Summary:
Brig. Gen. John Buford commanded the First Division of the Army of the Potomac
which included the 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry. This report is part of a series of
correspondences by Buford about the day preceding the battle and the battle
itself.
Lieut. Col. C. Ross Smith, Chief of Staff, Cavalry Corps.
August 27, 1863.
Col.:
I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the First Cavalry Division, from its crossing the Potomac at Edwards Ferry, on June 27, to its crossing of the Rappahannock on August 1:
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The night of the 30th was a busy night for the division. No reliable information of value could be obtained from the inhabitants, and but for the untiring exertions of many different scouting parties, information of the enemy's whereabouts and movements could not have been gained in time to prevent him from getting the town before our army could get up.
By daylight on July 1, I had gained positive information of the enemy's position and movements, and my arrangements were made for entertaining him until Gen. Reynolds could reach the scene.
On July 1, between 8 and 9 a. m., reports came in from the First Brigade (Col. Gamble's) that the enemy was coming down from toward Cashtown in force. Col. Gamble made an admirable line of battle, and moved off proudly to meet him. The two lines soon became hotly engaged, we having the advantage of position, he of numbers. The First Brigade held its own for more than two hours, and had to be literally dragged back a few hundred yards to a position more secure and better sheltered. Tidball's battery, commanded by Lieut. Calef, Second U. S. Artillery, fought on this occasion as is seldom witnessed. At one time the enemy had a concentric fire upon this battery from twelve guns, all at short range. Calef held his own gloriously, worked his guns deliberately with great judgment and skill, and with wonderful effect upon the enemy. The First Brigade maintained this unequal contest until the leading division of Gen. Reynolds' corps came up to its assistance, and then most reluctantly did it give up the front. A portion of the Third Indiana found horse-holders, borrowed muskets, and fought with the Wisconsin regiment that came to relieve them. While this left of my line was engaged, Devin's brigade, on the right, had its hands full. The enemy advanced upon Devin by four roads, and on each was checked and held until the leading division of the Eleventh Corps came to his relief.
After the fall of Gen. Reynolds, whose advance troops partially drove back the enemy and made heavy captures of prisoners, the enemy brought up fresh troops, and engaged Gen. Doubleday's command, which fought bravely, but was greatly outnumbered and forced to fall back. Seeing our troops retiring, and their need of assistance, I immediately rushed Gamble's brigade to Doubleday's left, and dismounted it in time to render great assistance to our infantry, and to check and break the enemy's line. My troops at this place had partial shelter behind a low stone fence, and were in short carbine range. Their fire was perfectly terrific, causing the enemy to break and rally on their second line, which made no farther advance toward my position.
Shortly after this, I placed my command on our extreme left, to watch and fight the enemy should he make another attack, and went to Cemetery Hill for observation. While there, Gen. Hancock arrived, and in a few moments he made superb disposition to resist any attack that might be made.
My division bivouacked that night on the left of our position, with pickets extending almost to Fairfield.
The zeal, bravery, and good behavior of the officers and men on the night of June 30, and during July 1, was commendable in the extreme. A heavy task was before us; we were equal to it, and shall all remember with pride that at Gettysburg we did our country much service.
July 2, the division became engaged with the enemy's sharpshooters on our left, and held its own until relieved by Gen. Sickles' corps, after which it moved to Taneytown, and bivouacked for the night.
The next day, July 3, it moved to Westminster, to guard the trains of the army at that point.
...
The First Brigade captured 854 head of beef-cattle and 602 sheep at Chester Gap, which were turned over to the subsistence department at Markham, July 24.
JNO. BUFORD, Brig.-Gen. of Volunteers, Comdg.
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, Page 923, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
