s Hill. He bivouacked for the night near the bridge across
White Run. On the morning of the 3rd he returned to the position of the
2nd, and took an active part in the cavalry fight on the right flank at
the time of Pickett’s Charge. In the afternoon, in the important
engagement on East Cavalry Field he successfully opposed General Stuart
in his efforts to get behind the Union line.
The Location.
East Cavalry Field is 3 miles east of Gettysburg and includes the
territory lying between the York Pike on the north and the Hanover Road
on the south. On the east it is bounded by the Low Dutch Road which
intersects the Baltimore Pike at its southern end, and the York Pike at
its northern end. Brinkerhoff Ridge, which crosses the Hanover Road at
right angles about 1½ miles east of the town, forms its boundary on the
west. Cress Ridge is formed by the elevation between Cress’s Run on the
west and Little’s Run on the east. Both ridges right angle across the
Hanover Road.
All the positions held by troops have been marked and the entire field
is readily accessible over well-built roads and avenues. Because of its
partial isolation from the principal fields, this important area is not
visited as frequently as it should be.
General Stuart’s Plan.
General Stuart did not wish to bring on a general engagement. He
expected his skirmishers to keep the Union Cavalry engaged while his
other forces were moving undiscovered toward the rear of Meade’s line.
He says in his report:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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