"Up Gettysburg Way"

General Meade And His Staff

Since we had arrived in Gettysburg yesterday afternoon on the 2nd, we had been held in reserve. This morning, however, there was a feeling in the air that today would be Johnny Reb's final push to turn the battle his way.

The Union line's leftmost position was on a couple of small hills called Little Roundtop and Big Roundtop. Whoever named those hills sure didn't have to think very hard. Anyway, the line extended to the northeast, along Seminary Ridge and made a sharp turn to the right, sort of like a fishhook with the barbed end at a place called Culp's Hill. We learned that the spot had passed back and forth from the Union to the Rebs and now we were once again in control. It seemed to me that there was going to be one whale of a fight here, because if the Rebs could retake this hill, and hold it, their chance of flanking the Union right would be very good. They were already lined up to the west and north of our positions and if they won this battle, it would only be a quick step to Washington DC to the south.

Soon we had joined up with General Alpheus Williams's First Division and were hearing Col. Wallace's encouragement to "C'mon boys! Let's go see what's on the other side of this hill!"

General Hancock And Staff

A Closer Look At The Battle

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