The Retreat From Gettysburg

The Retreat From Gettysburg. Mount Misery. , Shortly after nightfall on July 4, the Confederate infantry was ordered to withdraw from Gettysburg. Upon reaching Fairfield, South Mountain stood as a natural barrier separating the Confederate army and the Cumberland Valley. With the recent rains and the Battle of Monterey Pass, marching over the mountain wouldn’t be an easy task. Many roadways leading through Fairfield Gap to Monterey Pass were merely impassible. Many Confederate soldiers dubbed the area as a “quagmire” and even nicknamed it “Mount Misery”., During the day of July 5, General A.P. Hill’s Corps was the first to enter the mountain, and would be followed by General Richard Ewell’s Corps. General James Longstreet’s Corps took Jack’s Mountain Road to Fountaindale, where they would come out on the Emmitsburg and Waynesboro Turnpike, and then to Monterey Pass. The two columns of the Confederate infantry converged at Monterey Pass in order to get to the Cumberland Valley, and finally to Williamsport MD., During the night, many thousands of Confederate soldiers bivouacked along the road leading to Monterey Pass. With the wagon trains well ahead of them, many of the soldiers lacked provisions and rations. General Hill’s Corps encamped along the Maria Furnace Road, while General Longstreet’s Corps encamped along the Emmitsburg and Waynesboro Turnpike. General Richard Ewell’s Corps would be forced to encamp between Fairfield and Fairfield Gap, skirmishing throughout the day. By evening of July 6th, the Confederate army was concentrated at Leitersburg, MD and Waynesboro, PA.