July 1863 WITH THE SIXTH WISCONSIN AT GETTYSBURG. By Rufus R. Dawes, From the 6th Regiment In the field at Gettysburg, Pa. July 2d, 1863 Editors Republic:-I will write you a word but I do not know as I shall have an opportunity of sending it soon. Our Corps fought a severe battle at this place yesterday, which resulted in our being driven back a mile. The 11th Corps came in to assist us but did not fight. I believe a Wisconsin brigade could whip the whole corps. The 1st corps has been reduced in numbers by regiments leaving whose time of service has expired. The 1st Division-Gen. Wadsworth-has but two brigades-the 5th or Iron Brigade, and the 2d brigade commanded by Gen. Cutler. The Iron brigade last 1140 men yesterday. it has 450 for duty this morning. We never did harder fighting. The 6th Wisconsin charged on the R.R. cut and captured the 2d Miss Reg. entire, Maj. Stone commanding surrendered his sword and regiment, which numbered 430 men to Lieut. Col. Dawes of the 6th Wisconsin, but not until after a resistance which excelled in desperation anything we had ever witnessed before. Our regiment pushed on with terrible loss to the edge of the ditch; it received and returned the fire of the rebel hundreds crouching beneath it. Soon many of them held up their hats as a signal of surrender and our men ceased firing to spare them. But they were reluctant and reckless, and many of them seeing we were small in numbers continued to shoot our men, and of course death was the ready punishment by Yankee bullet, bayonet or blow of musket. The work of murder continued for moments, and was only stopped when Maj. Stone came forward and made a formal surrender. Bodley K. Jones and Wm. Pearson-as brave men as ever went to battle, fell dead at the ditch. The 11th Corps on our left with heavy lines of uninjured infantry commeneed a pusillanimous falling back, and a retreat was ordered. We are now in position and other corps have come up. Gen. Meade in also here. Gen. Reynolds was killed in the early part of the engagement and Gen. Howard took command. There is no fighting to-day, but both sides are preparing. The 6th Reg. went in with about 300 muskets and lost 158, Co. A took 15 into battle. Their loss is as follows: Killed-Bodley K. Jones, Wm. Pearson. Wounded-Lieut. F. Pruyn, Sergt. P. Stackhouse, Corp. d. Hedges, Corp A. Fopwler, John Hedges, Uriah Palmer. Missing-Frank Graham. The most seriously wounded of any I believe is John Hedges, who was hit by three bullets, but he will get well. Lieut. Pruyn was wounded through the wrist: while we were advancing on the R. R. cut. His sword dropped from his paralyzed hand and stooping he picked it up with his left had and moved to the rear with a painful but not serious wound. Uriah Palmer was detached to Battery B, and was wounded while working one of the "big guns." I send you this note friend Editors with the simple hope that with the list of casualties you may be able to relieve the anxiety of our friends and relatives, by showing them who live and who do not. I hope to be able to give more of the details soon. Yours. H. J. H. From the Sixth Regiment. We have but meager returns of the number of Wisconsin soldiers, killed and wounded in the recent battles in Penn. Company K. of the Sixth regiment suffered severely. Orderly Smith of that company writes to his parents here as follows: Battle Field, Gettysburg. PA July 4th, 1863 Dear Parents: The Iron Brigade had again been baptized in blood. The victory so far, is ours. The battle commenced on the first, the Iron Brigade leading Capt. Ticknor was killed and lieut. Temington wounded, but not severe. Our company lost 20 men killed and wounded. Pratt, Rose, and A. Fletcher are severely wounded and Chancy Wilcox had lost an arm. I am acting Lieutenant. Our regiment captured a rebel regiment twice as large as our own, also their colors. We captured Gen. Amstrad yesterday. I send a piece of the coat of the Adjutant of Gen. Ewels staff. Our soldiers captured 22 stand of colors yesterday. Good by Ras. The Adjutant of the Sixth regiment has furnished the following list of the killed and wounded in Company K. Capt. John Ticknor, Killed. Lieut. Wm. M. Remington, wounded. Killed.-Sergt. Albert Tarbox, William Garland, Corp. Arlon f. Winsor, Corp. John A. Crawford, Corp. Abram Fletcher. Wounded.-James Sullivan, James Scoville, Silas W. Temple, Charles A. Crawford, Peter A. Eversopn, William D. Hancock, Wallace G. Hancock, Lorenzo Pratt, Eugone P. Rose, William Revels, Hugh Talty, Chancy Wilcox, Sergt. Van Wie. Missing.-Wm. Stevens, Edward Trumble, Thos.Conway. The company went into action with thirty men and left the field with only seven; six were killed, fourteen wounded and three missing. The Iron Brigade of which the 6th forms a part went into the battle 1,850 strong. On the following day after the killed, wounded and missing were subtracted it numbered only about 700 The battle of Gettysburg-loss of the 6th Wisconsin We have received a note from adjutant P Brooks of the 6th Wisconsin including a list of the killed and wounded of that regiment upon that terrible Wednesday at Gettysburg when the 1st and 11th army corps stood up alone against nearly the whole rebel army. The Iron Brigade of which the 6th forms a part went into the battle 1,850 strong. On the following day after the killed, wounded and missing were subtracted it numbered only about 700. Adjutant Brooks writes: "Col. Fairchild lost an arm. Lt. Col. Stevens is killed, Maj Mansfield is badly wounded, Lt. Col. Callis, do. Our regiment charged upon and captured the 2d Mississippi entire." The following is the list of causalities: Company A. Lt. Howard F Pruyn, wounded Killed-Wm. Pearson, Godley H. Jones. Wounded-Sergt. Peter Stackhouse, Corp. Dayton Hedges, Corp. Allison fowler, John Hedges. Missing-frank Graham. Company B. Killed: Ole Gunderson Wounded-Sergt. Marug; Corp. Evans Fachs, James Kelley, Hultard, J. S. Kelly, slight; Anderson, foust, T. F. Hall, Harvey, Keeler, McEwen. Missing-Jerome A. Hall, Friar. COMPANY C. Lt. O. D. Chapman, killed. Lt. L. G. Harris, wounded. Killed-W. Armstrong, A. R. Marston Wounded- sergt. J. Lemmon;, Corp, J. Sykes, W. Day, F. Young, S. W. Faulkner, A. P. Sprague, C. Green, L,. Holford, A. Muller, H. Oviatt, C Akey, W. Russell, A. Turk Missing-J. Beaman, H. Hall COMPANY D. Killed-Sergt. Wm Gallup, corp'ls Daniel Simmons, Owen Powderly. Wounded-Sergeant James H McHenry,Corp'ls Theodore Huntington, Owen Charlesworth, Richard Heyden, George Hall, John Hanlon, Lorenzo Preston Dugal Spear, Grancis A Sergenthal Missing-John Keerney Corp. S Fowler COMPANY E. Killed-Private King Wounded-Acting Lieut. Mangan, corp. dillon, Corp. delagtisc, Privates Reman and Durant. Missing-Privates Dunn, Lefler, Harbrook. COMPANY F Killed- Sergt. H. schildt, Sergt. A. Gebbe, Corp. T. Bochirer, Corp, J. Zweifel, Philip Spengler. Wounded-Casper Goermiller, August Schard, Johann Rader ? rist. Christian. Missing-Leo Goetsch, Conrad Fensel, Fred.Erkine, Abraham Dock. COMPANY G. Killed-Sergt. Wm H H Burns, Corp Charles Mead, Pat Manning Wounded-Royal Atwood, Fred J. Tuttle, Thos. Smith, Richard Gamble, Alonzo Clark. Missing-Sergt. Russell Harris, Joseph Groder, Barney Cannon, Osro Morton, Stephen M. Page COMPANY H 1st Lieut. John beely, wounded slightly 2dLieut H B Merchant, wounded severely Killed-Nicholas Martin Wounded-Sergt. Wm. Evans, Thos. H Polleys, Corp John Mang, fatally, Fames Fry, fatally Ernst Schierenbocken, fatally, Bernhard McGinty, Theo Lewis, Geo Augustine, slightly Balth, Keller, slightly, Louis Miller, severely, Roger Bingham, John O. Johnson, John Jinson, L W Eggliston severely Henry Kohlhepp, slightly, John Herdeg, slightly. Missing-Sergt Robert Lees, Chas Kliffner COMPANY I Killed-Sergt A Miller, S Boughton, John Harland, George Sutton, James McBain Wounded-Corp S Goodwin, J B Hill, C O Jones, E Lind, Wm Sweet, G Shriver, G Thurbur, S Walles, J. Stedman Missing-E Brigg, A Thompson COMPANY K Captain John Ticknor, killed Lient Wm W. Remington, wounded Killed-Sergt Albert Tarbox, William Garland, Corps. Arion f. Winston, John A Crawford, Abram Fletcher Wounded-James Sullivan, James Scoville, Silas W Temple, Chas, A Crawford, Peter A Everson, William D Hancock, Wallace B Hancock, Loranzo Pratt Eugene P Rose, William Revels, Hugh Talry, chuncey Wilcox, Sergt Van Wie. Missing-Wm. Stevens, Edward Tumble, Thos Conway.-Madison Journal. A LETTER FROM THE SIXTH REGIMENT Mr. Wm. Fink had just received a letter from his brother George, a member of the sixth Wisconsin Regiment, who was in a the battles at Gettysburg, but was afterwards taken sick and is now in hospital at Wilmington but expresses the hope that he will soon be able to join his regiment again Speaking of the battle he says. it is not necessary for me to say much about the battle as you have the news long before this but I must give you some idea of the charge our brigade made on the first of July. with such impetuosity and hurry was it done, that we captured a whole brigade of rebels officers and all together with three flags. Our regiment captured one with four battle marks on it. it was red, with a white cross and thirteen stars, the battle marks being on each corner. The rebels fought bravely, for they thought we were the militia, but when they found their mistake, they soon slackened their fire. We made a charge then and gave them the cold steel. An overwhelming force of their however soon drove us and compelled us to take a now position, where we were reinforced and peppered them until they could stand it no longer. This was one of the hardest fought battle of the war. The thunder of cannon and the rattle of musketry were incessant making the very foundation of the earth tremble and the building in the vicinity quake. the ground was plunged by cannon shot and the trees were rent and scarred by the show of shot and shell that filled the air cutting down men on every hand. I think the backbone of the rebellion is broken or soon will be they have played their hand long enough and now we will try the best had and play the trump and euchre them at last. Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Tullahoma and Port Hudson make four tricks and Charleston makes the euchre. And when the war is over copperheads look out for you bacon. G.P. From the 6th Regiment Warrenton Junction, Va. July 30, 1863 Messrs. Eds:-enclosed is an extract of the report of Lieut. col. Dawes, of the part taken by the 6th Wis.Vols, in the first day's battles have since died. I have just heard of the death of Urran Palmer, who died under the operation of the amputation of his arm. The Iron Brigade does not now number three fourths as much s the 6th Reg did when it left Madison two year ago. I had intended to have written you concerning the battles, but had not time, as we were on the move every day until the 25th inst I presume that as soon as the army is supplied with what it needs we shall again be on the much. the country through which we passed since recrossing the Potomac has suffered severely. What the rebs left we have taken taken such as horses, cattle, hogs & c. The citizens appear to be without the common necessaries of life. flour is worth $40 per barrel, sugar and coffee are among the things of the past. One dollar greenback will purchase five confederate dollars and one dollar in gold will purchase eight confederate dollars. In passing through Warrenton of the 25th inst. I was told by a person of standing there that the mayor of the city a full blooded secesh had collected at the greenbacks and state money together to the amount of $8,000 and gave his own notes to that amount, and had purchased goods for the citizens but in selling them he politely told the dear people that he could take nothing but greenbacks for goods. So that besides making three or four hundred per cent on the goods purchased with the people's money, he repudiates the $8,000 worth of his own notes given as security while he prchased the goods. One lady told me that she paid $14 for the transportation of half barrel of sugar. Yours in hasten, F. K. J. On the morning of July 1st as the brigade moved forward to engaged the enemy in support of the second brigade of this division, I received an order to move forward rapidly and form on the left line of the brigade. without checking from a double quick, the regiment formed by company into line and forward inline loading as they marched and moved forward steadily and rapidly toward the position before reaching my position in the line of battle I was ordered to halt and hold my men in reserve. At this juncture the brigade guard two officers and 100 men under command of first Lieut Loyd G. Harris of the 6th Wis. by direction of Gen Meredith reported to me for durty . I divided the guard into two companies replacing the first on the right flank of the regiment under command of 2d Lieut Leve Showalter of the 2d wis; the 2d on the left under command of Leut Hreris. I received a second order to advance which I was preparing to execute when by command of Maj Gen. Doubleday commanding the corps the regiment was again halted and detached form the brigade as a general reserve to the line of the division no hotly engaged throughout. In a very few minutes I received an order from Maj Gen Doubleday to move at once to the support of the right of the line of the division (76th N. Y., 56th Penn. and 147th N. Y. Vol.) which was being forced back and out flanked by the enemy. I marched by the right flank double quick towards the point indicated. Before reaching a position when I could be of service the enemy had succeeded in turning the flank and flushed with victory was pressing rapidly in pursuit of our retreating line, threatening the rear of the 1st brigade engaged in the woods on the left. I filed to the right and rear to throw my line in front of the enemy and moved by the left flank forward in line of battle upon his advancing line. The men kept up a steady double quick never faltering or breaking under the fie which had become very galling. when my line had reached a fence about forty rods from the line of the enemy I ordered a fire by file. This checked the advance of the rebels who took refuge in a railroad cut, from which they opened a murderous fire upon us. I immediately ordered the men over the fence with a view to charging upon the cut. the 95th N Y and 14th Brooklyn now joined on my left. My men continued firing and advancing steadily. I ran to Major commanding as I supposed the line on my left and told him I would move forward if he would move with me, and immediately gave the order to charge! The men of the whole line moved forward upon a double quick well closed in face of a terrible destructive fire from the enemy.- When our line reached the edge of the cut the rebels began throwing down their arms in token of surrender. Adjutant Ed P Brooks with promptness and foresight moved a detachment of twenty men in position to enfilade the cut from the right when the entire regiment in my front after some murderous skirmishing by the more desperate throw down their arms Major Blair, commanding the regiment (2d Mississippi) upon my demand surrendered his sword and regiment to me. I directed him to have his men fall in and move to the rear in charge of Major Hawser of this regiment Major Hawser informs me that by direction of General Wadsworth, he placed in charge of a cavalry guard seven officers and two hundred and twenty five men. the battle flag of the regiment was captured before the surrender, by Corp. Osburg Waller of Co. I and has been forwarded in obedience of orders to army headquarters. the loss from my command in this charge was not less than one hundred and sixty men killed and wounded. After the capture of prisoners by direction of Gen. Wadsworth I took position in a piece of woods on the right of the railroad cut near the Seminary where I remained about thirty minutes and reorganized my shattered regiment. I was then ordered forward to occupy the next crest in front in support of a battery on the left of the cut. the enemy opened fire from a battery of six Guns upon my advancing line killing and wounding several men. I took possession of the crest where I remained until the battery had retired and the enemy had pressed back out lines on my right and left when I moved back under cover of the railroad cut and by direction of Gen. Wadsworth took position again in the wood in support of four pieces of Stewart's Battery where I remained until ordered by Gen Wadsworth to retire in good order beyond the city. faced by the rear rank and moved steadily back in line of battle over the open field to the city almost directly toward the lines of the enemy who had completely outflanked us on the eleventh corps front, and already gained possession of a portion of the city. I there was much confusion; the streets were crowed with retiring troops batteries and ambulance trains. the men were almost prostrated with over exertion and heat. Rebel Sharpshooters occupied the streets on our left and their line of battle almost completely encircled the city.- but by great exertion of the part of the officers the regiment preserved its integrity and the men assembling around their colors gave in the streets hearty cheers for the 6th and the good cause. I moved to cemetery Hill, and by direction of Gen. Wadsworth reported for duty to Col. Robinson as commander of the brigade the loss of the regiment on the first day on July was Officers Killed 2 Wounded 8, Missing-- Ranks Killed 28 wounded 115 Missing 23 I can only say the men of the sixth most nobly vindicated their history in this desperate struggle. Capt. John Ticknor of Company K was instantly killed while cheering on his men to the charge. This officer rose from the ranks winning his Captaincy for coolness and efficiency in command of skirmishers at south Mountain and was disguished for bravery upon every battle-field of the regiment. A good officer--a brave man --a genial, whole souled companion. Tickuor will be sadly missed from our circle. Second Lieut. O. S. Chapman commanding Co. C, was also killed at the R. R. cut; he had but lately been commissioned. He was always a faithful obedient soldier, and as an officer, brave and efficient. the officers, without exception, behaved as in many battle fields before with devoted courage each holding his own life and safety of less account than the good conduct of his men and regiment. To Major Hawser and Adjutant Brocks I am much indebted for assistance in maneuvering the regiment through the battle. I cannot speak too highly of the bravery and efficiency in action of each of these officers without reflection upon other officers of the line. I feel it due to their conspicuous bravery and good conduct that I should mention Capt.; Rollin P. Converse and Lient. Chas. P/ Hyatt of B and Lieut. Golterman of Company F. Capt. converse commanded the party who brought safely from the field and saved from capture the gun of the 2nd Main Battery that bad been abandoned to the enemy. |