This text is part of:
Table of Contents:
Advance sheets of
Reminiscences of secession, war, and reconstruction,
by
Lieutenant-General
Richard
Taylor
.
A review of the
First
two days
operations at
Gettysburg
and a reply to
General
Longstreet
by
General
Fitz.
Lee
.
[187] named, he was ordered to relieve the Fifth corps. The latter corps was then ordered to move to the rear of Round Top; it reached there and was massed half a mile in rear between 4 and 5 P. M. Caldwell's division of the Second corps occupied Round Top just before the Fifth corps got up. (Meade.) Wadsworth's division and the Eleventh corps continued to occupy its first position until the close of the battle. Doubleday remained in the position before named until night, bnt Robertson's division was relieved by the Second corps, which had arrived at 7 A. M., and gone into position on Cemetery Ridge. The two remaining brigades of the Third corps left at Emmettsburg got up about 9 A. M., relieving Buford's cavalry, which was ordered back to Westminster to protect the depot of supplies. About the same time General Tyler came up with eight batteries of artillery. At halfpast 10 A. M. Major McGilverey reached the field with the artillery reserve and ammunition train. At this hour the Federal army was all up, except one regiment of Lockwood's brigade, Sixth corps, whose movements have been previously given. At about 11 A. M. General Sickles ordered a reconnaissance, and at 12, advaneed his command and occupied the intermediate ridge, extending his line to the foot of Round Top. Round Top was occupied as a signal station; the Fifth, it will be recollected, was, after 4 P. M., massed in its rear. I ask a careful perusal of the positions, strength, and time of arrival upon the battle-field of the Federal troops on the 2d of July as here given. I think it will show that an attack at daybreak or sunrise, or at an hour preceding 9 A. M., nay, even 12 M., would have combined many elements of success. General Lee knew it, and to use Longstreet's own words, “was impressed with the idea that by attacking the Federals he could whip them in detail” (italics mine). General Lee, it seems, as was habitual with him, had a correct idea of the situation. His army, except a portion of the cavalry and one division of infantry, was practically concentrated on the night of July 1st, and could have attacked, if necessary, at daylight on the 2d. General Meade arrived, in person, at 1 A. M. on the 2d, and was engaged in getting his army up until after 2 P. M. on that day. He commanded at Gettysburg seven corps of infantry, viz., First, Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Eleventh, and Twelfth, and three divisions of cavalry, viz., Buford's,
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