Cumberland Township near Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
First Volunteer Brigade
Artillery Reserve
— Army of the Potomac —
Artillery Reserve
First Volunteer Brigade
Lieut. Col. Freeman McGilvery
5th Mass. Battery E (10th New York Attached)
Capt. Charles A. Phillips
Capt. John Bigelow, Lieut. Richard S. Milton
July 3d in Ziegler's Grove.
Capt. Patrick Hart
July 3d On Second Corps line south of Pleasonton Avenue.
Capt. James Thompson
July 3d On line with Battery K 4th U.S. on right and Hart's Battery on left.
Casualties. Killed 1 officer 16 men. Wounded 10 officers 61 men. Captured or missing 5 men. Total 93.
Erected 1912 by Gettysburg National Military Park Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is July 2, 1863.
Location. 39° 48.239′ N, 77° 14.077′ W. Marker is near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in Adams County. It is in Cumberland Township. Marker is on Hancock Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Located on the south part of Cemetery Ridge in Gettysburg National Military Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gettysburg PA 17325, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 2nd Connecticut Light Battery (within shouting distance of this marker); 2nd Battery New Jersey Light Artillery (within shouting distance of this marker); New York State Auxiliary Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Reverend Father William Corby, C.S.C. (within shouting distance of this marker); Dow's 6th Maine Battery (within shouting distance of this marker); Battery H, 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry (about 300 feet away); 15th Battery New York Light Artillery (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gettysburg.
Additional commentary.
1. Report of Lt. Col. Freeman McGilvery
Lt. Col. McGilvery was in the center of the action on July 2, and his gunners performed admirably. However on July 3, his batteries were not directly engaged during the Confederate bombardments. He wrote:
At about 12.30 o'clock the enemy opened a terrific fire upon our lines with at least one hundred and forty guns. This fire was very rapid and inaccurate, most of the projectiles passing from 20 to 100 feet over our lines. About one-half hour after the commencement, some general commanding the infantry line ordered three of the batteries to return the fire. After the discharge of a few rounds, I ordered the fire to cease and the men to be covered. After the enemy had fired about one hour and a half, and expended at least 10,000 rounds of ammunition, with but comparatively little damage to our immediate line, a slow, well-directed fire from all the guns under my command was concentrated upon single batteries of the enemy of those best in view, and several badly broken up and successively driven from their position to the rear.
At about 3 p.m. a line of battle of about 3,000 or 4,000 men appeared, advancing directly upon our front, which was completely broken up and scattered by our fire before coming within musket range of our lines. Immediately after, appeared three extended lines of battle, of at least 35,000 men, advancing upon our center. These three lines of battle presented an oblique front to the guns under my command, and by training the whole line of guns obliquely to the right, we had a raking fire through all three of these lines. The execution of the fire must have been terrible, as it was over a level plain, and the effect was plain to be seen. In a few minutes, instead of a well-ordered line of battle, there were broken and confused masses, and fugitives fleeing in every direction. This ended the operations of the batteries under my command at the battle of Gettysburg.
Note that McGilvery tactfully did not mention Hancock by name in his report.
(Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volume XXVII/1 (S# 43), Report No. 318, pages 883-884.
— Submitted February 3, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 3, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 901 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 3, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.