Culps Hill Article

General John M. Jones’ Virginia Brigade
On Culp’s Hill July 2nd, 1863
By Gary Elliott
Edited by Mark Kendrick, Chris Hanks, and Jared Smith
18th Virginia Infantry Company B “Danville Grays”
150th Battle of Gettysburg
LONGSTREET’S CORPS
Note: This is not meant to be a detailed
account of the Battle of Gettysburg. It is
a guide for the men portraying Jones’
Brigade at the 150th Commemoration of
the battle and more specifically the
actions involving the brigade on the night
of July 2nd 1863.
Situation on July 2nd:
After a day that saw a meeting engagement turn into a whirlpool of
destruction, pulling troops in from
all points of the compass, both armies occupied positions in and
around the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Due to reports
of approaching federal columns from
the east, General Ewell’s 2nd Corps
of the Army of Northern Virginia
was unable to press the gains won by
the Confederates on July 1st and
capture the heights south of town,
which gave the Federals time to
strengthen and reinforce their positions.
On the morning of July 2nd the
Confederate plan of battle called for
Longstreet’s 1st Corps to attack the
left flank of the Union Army of the
Potomac. Ewell’s orders were to stage
a diversion that would be converted
into an attack if he felt he held the
advantage.
Due to delays encountered by
Longstreet in deploying his corps for
battle his attack did not start till 4
p.m. Hearing the start of
Longstreet’s assault, Ewell ordered
his artillery to open and shot and shell
started streaming into the federal position on Cemetery Hill from Benner’s
Hill to the northeast. Federals on the
hill responded and Major Joseph
Latimer commanding the confederate
artillery was soon aware that his position was untenable due to the higher
elevation of Cemetery Hill. After
nearly 2 hours Latimer was forced to
abandon his position.
Adjutant Robert Stiles would remember: The battalion had been hurled backward, as it were by the very weight and
impact of the metal from the position it
had occupied on the crest of the ridge into
the saucer-shaped depression behind it; and
such a scene as it presented…..guns dismounted and disabled, carriages splintered
and crushed, ammunition chests exploded,
limbers upset, wounded horses plunging and
kicking, dashing out the brains of the men
tangled in the harness.
Ewell would turn this diversion into a
full attack. Allegheny Johnson’s division would first strike Culp’s Hill from
the east. Followed by an attack on
Cemetery Hill from the northeast by
Jubal Early’s division, finally Robert
Rodes’ division would swing down
from the northwest attacking Cemetery Hill in the hopes of linking up
with Early’s division. The men began
forming at 6 p.m. They would move
out at 7:00 p.m. with sunset at 7:29.
The moon was one night past full but
would make little difference once the
men reached the tree covered base of
Culp’s Hill.
Brigadier General John M. Jones’ brigade would
spend July 2nd in position northeast of Gettysburg. After completing a 25 mile march from Chambersburg,
Pa. they arrived at nightfall on the 1st but were not
called upon to finish off the Federal retreat. They
would be in position here throughout the afternoon of
July 2nd until around 4 p.m. when the sounds of battle
would begin to rise as Longstreet’s assault began. Major
Joseph Latimer’s artillery battalion would be moved
into position on Benner’s Hill and Jones’ men would
be moved up in support. It would only be a matter of
time now before they were called to action and the men
began to think of what the next few hours had in store
for them.
The call would come around 6 p.m. for the
division to form and prepare to assault the enemy line
on Culp’s Hill. Now the nervous tension would begin
to rise. Far from home, near some northern town, in
some farmer’s field these men would form their battle
lines and many things would begin to run through their
heads. Dear God, let me make it through this fight or when
death comes will it be slow and painful or quick and quiet.
“The most trying time is waiting to go
in. The silence before the coming of battle is
oppressive. Many mental and physical exhibitions will be noticed, and if the battle is on,
the sight of the wounded men streaming back
is disheartening.” Lt. Col. W.T. Poague.
As these men prepared themselves for the
coming fight some of the most common symptoms
exhibited by the soldiers would be violent pounding of
the heart, sickening feeling in the stomach (sometimes
bad enough to cause vomiting), and shaking or trembling all over.
Lined up from left to right were the 48th, 42nd,
and 50th Virginia in the front line; 44th and 21st in
the second; Jones’ brigade started the march across
Benner’s Farm in splendid fashion. As they crossed
over the crest of Benner’s Hill they were exposed to
Federal artillery fire from Cemetery Hill. As they
neared the wooded banks of Rock Creek at the base of
Culp’s Hill Confederate skirmishers would come in
contact with the Federal skirmish line and begin
pushing them back. Johnson’s division would cross the
Johnson’s Division attacks Culp’s Hill
creek and reform on the west bank. The nervous
tension is now almost unbearable.
Now as the brigade begins to move forward in
the darkness knowing the enemy is somewhere in
front they start becoming disorganized due to the trees
and boulder strewn ground. Losing the elbow to elbow
contact with their comrades right and left they begin
to ascend the hill robbed of some of the offensive
power they would have were the men able to maintain
an intact formation. As they moved forward the
ground in front continued to become steeper and
steeper until they were on a near vertical incline when
out of the darkness, flashes of light illuminate the
night.
“Then out into the night, like chain
lightening, leaped the zigzag line of fire.”
Capt. Jesse Jones 60th New York
Caught on the steepest part of Culp’s Hill and
in a semi disorganized state, Jones’ Virginian’s
scrambled to return fire. Using trees and boulders for
cover they fired back at the muzzle flashes of the
Federal defenders unable to see their attackers in the
darkness and behind the breastworks they had constructed throughout the day.
“All was confusion and disorder, the
works in front of our lines were of a
formidable character, and in some places they
could scarcely be surmounted without scaling
ladders. Capt. T.R. Bucknor 44th Virginia
Fire leaped back and forth across the side of
the hill as both sides delivered a storm of lead into
each other. Union soldiers counted at least 3
separate charges against their line as Jones’ brigade
tried to scale the hill to reach their position.
“They acted bravely, they came as
close as they could but very few got within
2 rods of us, those that did never went
away again….well, they retreated in a
hurry. Then we heard their wounded
groaning and begging for help.”
60th New York Soldier
The rebel yell pierced the night air as these
Virginians clawed their way up the hill. Just as
much as it intimidated the Union soldiers, the yell
served to boost the morale of the confederates.
Hours of pent-up frustration during the expectation
of combat burst forth into this animalistic battle cry
that will rattle the teeth when delivered with the
proper enthusiasm.
“Without breastworks our line
would have been swept away in an instant
by the hailstorm of bullets and flood of
men.” 60th New York Officer
Federal Breastworks on Culp’s Hill.
For all the valor, courage and blood spilled out on
the side of the hill the position proved to be too
strong to overcome.
“The fire was so heavy we could not
stand it.” Lt. Col. Salyer 50th Virginia
In the end Jones’ brigade would make their way back
down to the base of the hill and remain in a support
role for the rest of the night. Out of roughly 1600
men, 58 were killed, 302 wounded, and 61 were
listed as missing for a total of 421.
Resources
The Maps of Gettysburg
By Bradley Gottfried
Gettysburg
By Stephen Sears
You’ll be Scared: Fear, Stress, and Coping in the Civil War
By Philip Cole
21st Virginia Infantry
By Susan A. Riggs
25th Virginia and 9th Battalion Virginia Infantry
By Richard Armstrong
42nd Virginia Infantry
By John Chapla
48th Virginia Infantry
By John Chapla
50th Virginia Infantry
By John Chapla
44th Virginia Infantry
By Kevin Ruffner
Culp’s Hill Today. View looking toward the Federal line
from Jones’ Brigade’s position.
www.civilwar.org