Report of Colonel H. Boyd McKeen, 81st Pennsylvania Infantry, commanding First Brigade Gettysburg Campaign OR --SERIES I--VOLUME XXVII/1 [S# 43] CAMP ON THE FIELD, August 11, 1863 Major JOHN HANCOCK, Assistant Adjutant General, First Division, II Army Corps MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the First Brigade in the action at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 2 and 3: Early in the morning of the 2nd, the Brigade was massed in the woods to the left and rear of the position occupied by the Corps when in line. At 10 AM, the Brigade massed in column of Regiments on the left of the Division and the left center of the general line of battle. Here we remained until 4 PM, when the Division was detached from the Corps and marched to the left of the line, to check the advance of the enemy. The Brigade moved by the left flank from the position on the left of the center, until it reached the foot of Sugar Loaf Hill, and then formed line of battle in rear of a stone wall, over which we advanced and engaged the enemy. At this time, I was in command of the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers. The Brigade was formed in the following order: The 61st New York Volunteers, 81st and 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers, and 5th New Hampshire Volunteers, and the 61st and 81st and a portion of the 148th advanced in a wheatfield; the remainder of the 148th and 5th New Hampshire Volunteers in a thick woods. The Brigade steadily drove the enemy back to the far end of the wheat-field, a distance of over 400 yards. So quickly was this done that prisoners were taken by the Brigade before the enemy had time to spring from their hiding-places to retreat. A Brigade of the V Corps relieved the 61st, 81st, and a portion of the 148th. Perceiving that if the balance of the Brigade should retire it would expose the left flank of this Brigade, I kept the balance of the 148th in position. At this time, I was informed that Colonel Cross, who commanded the Brigade, was mortally wounded, and that the command of the brigade devolved upon me. The 5th and 148th remained in position, steadily holding the enemy in check, until every round of cartridge in this portion of the Brigade was expended, and even then held their position until relieved by a brigade of General Barnes Division, of the V Corps. Passing the relieving brigade by file, they retired in splendid order, as they were enfiladed by a galling fire from our left flank {faced to the rear}. Joining the balance of the brigade at the stone wall first spoken of, the Brigade rejoined the Division, and again moved to their old position on the left center. Early on the morning of the 3rd, breastworks were thrown up by the Brigade. Unmolested we remained in this position until 4 PM, when the enemy opened upon our position a terrible fire {Artillery}, which, however, did the Brigade but little injury, owing to the breastworks thrown up in the morning. About 5 PM, three columns of attack debouched from an orchard in our immediate front, moving by their left flank, traversed the field in our front, and vigorously attacked the center of our line and to our immediate right. Almost simultaneously, a single Brigade of Florida troops advanced upon our position, but were broken by the Artillery just as they were getting within musket-range. A large portion of this brigade ran into our lines and delivered themselves up as prisoners. This was the last effort of the enemy. I have only to state that the Brigade fought with its usual gallantry, and that the Regiment I had the honor to command in the early part of the engagement, comparatively a new one, equaled in coolness and gallantry the balance of the brigade, old veterans of the Peninsula. That gallant Officer, Colonel E.E. Cross, 5th New Hampshire Volunteers, who led the Brigade into action, fell, while bravely cheering his troops. Great credit is due to the Brigade Staff for their gallantry upon the field, of which number Captain [George H.] Caldwell, Assistant Adjutant General, and Lieutenant [John H.] Root, Assistant Inspector General, were wounded severely in the discharge of their duties. The following are the casualties in the Brigade: Commissioned Officers Killed – 3 Wounded – 21 Missing – 0 Total – 24 Enlisted Men Killed – 56 Wounded – 238 Missing – 12 Total – 306 Total Killed – 59 Wounded – 259 Missing – 12 Total – 330 Total strength of the Brigade going into action, 780 muskets. At 4 oclock on the afternoon of July 5, the Brigade was ordered out of its position, and from this date, by a series of marches, reached a position near Tilghmanton, Maryland, on the 10th instant. While lying here, the Brigade supported Carrolls Brigade, Third Division, II Corps, on a reconnaissance, and drove the enemy to within three miles of Hagerstown, on the Hagerstown Turnpike, falling back, however, to Jones Cross-Roads, near which point the brigade threw up works, in anticipation of a general engagement with the enemy. On the 14th instant, my command held the advance in pursuit of the enemys rear guard, capturing some 50 prisoners, and giving up the pursuit near Falling Waters. From this place the First Brigade, with the balance of the Division, moved by rapid marches to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, halting for supplies a few days on the southern side of Maryland Heights, near Sandy Hook, and crossing the Potomac on the 18th. Shortly after crossing the river, on the same day, I received an order to report to the surgeon-in-chief of the General Hospital in Philadelphia, and I immediately turned the command over to Lieutenant Colonel McFarlane, 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers. Up to this time, after leaving Gettysburg, the Brigade met with no loss whatever in killed or wounded. Respectfully, H. BOYD McKEEN, Colonel, Commanding First Brigade
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 21:56:08 +0000
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