GETTYSBURG July 1st to 3rd Official Correspondence of both Union & Confed's http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/vshadow2/OR/1863.html ============================================================ Below is Pleasonton's Official Reports of those crucial days..and concerns my Brig. Gen. Elon John Farnsworth and his uncle Gen.John Franklin Farnsworth and Custer who saw action many times with my Elon...who died that day age 26. The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Gettysburg Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton commanded the Cavalry Corps which included the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry. PAGE 913-43 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. [CHAP. XXXIX. [Series I. Vol. 27. Part I. Reports. Serial No. 43.] No. 336. Reports of Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton, U. S. Army, commanding Cavalry Corps.* Hdqrs. Cavalry Corps, August 31, 1863. Amissville, Va., August 5, 1863. Gen.: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Cavalry Corps in the late campaign, including the battle of Gettysburg, with accompanying reports of subordinate commanders: On June 28, the army being in the vicinity of Frederick City, Md., the Cavalry Corps was placed as follows: The First Division (Buford's) was posted near Middletown, covering the left, and watching the enemy in the direction of Hagerstown. The Second Division (Gregg's) was stationed at different points from Frederick City to Ridgeville, on the Baltimore turnpike, covering the right of the 58 R R--VOL XXVII, PT I PAGE 914-43 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. [CHAP. XXXIX. [Series I. Vol. 27. Part I. Reports. Serial No. 43.] army. The Third Division (Kilpatrick's) was at Frederick City, and was assigned to the corps on that day. Orders having been issued for the advance of the army toward Pennsylvania, on June 29, Buford's division moved as follows, to cover and protect the left flank of the line of march: The Reserve Brigade was detached under Brig.-Gen. Merritt, and moved to Mechanicstown and afterward to Emmitsburg. The First and Second Brigades passed through Boonsborough, Cavetown, and Monterey Springs, and encamped near Fairfield, within a short distance of a considerable force of the enemy's infantry. On June 30, these two brigades moved toward Gettysburg; met two regiments of rebel infantry, with some artillery, and after some skirmishing, not wishing to use artillery, they turned off, and reached Gettysburg in the afternoon, just in time to meet the enemy entering the town, and to drive him back before he secured a position. The enemy withdrew in the direction of Cashtown, leaving his pickets about 4 1/2 miles from Gettysburg. By daylight on July 1, Gen. Buford had obtained positive information of the enemy's position and movements, and made his dispositions to hold him in check until the First Corps, under Maj.- Gen. Reynolds, could arrive upon the field. Between 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning, the rebels advanced with superior numbers on Buford's position, but for more than two hours were gallantly checked in every attempt that was made, when the troops of the First and Eleventh Corps began to arrive and to relieve the cavalry from their perilous position. This division continued in the fight throughout the day, displaying great obstinacy in holding all their positions, and splendid courage and skill in their treatment of the rebels. On July 2, Buford's division held a position on our left at Gettysburg until relieved by the Third Corps, when it was directed to take post at Westminster, to assist in guarding the army trains at that point. On June 29, Gregg's division moved by the right flank of the army on Westminster, covering the country toward York and Carlisle by reconnaissances and patrols. Kilpatrick's division advanced from Frederick City, on June 29, direct to the front on Hanover by way of Littlestown. On the morning of the 30th, they were attacked by Stuart's cavalry in full force. After a gallant fight, the enemy was repulsed, losing one battle-flag, and retreated in the direction of Carlisle. <A HREF="http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/vshadow2/OR/gettysburg/5thva/5thva .html">Valley of the Shadow: 5th Va. Inf. Official </A> On July 1, they were pursued as far as Berlin, by the way of Abbottstown, a detachment under Lieut.-Col. Alexander, chief of staff, proceeding as far as Rosstown. Kilpatrick's division on July 2 moved toward Gettysburg from the direction of Heidlersburg, to prevent the enemy from concentrating his forces by that road, and to protect our right flank from being turned. Late in the afternoon, this division met the rebel cavalry near Hunterstown, and, after a spirited affair for two hours, the enemy was driven from his position. The division was then ordered to Two Taverns, which it reached at daylight. It being now apparent that the rebel army intended making a vigorous attack on the left of the position held by our army on the heights of Gettysburg, Gen. Kilpatrick was directed to move to the right of the enemy's line, connect with Merritt's brigade, ordered up from Emmitsburg, and attack the enemy in flank and rear, as CHAP. XXXIX.] THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN. PAGE 915-43 [Series I. Vol. 27. Part I. Reports. Serial No. 43.] well as prevent our own flank from being turned, Custer's brigade, of this division, remaining on our right flank, in connection with Gen. Gregg. Gen. Kilpatrick did valuable service with the First Brigade, under Gen. Farnsworth, in charging the enemy's infantry, and, with the assistance of Merritt's brigade and the good execution of their united batteries, caused him to detach largely from his main attack on the left of our line. It was in one of these brilliant engagements that the noble and gallant Farnsworth fell, heroically leading a charge of his brigade against the rebel infantry. Gifted in a high degree with a quick perception and a correct judgment, and remarkable for his daring and coolness, his comprehensive grasp of the situation on the field of battle and the rapidity of his actions had already distinguished Gen. Farnsworth among his comrades in arms. In his death was closed a career that must have won the highest honors of his profession. On June 30, immediately after the fight of Kilpatrick at Hanover, the enemy hastily withdrew his forces from York and Carlisle and began to concentrate on Gettysburg. As soon as this was known, Gregg's division was directed to leave one brigade (Huey's) to cover the depot at Westminster, and move with the other two brigades toward Gettysburg, to take up a position on the right of our line of battle, and prevent the enemy from turning the flank and gaining the rear. This position was established about noon of July 2, and was at the intersection of the Gettysburg and Hanover turnpike with the road which ran in rear of our line of battle. The enemy attacked this point late in the evening with two regiments deployed, but were compelled to retire. On July 3, Custer's brigade, of Kilpatrick's division, having occupied the position of Gregg's division of the day before, the latter was posted three-quarters of a mile nearer the Baltimore and Gettysburg turnpike. About noon the enemy threw a heavy force of cavalry against this position, with the intention of gaining our rear. This attack was met and handsomely defeated by Gen. Gregg, who reports several fine charges made by the First Michigan Cavalry, of Custer's brigade, and the First New Jersey and Third Pennsylvania Cavalry, of his own division. The enemy withdrew from his position with heavy loss, and evacuated his lines that night. Custer's brigade then proceeded to join its division on our left. The grand attack of Gen. Lee's army on July 3, on the left of our line at Gettysburg, having been successfully repulsed and defeated, orders were given for the cavalry to gain his rear and line of communication, and harass and annoy him as much as possible in his retreat. I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. PLEASONTON, Maj.-Gen., Comdg. Brig. Gen. S. Williams, Assistant Adjutant-Gen., Army of the Potomac. CHAP. XXXIX.] THE GETTYSBURG CAMPAIGN. PAGE 919-43 [Series I. Vol. 27. Part I. Reports. Serial No. 43.] End, Official Report Univ. of VA ============================================================ Now from the Farnsworth Monograph by Claudius B. Farnsworth on that battle: Subject: FARNSWORTH, Elon John Source: Matthias Farnsworth and His Descendants in America A Monograph by Claudius Buchanan Farnsworth pub. privately Pawtucket, R. I. 1891 p.96 Letter from General Pleasanton to General John Franklin Farnsworth written a few days after the death of his nephew, Brevet Brig. Gen. Elon John Farnsworth, at Gettysburg (PA) July 3, 1863: To General J. F. Farnsworth "My Dear General: In looking over my Gettysburg report, it has occurred to me that you should know what I said and what I thought of your late nephew nephew; and as it will not probably see daylight for a long time, I send you the following quotation from that report: 'It was in one of these brilliant engagements that the gallant Farnsworth fell heroically leading a charge of his brigade against the rebel infantry. Gifted in a high degree with a quick perception and a correct judgement, remarkable for his daring and coolness, his comprehensive grasp of the situation on the field of battle and the rapidity of his actions, had already distinguished General Farnsworth among his comrades in arms. In his death was closed a career that must have won the highest honors of his profession.' These are not empty words. He realized more than they expressed. Nature made him a general, and he was just entering the proper field for an exhibition of his high qualities when he was killed. Of our personal relations I will not speak; there are certain things too sacred to be written of those we love. Yours as ever, Pleansanton. ____________________________________________________________________ Elon John Farnsworth's death p.93 General (Elon John) Farnsworth soon rode to the head of the Third Battalion consisting of about 200 troopers, the remnant of the First Vermont, and ordered the charge. With drawn sabres, they rode through the Confederate skirmish line, into the fields beyond, over the fences and made as bold a dash for Lee's army as if they had been supported by the entire Union forces. While the First Battalion, in advance, was extricating itself from the Fourth Alabama, whose volley it received within a few paces, and which was the first intimation of the presence of the Confederates at that point, General Farnsworth, with the Third Battalion, circled to the right towards the enemy's line of battle, riding in as grand form as if on dress parage. Skirting a low hill to the rear of Law's* Confed- erate brigade, this few score of Vermont cavalrymen led by General Farnsworth literally entered into the "jaws of death." Charging along a stone wall between the hill and Law's brigade, over rocks and through timber, they were exposed to the close enfilading fire of several Con- federate regiments on the right and of the Fourth Alabama on the left. They emerged from this slaughter pen only to receive the close *footnote p.93 General Law of the Confederate army tells the story of this charge, from his point of view, in the Century Magazine for December, 1886. p.94 fire of a battery and here the remant of the devoted band broke into three parties. General Farnsworth still unscathed, rode some distance further until his horse fell under him. A trooper dismounted, (and) Farnsworth sprang into the saddle, wheeled and, followed by a few troopers - Confederate reports say there were not more than ten with him when he fell - at full gallop charged back again into that terrible storm of death-dealing missiles. Again he charged along that stone wall. Incredible as it seems, General Farnsworth with Captain Cushman and about ten of the Vermont troopers, apparently impervious to the storm of bullets, on the return charge penetrated in safety very nearly to the point where they first entered between the hill and the stone wall in the rear of the Confederate column. A few more strides in that mad gallop and the remaining heroes of this charge would have been out of reach of rebel bullets, and the intrepid commander would have lived to attain greater rand and distinction but for one last act - the culmination of courageous consecration. On the extreme right of the enemy's line of battle was the Fifteenth Alabama. Dashing along the stone wall in their rear, General Farns- worth saw approaching, a samll detachment of the First Battalion of his brigade, from which he had long been separated. Raising his saber as a signal to follow, he cleared the stone wall and charged the Fifteenth Alabama with the sublime indifference of a commander with victorious thousands at his back. Here he fell, and his riderless horse tore through the enemy's lines. He fell with sabre raised as if still threatening the foe he could no longer face and with five mortal wounds in his body. Thus perished one of the finest specimens of the volunteer soldier that the civil war produced. p.96 General Elon John Farnsworth (aged 26 years at his death on Juy 3, 1863) was never married and so left no children; but his kinsmen owe a duty to their country as well as to him, to perpetuate his memory. Future ages are not likely to see any one more devoted to duty or more faithful in its execution. ___________________________________________________________________ Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth March 17, 1999.