Gettysburg's Bloody Wheatfield

By Jay Jorgensen

The fight for the Wheatfield at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863, has long been one of the most confusing and misunderstood engagements of that famous battle until now. Gettysburg’s Bloody Wheatfield provides readers with a blow-by-blow description of the fight where one out of every three soldiers was a casualty.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Savas Publishing
• Release date: Mar 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781940669151

Jay Jorgensen

Jay Jorgensen earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Fairleigh Dickinson University and received his juris doctorate from Villanova University School of Law. He has a master of arts degree in military history and Civil War studies from American Military University. He is a partner in the law firm of Jorgensen & Barnes and also serves as a municipal court judge in New Jersey. Jay is a frequent presenter at Civil War Round Tables and has had six articles published in Gettysburg Magazine. He lives in Colonia, New Jersey, with his wife and two sons.

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© 2002, 2014, by Jay Jorgensen

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any

means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information

storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Gettysburg’s Bloody Wheatfield, by Jay Jorgensen

Originally published by White Mane Publishing, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, 2002.

Includes bibliographic references and index

Digital First Edition

eISBN-13: 978-1-940669-15-1

PRINT ISBN: 9781572493605

Savas Publishing

989 Governor Drive, Suite 102

El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

916-941-6896 (phone)

916-941-6895 (fax)

This book is dedicated to my parents, Norman and Miriam Jorgensen, for instilling in me a lifelong love of history, and to my wife, Maureen, for her love and all that she does for our family.

Contents

List of Illustrations

List of Maps

Preface

Chapter 1—The Cream of the Confederacy

Chapter 2—Lee Moves North

Chapter 3—Deploying for a Fight

Chapter 4—Anderson Attacks the Wheatfield

Chapter 5—Kershaw Joins the Fray

Chapter 6—Wofford Sweeps the Wheatfield

Chapter 7—Aftermath

Appendix A: Confederate Troops Fighting in the Wheatfield

Appendix B: Federal Troops Fighting in the Wheatfield

Notes

Bibliography

Illustrations

Following Page 38

1.  Boulder Where Colonel John Wheeler Was Killed

2.  View of Rose’s Woods, Looking South from Stony Hill

3.  View of Rose Buildings, Looking Southwesterly from Stony Hill

4.  View of Stony Hill, Looking East from Rose House

5.  View of Rose Farm, Looking South from Peach Orchard

6.  2nd Andrews Sharpshooters (Massachusetts) Monument on Stony Hill

7.  Zook Monument

8.  View toward Round Tops, Looking Southeasterly from Zook Monument

9.  View of Zook Monument and Wheatfield Road, Looking South from Southern Edge of Trostle Woods

10.  View of Wheatfield, Looking West toward Stony Hill

Maps

4.1  Anderson Attacks

4.2  Burling’s Regiments Withdraw

4.3  Lull in Fighting

5.1  Second Phase

5.2  Withdrawal of Tilton and Sweitzer

5.3  Withdrawal of 17th Maine

5.4  Cross Advances

5.5  Zook’s Brigade Enters Wheatfield

5.6  Irish Brigade Pushes into Wheatfield

5.7  Brooke Attacks

6.1  Wofford Makes His Move

6.2  Sweitzer Reenters the Wheatfield

6.3  Collapse of Caldwell’s Division

6.4  Confederates Charge into the Valley of Death

6.5  Crawford Counterattacks

Preface

When I set out to write this book, one question kept coming up. Why the Wheatfield? The Wheatfield was a pivotal part of the Battle of Gettysburg, yet it has been almost neglected by researchers and historians. The action was relatively short-lived, yet the toll it took was tremendous. While Gettysburg is the most studied and chronicled battle of the Civil War, little is written about this important action that occurred on the second day of the fight.

There is no question that the action in the Wheatfield was confusing. The tide turned several times, huge mistakes were made by commanders, and the carnage left behind was staggering. Even the first person reports by those who fought in this bloody battle are contradictory.

My interest was to try to make sense of this confusing and poorly understood action. I was intrigued by the personalities involved in this battle, but my research revealed that it was the common soldiers who made the difference. Their bravery and courage in the face of terrifying circumstances is a tribute to their commitment.

No one can be certain of what happened in the Wheatfield on July 2, 1863. I believe that this account is as accurate as is possible from a distance of nearly a century and half. I hope to impart to readers a clearer sense of what happened that day, and an appreciation of the tremendous sacrifice made on George Rose’s farmstead in a small crossroads town in Pennsylvania.

* * * * *

One of the true pleasures that I have experienced in writing this book is the wonderful cooperation and help of so many people. To obtain a good understanding of the action one has to walk the field itself. I am most appreciative of the wonderful insights imparted during many of my visits by a trio of outstanding Gettysburg Battlefield tour guides: Gary Kross, Tom Prisk, and Trish Murphy. Gary fueled my initial interest in this topic, and he and Tom have always been willing to discuss any and all aspects of the fight with me. I am further indebted to Tom for sharing my passion for this battle and encouraging me to continue on with writing this book. D. Scott Hartwig and Eric Campbell have assisted my research by informing me of the wonderful material available at the Gettysburg National Park Library, as well as taking time out of their busy schedules to talk to me about the Wheatfield.

Steve Zerbe, an extraordinary Civil War researcher, was helpful in tracking down hard-to-find accounts of the Wheatfield action. I was fortunate to have made the acquaintance and friendship of David Evans and Charlotte Ray in Georgia. Both provided me with valuable material on several of the Georgia regiments that fought in the battle, as well as helping me locate additional source materials.

Several people were kind enough to read early drafts of this book, and they all made excellent suggestions for improvements. Edward Hagerty, professor at American Military University, read a portion of this work that was submitted while I was working on my master’s degree in military history, Civil War studies, from that university, and his help and guidance were greatly appreciated. Al Gambone provided me with the first overall critique, and pointed out areas of controversy and concern that were most welcome. Mike Snyder read the manuscript very carefully and provided me with detailed suggestions and corrections that have been incorporated into this book.

Civil War artist Paul R. Martin, III, offered to do a special print for the dust jacket. Paul’s talents are limitless, and I am most thankful that he volunteered his time and talents to help with the book. Roger Grutzmacher and Joann Montero, outstanding architects in New Jersey, were instrumental in developing the maps for this work. The positives of the maps are attributable to them, the negatives are all mine. A word on the maps. I have included time frames for the action depicted in each map. Establishing times for the Wheatfield fighting is difficult at best, since virtually none of the first-hand accounts reference any specific times. So, the times set forth are my best estimate as to when those events took place, and should be viewed as such. What I really wanted to impart to readers with the maps is the general location of the units that fought in the Wheatfield at different stages of the fighting.

One of the great benefits I received in writing this was the outpouring of genuine interest, support, assistance, and encouragement from so many friends. The following individuals have been especially helpful: Greg Acken, Neal Auricchio, Pat Barnes, Pete Barnes, Rich Bellamy, Bill Bork, Matt Borowick, Carole Capp-Saccocci, Mike Cavanaugh, Stan Domosh, Jim Donovan, Bruce Form, Bob Gaydosh, Karen Kulaga, Paul Lader, John Michael Priest, Jeff Stocker, and Bill Welsch. I am fortunate to have developed long-distance friendships with people across the country who have provided me with research information. In particular, I would like to thank John Griffin, Neal Griffin, Dave Larson, and Ken Woodington from that group. Another person to whom I am indebted in helping with this book is Sue Makwinski, who had the difficult task of reading my handwriting and typing the text.

I am grateful to Elwood Christ and Tim Smith from the Adams County Historical Society for helping to arrange for the use of the Tipton photographs that are contained in this book. I would also like to thank the staffs of the Civil War Library & Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Civil War Library & Research Center in Woodbridge, New Jersey, for their assistance. Early on in my research I contacted many institutions across the country looking for applicable material. The following organizations were helpful in their prompt responses: U.S. Army Military Institute, National Archives & Records Administration, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, University of North Carolina, Duke University, Emory University, Indiana State Library, New York Historical Society, University of Texas at Austin, Alabama Department of Archives & History, University of Georgia Library, Henry E. Huntington Library, Louisiana State University, Maryland Historical Society Library, Ohio Historical Society Library, Georgia Department of Archives & History, New Jersey State Archives, Stephen F. Austin State University, and Washington & Lee University.

I wish to thank the folks at White Mane Publishing Company for their assistance. Especially helpful was Alexis Handerahan, who was a terrific editor to work with. I would also like to give a special thanks and gratitude to Civil War historian extraordinaire, Ed Bearss, for taking the time out of his busy schedule to review my book.

Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my family for their help, support, and love. No father could ever hope for better children than my sons, John and Bob. They have adopted my interest in Gettysburg as their own, and have spent countless hours traipsing the battlefield with me. Indeed, I can ask for no better companions to walk the Wheatfield with than my boys, who have become experts in the intricacies of the battle. As for my wife, Maureen, she is simply the best person in the world. She served many roles throughout this project, including editor, listener, supporter, and encourager. Never once did she even intimate that I was wasting my time working on an event that occurred so long ago, or that I could be spending my time doing something else. Her literary insights were right on target. But, most of all, her assistance made working on this book a joy, and her love, friendship, and companionship makes my life truly wonderful.

The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the defining moments of the American Civil War. General Robert E. Lee’s invasion into Pennsylvania with his Army of Northern Virginia culminated in a desperate fight with Major General George Gordon Meade’s Army of the Potomac on the first three days of July 1863. When the two armies separated from each other on the evening of the 87th anniversary of the country’s Independence Day, 45,364 men had been either killed, wounded, or were missing in action. Lee’s army had suffered 22,557 casualties, and its effectiveness as an offensive fighting force had been decimated. But before the battle ended, the Confederates had fought as well as any troops in military history, and the fate of a nation rested on the staunch defense provided by the Federal soldiers on the outskirts of the small borough of Gettysburg.¹

Although there was fighting between the two armies on all three days, the heaviest action took place on July 2, 1863. The struggle on that day at various locations on the battlefield has given rise to a list of places that are now fixed in American history: Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, the Peach Orchard, Culp’s Hill, and, the Wheatfield.

The fight in and around the twenty-six acres of wheat owned by local farmer George Rose has been largely overlooked by Gettysburg historians. One of the reasons for this omission is the confusing, overlapping nature of the action. A total of six Confederate brigades battled thirteen Federal brigades during the three and one-half hours of fighting.² Units were sent into the fight in piecemeal fashion, making it difficult for any organized analysis. Another reason for the lack of study on the Wheatfield is that neither side had anyone in overall control of the field. For the Federals, troops from four different army corps were engaged, yet none of the corps commanders (except Major General Daniel E. Sickles, who was severely wounded during the action) was present. Of the Federal divisional commanders, only Brigadier General John C. Caldwell exercised any meaningful, hands-on command in the Wheatfield. For the Confederates, only Major General Lafayette McLaws executed command above the brigade level in the fighting.

This book will analyze the fight for the Wheatfield and clarify the confused action that Gettysburg historian Eric Campbell has rightly referred to as The Whirlpool.³ This objective will be accomplished by focusing on Brigadier General George T. Anderson’s Brigade in Major General John Bell Hood’s Division. Major General McLaws’s three brigades that engaged the Federals in the waist-high wheat will also be focused on. These brigades were commanded by brigadier generals Joseph B. Kershaw, Paul J. Semmes, and William T. Wofford. I will examine not only how the battle unfolded, but also those factors which led to success and failure in the bloody fighting.

George T. Tige Anderson was born in Covington, Georgia, on February 3, 1824. While matriculating at Emory College in Oxford, Georgia, Anderson felt compelled to leave school and fight for his state and country in the Mexican War. As a lieutenant of a Georgia cavalry regiment, he served under the command of General Stephen W. Kearney. After the war he returned to Georgia, married Elizabeth Ramey, and took up the family occupation of farming. In 1855, he received a commission as captain in Colonel Joseph E. Johnston’s 1st U.S. Cavalry, and served with that regiment in Kansas. Resigning his commission in 1858, he remained in Kansas until Georgia seceded from the Union, whereupon Anderson returned to his native state. He immediately helped raise a company in Walton County, and was elected captain. Upon the organization of the 11th Georgia in July 1861, Anderson was elected its colonel. He immediately took his regiment to Virginia, where he reported to his old 1st U.S. Cavalry commander, General Joseph E. Johnston, at Manassas. Anderson was given command of a brigade, consisting of the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 11th Georgia regiments and the 1st Kentucky. On November 1, 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general, and served in that capacity with the Army of Northern Virginia through the end of the war.

Returning to Georgia after Appomattox, Anderson worked for a railroad. From 1877 to 1881 he was Atlanta’s chief of police, a position he would also hold later in life in Anniston, Alabama. In 1881 he moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and during that same year married his second wife, Linda