The Annals of the Civil War Written by Leading Participants North and South
Alexander Kelly McClure, Ed.

The story of Gregg's fight has never been told. The task of telling it now has devolved upon the writer, who would have preferred that some other and abler hand had undertaken it. As it is, the following has at least the merit of being written by one who witnessed and participated in the events which he attempts to describe, and whose comrades are ready to sustain him in that which he relates.

In the movements of the Army of the Potomac after crossing that river in pursuit of the Army of Northern Virginia, the Cavalry Corps of the former, with its three divisions, operated in front and on the flanks. General Buford, with the First Division, took the left flank, General Kilpatrick, with the Third Division, the centre, and General Gregg, with the Second Division, which was the last of the army to leave Virginia, the right flank. This disposition was maintained as well as could be, but when the column of Stuart was struck, Kilpatrick was followed up by Gregg. In the concentration upon Gettysburg, Gregg, with the First and Third Brigades of his division, left Hanover at daybreak on the 2d of July, and about noon took position on the Bonaughtown (or Hanover) road, near its intersection with the Salem Church (or Low Dutch) road, and about three miles from the town. The First Brigade, commanded by Colonel John B. McIntosh, of the Third Pennsylvania Cavalry, consisted of his own regiment and the First New Jersey and First Maryland Cavalry regiments, and Captain A. M. Randol's Light Battery E of the First (regular) Artillery, four guns. It was temporarily depleted of one-half its strength by the loss of the First Pennsylvania and First Massachusetts Cavalry regiments, which had been detached for service with the Reserve Artillery and the Sixth Corps respectively. The Third Brigade, commanded by Colonel J. Irvin Gregg, of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, consisted of his own regiment and the Fourth Pennsylvania, First Maine, and Tenth New York Cavalry regiments. In addition to Randol's Battery, a section of the volunteer battery belonging to the Purnell Legion was with the division until the night of the 2d of July. This section, in the hurrying movements of concentration, had become separated from its proper command, and had been found, some days before, wandering around the country entirely on its own account. General Gregg took it along with him, and showed it some marching which astonished its fat and sleek horses and well-conditioned men. The Second Brigade of the division, under Colonel Pennock Huey, of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, had, on the 1st of July, been sent to Westminster, Maryland, to guard the army trains.