GDG- 14th VT 1st Corps unit w/2nd Corps [Long]

[Jim Weaver]

To add a little more detail, here is a somewhat lengthy excerpt from 
Benedict's Vermont in the Civil War that explains the situation that 
brought the 2nd VT brigade onto the line in some detail.
Included is text from at letter from Lt Col George Meade who was serving 
on his fathers staff and was with him on the field.
"... After alluding to the circumstance that an important message was 
received by General Meade, after his return to his headquarters from the 
left, which caused him to send an order to Newton  to bring up some 
troops as soon as possible, and then to mount and hurry out to the line 
of the Second Corps, Colonel Meade says:

'As the general rode up toward the line the firing was very sharp, both 
of artillery and infantry. Between the left of Gibbon and some troops 
farther to the left, there seemed to be a vacant space in the lines, and 
apparently no organized body of troops there. Many of our men were 
scattered about coming back. Directly in front of the general a line of 
the enemy could be seen advancing in the open between our ridge and the 
Emmitsburg pike. I think this must have been Wright's Georgia brigade. 
They seemed to be making straight for where we were. The general at once 
took in the situation. He once or twice looked anxiously in the 
direction whence Newton should come, and then rode slowly forward. It 
was in the minds fo those of us who were with him that as a last resort 
he was going to make some personal effort at a diversion - anything to 
give a little time. I was so impressed with this that I rode up as close 
to him as I could get. The others did the same. I do not remember that 
there was anything said - in fact the fearful crash of the firing all 
around and the shouts of the men, that you know so well on a field of 
battle, would hav prevented any one being heard. Just as we were making 
up our minds for the worst, some one shouted or rather yelled: "There 
they come General!" Looking around we saw a column of infantry come 
swinging down the Taneytown road from the direction of Cemetery Hill, in 
close column of divisions, at a sharp double-quick, flags flying, arms 
at right shoulder, officers steadying there men with sharp commands. 
They came on as if on review. It was the most exciting and inspriting 
moment I ever passed, and everyone yelled as if for dear life. Newton 
came up ahead of the column and General Meade rode to meet him. They had 
a few hurried word; the head of the column wheeled to the right and 
moved up to the line of battle. A line of skirmishers was thrown 
forward, and as they passed General Meade and his aids, he turned his 
horse's head and waving his hat said: "Come on, gentlemen" and rode 
along with the skirmish line up to and beyond the crest. The rest you 
know better than I can tell. Some one about this time rode up to General 
Meade and remarked that at one time it looked "pretty desperate," It was 
a great relief, I can assure you to hear him reply: "Yes! but it is all 
right now, it is all right now." This column of troops was Doubleday's 
and Robinson's divisions of the First Corps and I have alwasy understood 
that at the head of the column was Stannard's Vermont brigade. It has 
always been with me the most dramatic incident connected with General 
Meade on that field, and I have often wished that I could only command 
the power of description, so that I could give it as I saw it then and 
as I think of it now.'

The column thus seen and described by Colonel Meade was in fact simply 
the Second Vermont brigade. With its nearly 2,000 muskets, it 
undoubtedly looked like a division. It was in advance of the rest of 
Doubleday's division, which followed at a considerable interval; and 
still more in advance of Robinson's, which in fact did not go down where 
the Second Vermont brigade went, or anywhere very near it."

So as you can see from the above, the 2nd VT Brigade was sent in at the 
direct order of Meade. Hancock did direct the 13th VT to charge and 
retake what was probably Weir's battery, but the 14th and 16th appear to 
have stayed up on the ridge line.

-Jim Weaver

Message: 8
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:18:06 -0400
From: "John Gross" <FloridaRebel at bellsouth.net>
Subject: GDG- 14th VT 1st Corps unit w/2nd Corps
To: "GDG" <gettysburg at arthes.com>
Message-ID: <006501c8e86b$c1616770$0101a8c0 at John>
Content-Type: text/plain;   charset="iso-8859-1"

Can someone tell me the circumstances of why/how the 14th VT (or Stannard's
whole brigade for that matter) was positioned on Cemetery Ridge with the 2nd
Corps? Thank you.

John Gross
floridarebel at bellsouth.net