GDG- 4th PA Cav on July 2

[Eric J. Wittenberg]

Here's what Doster wrote in his memoirs:

...Gregg ordered us into a field of clover on Rock Creek, between  
Hanover and Taneytown roads.  At three I was ordered to accompany a  
staff officer General Pleasonton's with my regiment.  We hastened  
through the crowded roads to what I afterwards learned was Little  
Round Top, in rear of some artillery, McGilvery's artillery brigade of  
Sickles's corps, where I left my regiment and went with my guide to  
Pleasonton for instructions.  This was the headquarters of our army.

The house was a small cottage on the left of the Taney Town Road,  
sheltered somewhat by the hill above.  Outside were many staff  
officers and orderlies.  Within was Butterfield, Meade, and  
Pleasonton.  They occupied a room that contained the ordinary bedroom  
furniture of an ordinary Pennsylvania farmer.  Their gentlemanly  
manner and brilliant uniforms contrasted strangely with the  
surroundings.

Pleasonton begged my pardon for having made me ride so far.  There was  
no need of exposing the cavalry in front.  I should rejoin Gregg on  
the right and tell him to take good care of it.  My orderly's horse  
was struck by a shell here.  I rejoined my regiment, who were very  
glad to get out of the fearful rain of shell which, directed to the  
caissons in front of them, dismounted a number of them.  On my way  
back  noticed Sickles on a stretcher, smoking a cigar.  They said his  
leg had been shot off in the last charge.  This is giving the 'Solace  
Tobacco' a new meaning.  By the time I reached Gregg he was just going  
into camp in the clover field above mentioned.  The men were just  
leaving their horses to run at random to graze and sitting down to  
make coffee, when a long Rebel infantry skirmish line issues from the  
woods and advances towards us, while artillery on the edge of the  
woods reach us with shells.  We get our artillery limbered up again,  
throw out a stronger line, drive them back, and then, in sight of one  
another, take supper, for the first time since we left Edwards Ferry,  
with some degree of comfort.....

Eric

On Jul 21, 2008, at 7:27 PM, Richard & Sue Ann Schaus wrote:

> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
> Hi,
>
> Tom, LTC Doster, CO, 4th PA Cav., in his brief report, does not relate
> any sense of urgency to get to the Federal left, or even that he was
> actually directed there:
> "At noon of the 2d of July, I was ordered to report with my regiment  
> to
> Major-General Pleasonton, and was stationed in rear of a battery in  
> the
> center of our line by a captain on General Pleasonton's staff.
>  Upon reporting to General Pleasonton in person, I was ordered to
> return to General Gregg, there being sufficient cavalry at that point,
> which was done." (OR, Pt I, pp 1058-9).
>
> VR, Rick Schaus
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com
> [mailto:gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com] On Behalf Of Tom Ryan
> Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 1:53 PM
> To: GDG
> Subject: GDG- 4th PA Cav on July 2
>
> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
> In reexamining the issue of cavalry commander Pleasonton ordering
> Buford's
> two brigades to Taneytown from the Union left flank on July 2 (thereby
> uncovering that flank), it seems that Pleasonton made a rather feeble
> attempt to make up for this blunder by directing Gregg to send a
> regiment
> from his cavalry division to cover the left in place of Buford.  The  
> 4th
> PA
> received this assignment.  The messages related to this situation  
> are in
> OR,
> vol. 27, partIII, page 490).
>
> In reading Longacre's account of this episode in "The Cavalry at
> Gettysburg"
> (page 207), it is unclear whether the 4th PA Cav arrived before,  
> during
> or
> after Longstreet's attack on Sickles' salient position in the late
> afternoon
> of July 2.
>
> I rather think that this cav regiment did not arrive prior to the  
> attack
> because the 2nd US Sharpshooters of Berdan's brigade had the  
> assignment
> of
> covering Sickles left flank prior to the attack.
>
> Longacre's comments are that the 4th PA Cav "attempted to take the  
> place
> of
> Gamble's and Devin's men on the left of the Union line.  [Col. Doster]
> and
> his men spent the balance of the day supporting batteries above Little
> Round
> Top and giving Sickle's troops a covering fire against Rebels
> overrunning
> their salient."  That is a little vague, and I cannot quite tell from
> this
> whether the 4th PA was on hand at the outset of the fighting.  If they
> were,
> it is reasonable to assume they would have been working in conjunction
> with
> the 2nd USSS in providing cover for that flank.
>
> Does anyone have any info on when the 4th PA Cav arrived on the  
> scene on
> the
> Union left, and what there initial assignment was?
>
> Tom Ryan
>
>
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