The
11th Corps at
The following National Tribune article was published on Dec. 12th, 1869. A
transcript was found with the assistance of the great staff at the GNMP
library.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The writer of this little article does not
claim
for it absolute correctness in the minutest details, it being
penned mostly from memory, but endeavors to bring before all comrades of
the Army of the
sketch of the fighting of the two divisions of the Eleventh Corps
pitched against Ewell's (old Stonewall) Corps until
enveloped in right
flank and rear by numbers equaling two to one, according to the records
of the War Department.
I was an eye-witness to the unequal struggle of the Third and Second
Divisions (I name them in this order, as we marched left in front that
day, and went into action in that order) of my Corps for about two
hours,
being detached from my regiment (74th PA) to headquarters of the
Third Division (Carl Shurz's) as second officer of
the division Pioneer
company.
The
Eleventh Corps camped during the night of June 30 to July 1 in and
around Emmitsburg, near the line between
Breakfast was eaten before sunrise, and my Pioneer company, at the head
of the corps, immediately behind Gen. C. Schurz, was
marching by the
first rays of the sun toward the most remarkably open and one of the
most stubbornly contested battlefields of
the civil war. When within six
or seven miles of
informed us of an engagement going on, and not long afterward an Aid of
Gen. Howard brought orders to Gen. Schurz, upon which
our men were put
into a double-quick, this gait being kept up to the battlefield, with
only short breathing intermissions.
As soon as we had passed the Round Tops, leaving them to our right or
east, part of the First Corps' fighting came into view due north,
heard the crackling fire of the infantry, and seeing the First Corps
heavily engaged, our men struck the long-winded dog trot, and went in
that style through the town, emerging on the Mummasburg
road.
After passing
outflanking the extreme right of the
First Corps (the 12th Mass and
104th N.Y.) but their commanders changed their fronts from
west-northwest to due north. After my Pioneers were put to work to cut
down the post fences between the college and Hagy's
house to let the
infantry and artillery into the fields north of the road, I naturally
turned my attention to the terrible but indescribably fascinating scene
on the east slope of Seminary Ridge. The rebel infantry was coming down
the Mummasburg road at a run, about 600 yards from me,
and taking
shelter on the southwest side of the road in the ditch behind the fence,
fired into the exposed ranks of the 13th Mass and 104th N.Y., who stood
in an open meadow. I could see every man fall as he was hit by the enemy
(who lost hardly any in this unequal contest,), until of the original
line of blue was left only a thin line, with great gaps at that. My
heart bounded with joy when the skirmishers of the 157th and 45th N.Y.
of my division, drove the enemy out of the road and took those of them
prisoners that had taken shelter in
Right here I witnessed an artillery duel between Capt. Dilger's
battery
of brass Napoleons of the Third Division, Eleventh Corps, which had
unlimbered
its guns somewhat north of
the ridge. Within eight or ten minutes from the time that Capt. Dilger's
(Co. I, 1st Ohio L.A.) gunners got orders to demolish the rebel battery
they blew up two or three caissons and entirely disabled one or two of
the guns, without losing any of their own. Simultaneous with this work
was the charge of our men to capture the rebels hiding in the red barn,
and the remainder of the battery lumbered up and disappeared behind the
rounding of the ridge. Our line was then extended nearly due east as fast
as the regiment arrived until they reached beyond the Newville road
nearly to the
After my Pioneers had cut the fences for our division, I was ordered by
my Captain to take them to the corner of the college, he being ordered
to remain with the General. There I mounted a boxed post some eight feet
in hight [sic], and was thereby enabled to see the
Newville and
Ewell's men come toward the rear and right flank of
my corps, completely
enveloping it, preparatory to the murderous assault of both Hill's and
Ewell's Corps, numbering no less than 35,000 men,
against the First
Corps and the Third (Schurz's) and Second (Barlow's)
Divisions of the
Eleventh Corps, numbering in all not over 14,500 men.
During this comparative lull in the battle, also mentioned by the author
of the "Story of a Cannoneer" I kept asking
my anxious heart, "Why does
Gen. Howard not shorten or refuse the line of my corps to face the new
brigades
of Ewell's fresh corps, or bring up the First
Division
(Steinwehr's) to protect the rear of the other
two?"
I had seen troops come along north of the Round Tops, and was satisfied
they were the First Division, all good and tried men. A comrade of the
55th
walls of Cemetery Ridge, south of
distance of their comrades one and one half miles north of town. I am
informed they were anxious and willing to come to our assistance. But
the "Why not" of the above two questions has never been publicly
answered by the General commanding that terrible evening of July 1,
1863.
I understand that he went up into the cupola of the college, from where
he could see every movement of two-thirds of Ewell's
Corps; Iverson's
and Daniel's
Division, being covered by Seminary Ridge.
A foreboding of the coming massacre kept me riveted to the spot, here
and there artillery and musketry fire opening at intervals of a few
seconds, then the volley from, an entire regiment on our extreme right
likely
the 17th
First Corps the demon of battle is turned loose without stint or favor.
Thus I see my comrades murdered without them having any show for their
lives. What else can I call it, when they have to fight equal
numbers--nay superior--in front, and equal numbers in flank and rear?
I see
rebel infantry enter the town (men of Hays'
North Carolina Brigades), but the men of the two divisions are still
grimly trying to hold their ground. I am not able to come to their
assistance with my men, for they carry no arms. The wounded are coming
in constant streams across the fields toward me, until every room in the
large college is filled to overflowing.
The stretcher bearers are unable to get the severely wounded from the
field, for the pressure of such odds is driving the boys toward the west
side of town (the north is already occupied by the enemy), and getting
down I join with my men the movement to the rear. South of the college
grounds a stone bridge spans a brook. The arch is considerably elevated
above the surrounding level. Word is passed from man to man to not go
over the bridge but walk through the deep mire. Rebel infantry in the
houses
east of it are raking it with their fire. Lieut. Roth, of my
company (K, 74th
marches over the bridge. A dull thud, and his reeling body sinks to the
earth before me; but I take through the mire.
As we get into town we find rebel infantry drawn across some streets,
and have to take through houses, yards, over fences, until at last we
reach Cemetery Hill. Gen. Schimmelpfennig (my old
Colonel), commanding
the First Brigade, Third Division, is with the last of his men into
through the hallway of a house, and turning his horse over to the owner,
hides among large ranks of cordwood, where he is supplied with food
until July 4, when he joins his command.
Hundreds of the men are captured in the streets of the city, among them
Capt. F. Irsch, with about 50 men of the 45th N.Y. The Major (V. Mitzel)
of my own regiment, with Lieut. Schroeder and several men, are forced to
surrender, with both officers escaping through the celebrated tunnel of
Libby Prison.
Thus did the two divisions of my corps have to fight July 1, 1863. The
losses of the 16 regiments are unknown to me, but those of my own
regiment I recollect approximately. The 74th
with about 145 officers and men, (nearly 200, under command of Captain
Zeh, not being relieved from the division picket line
at Emmitsburg when
we started for
with the First Division), out of which it lost three officers killed, six
or seven wounded and two taken prisoners, and 63 men killed, wounded and
taken prisoner. My Colonel (V. Hartung) had his leg
shattered by a
musket-ball early in the afternoon, and was nursed by a family of the
city for three or four weeks.
The charge of the Louisiana Tigers upon Cemetery Hill that night about
12 o'clock struck the right wing of my division, as also some other
troops, and Private Betz, of
musket; Betz measuring six feet two inches in hight
[sic].
Why the First Division (Steinwehr's) was not placed
north of the city,
to keep open for us our line of retreat, I have never been able to
learn.
That a repulse was inevitable must have been apparent to the
commanding General, as the enemy's regiments were plainly visible to
him from the Cemetery, the northwest slope of Culp's Hill, and any
public building in the city. No; my poor comrades had to be sacrificed,
just as they were sacrificed at
---LOUIS
FISCHER, First Lieutenant, Pioneer Co., Third Division,
Eleventh Corps, Salem, Mo.
(NATIONAL TRIBUNE, 12 December, 1869)