Artillery Brigade

The Army of the Potomac’s First Corps Artillery Brigade under Col. Charles S. Wainwright included Maine 2d Battery B, Maine 5th Battery E, 1st New York Battery L, 1st Penna. Battery B, and 4th U.S. Battery B. On July 1 it arrived between 10 and 11 a.m.; Battery B, 2d Maine, advanced to relieve Battery A, 2d U.S. on Chambersburg Pike and became hotly engaged with artillery in front and infantry on the right but was compelled to retire from the ridge. About 2 p.m., after Confederate artillery opened from Oak Hill on the right, the batteries in advance withdrew to a ridge in rear and on both sides of Reynolds's Woods, but being flanked and enfiladed by Confederate infantry and artillery, the Union forces withdrew to Seminary Ridge and at 4 p.m. retired through the town to Cemetery Hill, where the artillery was immediately placed in position for defense. On July 2 the brigade was not engaged until 4 p.m., when Confederates opened on the position with four 20 pounders and six 10 pounder Parrotts but were compelled to withdraw. Battery B, 1st Penna., was relieved by Batteries F and G, 1st Penna. At dusk the position on East Cemetery Hill was attacked by Brig. Gen. Hays's and Brig. Gen. Hoke's brigades, which fought through Battery I, 1st New York, into Batteries F and G, 1st Penna., spiking one gun. The cannoniers stood to their guns and with hand-spikes, rammers, and stones, together with infantry hurried to the defense, repulsed the attack between 9 and 10 p.m. On July 3 there was no serious engagement. Casualties were 9 men killed, 6 officers and 80 men wounded, and 11 men captured or missing, a total of 106.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania · United States