Summary:
Col. J. Irvin Gregg commanded the Second and Third Brigades which included the
Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry. Gregg reports skirmishing with the enemy and
pursuing him after the battle.
Capt. H. C. Weir, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Second Division, Cavalry Corps.
Amissville, Va.,
August 5, 1863.
Sir
I have the honor to report the following as the part taken by this command in the battle of Gettysburg:
My command arrived and took up position on the pike leading from Gettysburg to Hanover, about 2 miles distant from Gettysburg and in close proximity to Gen. Ewell's corps, about 11 a. m. on July 2. At this time there were two regiments of infantry a short distance in my front, deployed as skirmishers. These regiments were withdrawn about 3 p. m., and, by order of Gen. Gregg, I threw forward the Tenth New York Cavalry, under command of Maj. Avery, and deployed skirmishers to occupy the ground vacated.
During the afternoon, my vedettes were considerably annoyed by the enemy's sharpshooters from the hill and woods immediately in my front, and at 6 o'clock I ordered 50 dismounted men to clear the hill and find out what was beyond, but they were driven back by a much superior force, and followed until the enemy were checked and driven back by Col. J. B. McIntosh's command.
On the morning of July 3, by order of Gen. Gregg, my command took up position on the road leading from Gettysburg to Baltimore, not far distant from the position occupied by Gen. Slocum's corps, but was subsequently moved, and took up a position near the one occupied on July 2.
My command did not participate in the cavalry fight of July 3, excepting one section of Capt. Randol's battery, under command of Lieut. Chester, which was hotly engaged, and was obliged to retire about 200 yards on account of a portion of Gen. Custer's command giving way. The Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry, having been sent to report to Gen. Pleasonton, was not with me during July 3, but joined men in the evening of that day, when my command was ordered to move to the front and take up a position on the left, in order to meet a threatened attack from that direction. While remaining in that position, the enemy got my range, and wounded several men in the Tenth New York Cavalry by bursting shells.
On July 4, 5, and 6, my command was engaged in pursuing the enemy as far as Marion, on the pike leading from Chambersburg to Greencastle, Franklin County. During the pursuit, a large number of prisoners were captured, and the enemy obliged to abandon a number of limbers and caissons filled with ammunition, which were left in condition for immediate use.
The casualties are as follows: Killed, 4; wounded, 5.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. IRVIN GREGG, Col. Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, Comdg. Brigade.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 27. Part I Reports., Serial No. 43, Pages 976, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
