GDG- Re: Wilber Correction

[DShultz180 at aol.com]

I stand corrected. Jim is dead right I am wrong. So much for making   
suggestive statements without having anything in front of me. Bad habit I must break.

I have never done this on this forum but what the heck, here is what I have 
on Wilber. It's from the initial draft from long ago as the final cannot be 
presented. 

Ordnance Rifle No 1 was placed in the middle of the road below Stevens and 
for what its worth was fired on by that battery after being overrun.   Both 
Wilber's pieces discharged fours rounds each before being either overrun or 
evacuated. 

Can't elaborate on the capture itself as our words are from an unpublished 
letter from Wilber to Hunt, verified by Breck and Wainwright.

>From less one hundred yards distant Brockenbrough’s Virginians called for 
Wilber’s section to surrender, thus while Mississippians and North Carolinians 
hailed him from the North and south respectively, all urging him to stop. 
Fortunately there was enough Federal infantry on hand to offer a feeble but 
nevertheless effective resistance allowing the brace of rifles pull away. The gun 
teams became primary targets as the section passed beyond the McPherson house.   
The lieutenant called for all men on foot to get out; “each man for himself,” 
then spurred his horse after Lieutenant Breck, who was leading the way. 
With Wilber at his side Breck led the section off West McPherson’s Ridge at a 
brisk trot descending into the shallow swale east of the house. Entering the 
farm lane they ascended the western slope of East McPherson Ridge under a 
spattering of small arms fire directed at them from the Herbst Woods. Although 
fired from less than 40 yards distant the brace of guns miraculously made the 
opening unscathed. With the enemy closing Lieutenants Breck and Wilber, and both 
pieces, topped the crest of the eastern rise on the unscathed. Breaking into a 
dead run Breck led his ragtag column down the small lane south of the orchard 
and into the opening of the huge swale separating McPherson and Seminary 
Ridges. 
Blasting through retiring infantry Wilber’s charges continued eastward toward 
Cooper’s woodlot, the small rural lane offering a slight respite from 
musketry as it was fenced in. The 151st Pennsylvania was to Breck’s immediate right 
battling the 26th North Carolina. To his left he could see the field swarming 
with retreating Federal's with a large mass of Gray beyond. Putting whips and 
spurs to horses the drivers urged on their teams and within a few moments 
cleared the small woods that Cooper was preparing to defended.   
McPherson’s Ridge was finally void of all Federal Artillery. 
The gap exploited by Breck had been left open when Brockenbrough’s shot torn 
Virginians were slowed to a halt by remnants of the 2nd and 7th Wisconsin 
regiments. Having made three feeble attempts to     carry the ridge between the 
farmhouse and Herbst Woods the Virginians were unable to gain a solid foothold. 
Caught in front of Wilber’s section and that of the 150st Pennsylvania many 
simply laid down refusing to go any further.   Although plenty of them on the 
right crossed over the crest and joined the 26th North Carolina the bulk of 
Brockenbrough’s Brigade did not. With Breck’s skillful direction, Wilber made his 
way out after leaving piles of dead and quivering Virginians in front of 
McPherson’s demolished rail fence. Passing to the rear of the battling 151st, they 
came upon the 150th Pennsylvania as that regiment retired as well.   A hearty 
cheer arose from the “Third Bucktails” as Wilber’s little column angled away 
from the pike. It was nearing 4:00 pm when the big red building with the 
cupola appeared on the rise through the smoke, 600 yards distant.   
Once out of immediate danger, Breck led Wilber toward Seminary Ridge at a 
lessened pace, following the avenue toward the main Seminary building. Wilber was 
moving at left oblique to the enemy line which apparently did not see him 
through the thickening smoke and haze. It is very doubtful Breck realized how 
close he really was as well until he discovered his once open path was now 
obliterated by Colonel Gate’s retiring regiments from the south, Pettigrew’s right 
wing closely perusing. To add to the lieutenants woes a second Confederate 
line was seen approaching, closing on the first. 
Stopping the column Breck persuaded infantry to dismantle the fence.   He and 
Wilber then led the column into the filed due west of and below the Lutheran 
Seminary. Rumbling northward over the field they could see the Cashtown Pike 
in the distance and the chaos surrounding it. Angling to the east-northeast 
fleeing bodies of men from various regiments impeded their retreat. The exact 
route has been lost to history but it must have been over one of many farm lanes 
as Wilber’s section ended up near James Thompson’s small brick home, south of 
the pike. Breck simply wrote, “I accompanied the right section (Wilber), 
which continuing to retire, took its third position on the ridge running south 
from [toward] the seminary, near a small house and orchard.   Here, after 
expanding a few rounds, including canister, the section was ordered to again retire.” 
  
Placed west of and below the Thompson residence, with one gun in the road 
itself, Federal infantry blocked their field of fire as they tried to reform 
around Thompson’s house and orchard. Beyond and above the house, not 40 yards 
away, Steven’s New Englanders were heavily engaged. One section to the right and 
rear of Wilber was dissecting the pike with one gun in the yard belonging to 
James’ mother, Mary Thompson. Across the avenue, below Mary’s home, Lt. Davison’
s three smoothbores could barely be seen through the smoke and confusion. 
Blue-Clad infantry were swarming through both Davidson’s half-battery and Wilber’
s section creating havoc. Both Breck and Wilber remained mounted as balls 
whizzed past their ears from three directions, the distinct zing of the Minie and 
thump of its finding a target all to familiar to the veterans. Generals Davis 
and Daniels’ advancing lines were now in control of the pike west of Wilber 
and Davidson, with to many fleeing Federals blocking the gunner’s fields of 
fire.   Breck’s attempt to locate and rejoin Battery L south of the Seminary cost 
him dearly. Had he initially led Wilber due east as Calef had earlier, in all 
probability the section would have reached Seminary Ridge relatively intact 
just south or near the Seminary 
But it was to late. From the center cut to Cooper’s woodlot the open swale 
between McPherson’s and Seminary Ridges, south of the pike, was controlled by 
men wearing butternut and gray.   Much of it at point was point blank and 
hand-to-hand. Ever so slowly the line nearest the pike crept closer. When the 149th 
collapsed in front of Davidson’s gun line the enemy swarmed across the pike 
driving all before them.   Connecting with Scales demoralized left flank, as 
that brigade renewed its attack, the Federal gunners were forced to momentarily 
cease-fire. At approximately 100 yards a devastating volley was let loose 
thinning the ranks of infantry supporting Wilber. Many of these lads were being hit 
from the back as. It was believed that one of Capt. Stevens’ Napoleons above 
had indiscriminately fired canister into Wilber’s section and the infantry 
near it. 
North of and below Wilber’s section, Lieutenant Dividsion had to be held up 
by one of his men. When he finally collapsed from loss of blood Sergeant 
Mitchell assumed command.   Mitchell swung the left gun due south while wheeling the 
center gun in echelon to join it, the right covering the front to the West. 
Colonel Wainwright, after having left Lieutenant Bower’s (Battery L) south of 
the Seminary, was now on the scene. He recalled:

I went a little to the right and front and found Wilbur’s section, one piece 
of which was on the Cashtown Road. I there found that Lieutenant Dividsion had 
thrown his half of Battery “B” around so as to get an oblique, almost 
enfilading fire on the rebel lines. His round shot, together with the canister 
poured in from the other guns, was cutting great gaps in the front line of the 
enemy [Scales]. But still they came on… 

Mitchell’s reopening down and across the pike to Wilber ‘s front slowed but 
did not stop the enemy. Much has been written of Davison’s section clearing 
the pike as it assuredly had, but not that south of the stout plank fences 
bordering it. The Confederate regiments then advancing did so under extreme 
pressure that is for sure, but mostly from Steven’s 5th Main. What Mitchell did, 
however, was keep pike and field south of it cleared from the center cut to the 
base of the ridge. Wilber was just above the base near the brow. Approaching 
east from south of the pike Scales’ line would have to advance another 200 yards 
or so before receiving the deadly harvest of Battery B’s crossfire. It was 
nearing 4:30 pm.



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