Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[181] anybody to get who chose, and, as might be expected, the brave men of the Second brigade were on hand to pick them up when there was no danger, and claim all the honor. They are welcome, though, to all they can get, for among those who knew them and saw them in the fight, they will have to show something besides flags to establish their bravery on that field. The sights on the field were horrible, by far the worst of any field we have seen; but I have not the time or disposition to describe them. Never before were our batteries so used up. Some of them had not men and horses enough for two guns, and the four batteries of our corps had to be consolidated into two before leaving the field.

The morning of the fourth we drew rations, and plenty of them; and right there, where we had fought the day before, we cooked and ate a hearty breakfast, for by this time we were pretty hungry, and many of us out of grub. That day and the forenoon of the next, our men were busy burying the dead. About noon of the fifth we left the field to follow the rebels, who were now known to be making for the Potomac as fast as possible.

I have here tried to give you a slight sketch of the part we took in the great battle. It is very imperfect, and many things are left out I should like to have put in; but I think I have taken up space enough any way; so for the rest, if God spares my life, and my memory serves me, you must wait till about nine months from now, and I will try, if agreeable, to favor you. So, for the present, good by.

General: In compliance with instructions from headquarters, I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Seventeenth Regiment Connecticut volunteers, in the engagement of the first, second, and third instant.

The regiment reached Gettysburg between one and two o'clock P. M. of the first instant, and was marched with the other regiments of the brigade, through, and to the lower end of the town, and then halted for a moment. Four companies were immediately ordered out, (by Brigadier-General Ames,) under command of Major Brady, to the right of the bridge at the lower end of the town, with instruction to throw out two companies as skirmishers, the other two to be held as are serve, and to take and hold the brick house to the left, and beyond the bridge. Two companies were thrown out and deployed as skirmishers as rapidly as possible to the right of the bridge, along the creek; the other two, held in reserve, were advanced in line, loading and firing as rapidly as possible, making at the same time a left wheel, so as to swing our right around the house — the reserve keeping near and conforming to the movements of the skirmishers. When near the house the enemy opened upon us with shot, shell, grape, and canister, which retarded our advance for a moment, until Major Brady dismounted, went in front of the line of skirmishers, and led them on until quite near the house. The enemy, anticipating our movements, shelled the house and set it on fire. We, however, held our ground, and held the enemy's skirmishers in check: their loss up to this time was at least five to one, most of the men in the four companies being excellent marksmen, and having volunteered for this occasion. They consisted of Companies A, B, F, and K, and commanded respectively by Captains McQuhae, Hobbie, Allen, and McCarty. We continued skirmishing briskly until Major Brady received orders from Brigadier-General Ames to draw in his skirmishers, and return to town as rapidly as possible, and take command of his regiment. The order was obeyed, and we fell back in good order, skirmishing with the enemy, who advanced as we retreated, and tried to cut us off and capture us before we got to the town; but we foiled them in this attempt by making a circuit, and entering the town near the upper end, and soon joined the remainder of the regiment, which we found near the lower end of the town.

The loss in the four companies under Major Brady was three men killed, one Captain and one Lieutenant wounded, one Sergeant and three men taken prisoners. I would here state that I had great difficulty in drawing in Captain McCarty's Company K, as they were so earnestly engaged, and making such sad havoc among the rebels. The remainder of the regiment, six companies under Lieutenant-Colonel Fowler, advanced with the other regiments of the brigade to the left and front of the town, and directly in rear of the One Hundred and Seventh Ohio volunteers, in close column by division, were ordered to the front, advanced and deployed at double-quick, and held their ground, (notwithstanding the rush to the rear of troops directly in advance,) until ordered by the brigade commander to fall back, which order was obeyed in good order, the men loading and firing as they fell back. Lieutenant-Colonel Fowler was killed when the regiment advanced and deployed. (captain Morn was killed about this time, and Captain French and Lieutenant Quinn were wounded, and many of the men were killed, wounded, and taken prisoners.

When the regiment reached the town, the four companies under Major Brady were still skirmishing with the enemy, and remained so until Brigadier-General Ames sent an Aid, with orders for Major Brady to return with his command and assume command of his regiment, he being the only field officer of the regiment present. Upon arriving in the town Major Brady assumed command of the regiment, and reported immediately to Brigadier-General Ames for instructions. The enemy were at this time advancing rapidly through the town. The regiment was immediately deployed in the streets, and fired several volleys into the ranks of the enemy, which thinned their ranks and retarded their advance. We kept the enemy from advancing through the town, until ordered to clear the street of our men for the purpose of planting a battery. The battery not being placed in position as intended, and the regiment being in line on the sidewalk, the enemy took advantage