Saturday, July 2, 2011

"This is My Last Battle" - Colonel Cross and His Brigade at The Wheatfield

July 2, 1863 - 9:00AM

Colonel Edward Cross commanded a brigade in Caldwell’s Division, belonging to Hancock’s II Corps. As his staff rode alongside him, Colonel Cross leaned over to his aide, Major Charles Hale, and said in an uncharacteristic low-tone, “Mr. Hale, attend to that box of mine at the first opportunity.” Major Hale quickly glanced towards his commander, nodded, then turned his attention back to the road. “Thank you, Mr. Hale.”

Cross’s Brigade was finally approaching Cemetery Hill. His brigade consisted of the 5th New Hampshire, 61st New York, 81st Pennsylvania, and 148th Pennsylvania. All in all, Cross had 853 men under his command. On their way to Cemetery Hill, Cross and his men were passing by a number of II Corps hospitals. Lt. Charles Fuller of the 61st New York joked with the surgeons; “ ‘We’ll see you again later!’ I tried to say this with a jaunty air, but down in my shoes I did not feel a bit jaunty.“ For Lt. Fuller and many of Cross’s troops, his playful exclamation turned into reality a few hours later.

As Cross’s brigade arrived on Cemetery Hill, he positioned his brigade in battle lines, but “stacked” upon each other. The first line was manned by the 61st New York, followed by the 81st Pennsylvania in the second line. The 148th Pennsylvania, because of its size, formed the next two lines, and the 5th New Hampshire held the rear. For most of the early afternoon, the men spent their time playing cards and writing to their loved ones. Others dozed off, catching up on the sleep that had been evading them over the last four weeks.

Around 1PM, the firing along the skirmish lines increased, especially around the Bliss Farm, which was located between the Union lines on Cemetery Ridge, and the Confederate lines on Seminary Ridge. Looking to their left, the men could see General Sickles III Corps marching forward towards the Emmitsburg Road. The move was so massive that Sickles’ left flank disappeared over a series of ridges. Inexplicably, Sickles had moved his Corps away from one of the highest vantage points on the battlefield; Little Round Top. Now, Hancock’s left flank was exposed. The situation was even worse for Sickles; the movement he made was unauthorized, poorly planned, and left both of his flanks open to attack. Sickles’ advance actually threw off the Confederate battle plan, but he did not know it at the time. Around 3:30PM, Confederate artillery opened on the Union left. Shortly after, musket fire erupted, and rolled northward as Confederate brigades were being launched en echelon; one brigade advancing, followed by the brigade to its left around 15-20 minutes later. A trickle of Union stragglers and wounded soon turned into a steady stream. Sickles was in trouble, and the closest support was located within Hancock’s II Corps. Cross eventually notices Hancock’s staff talking to Caldwell, his division commander. Cross knows what this means, and he orders his staff to mount up and for his men to be ready.

Caldwell’s Division has orders to move quickly to the south-west. The III Corps is getting hammered around Devils Den and the Peach Orchard, and Union troops around the Rose Farm have started to give way. Confederate troops are breeching the center of Sickles’ line, and Caldwell’s Division is to plug the gap. Colonel Cross traditionally wears a red handkerchief around his head in combat. Just before going in to combat on July 2nd, Cross removes a black handkerchief instead of the usual red. Before leaving for the front, General Hancock rode up to Colonel Cross and hinted towards promotion; “Colonel Cross, this day will bring you a star.” Cross shook his head, “No, General, this is my last battle.” Cross had a premonition of death for days before arriving at Gettysburg, and usually directed his comments towards Major Hale. Today, he was telling his Corps commander that he would not be returning.

This was Caldwell’s first time commanding a division during an engagement. Instead of sending the brigade in as a whole, he fed them into the fire in chunks, one brigade at a time. The brigade formed a battle line, from left to right; the 5th New Hampshire, 148th Pennsylvania, 81st Pennsylvania, and the 61st New York. Cross’s Brigade was in the lead, and they moved rapidly towards the fighting. Men sprinted through gullies, over rocks, through dense brush, and into a line of tree’s. Lying directly in front of them was a Wheatfield, the crops waist high and ready for harvesting. For a moment, all was silent on this portion of the Union line, except for a stray shell here and there. Cross and his men carried their momentum into the wheatfield. In fact, Cross’s advance was so fast, that a number of Confederate skirmishers had no time to react and simply threw their arms up in surrender. The 5th New Hampshire and 7 companies of the 148th Pennsylvania advanced into the woods surrounding the wheatfield. The rest of the brigade was exposed in an open field, which descended down towards another set of woods directly in front of them. Cross had deployed so fast that he did not send out skirmishers, which left his brigade exposed to a hidden enemy. Cross and his staff soon dismounted. Just inside the woods to Cross’s front lay a stone wall, and Confederate troops patiently waited for Cross and his men to attack. The air soon filled with the hissing and buzzing of bullets flying through the air. The men could hear the firing, and could see the heads of the wheat being clipped off by enemy fire, but they couldn’t locate the enemy just yet. Then the men started to fall. The 61st New York was hit the hardest. Among the wounded was Lt. Charles Fuller, who had recently exchanged pleasantries with the II Corps surgeons. He was initially shot in the left shoulder, and then again in the right thigh. He was able to utilize a tourniquet with his good arm to help reduce the loss of blood in his thigh wound, which probably saved his life. The 61st New York would eventually lose two-thirds of their men in the fight in and around the Wheatfield.

Up and down the line, the men in blue continued to fall. The effect of their fire was unknown, as they could only see the puffs of smoke erupting from the tree line. Cross knew that his men needed to move, and most certainly towards the Confederate positions and not the Union rear. He turned to Major Hale and the rest of his staff’ “Boys, instruct the commanders to be ready to charge when the order is given; or if you hear the bugles of the 5th New Hampshire on the left, move forward on the run.”

Colonel Cross drew his pistol, then wandered off towards the position of the 5th New Hampshire. As he was approaching, a bullet glanced off of his head. Stunned, the Colonel fell to the ground. Realizing that he had initially been spared, he removed the handkerchief, and bound the minor wound inflicted upon his head. Cross was approaching the 5th New Hampshire when he was struck. A bullet slammed into his abdomen near his navel, and tore through his stomach and portions of his intestines and kidneys before finally exiting near his spine. The Colonel fell, and for what must have seemed like an eternity, was left alone in woods near the 5th New Hampshire.

News of Cross’ wounding propelled Colonel Harman Boyd McKeen to commander of the brigade. Colonel McKeen was unfortunately put in a difficult position, as his brigade was being ripped apart. Also, the brigade had been fighting so hard, that most, if not all, of their ammunition was fired in 20 minutes. McKeen determined that the brigade was too exposed and too ineffective to go on; he ordered a withdrawal. Around 6:15PM, the brigade began to fall back, except for the 5th New Hampshire and 148th Pennsylvania; they remained in their positions, as the woods had protected them somewhat, and their casualties were not nearly as high as the other regiments. When Brooke’s Brigade entered the wheat field, the 5th New Hampshire and 148th Pennsylvania fought along side of them. Eventually, Sweitzer’s Brigade advanced beyond their position, and the 5th New Hampshire and 148th Pennsylvania finally left the field.

The brigade lost 330 men out of the 853 that entered the Wheatfield.

Lt. Charles Fuller of the 61st New York spent a horrendous night in the Wheatfield. The cries of the wounded seemed to amplify with every passing minute. Lt. Fuller was actually attacked during the early morning hours of July 3rd; not by Confederate soldiers, but wild hogs that had turned feral. Fuller later wrote that these hogs had been going around and tearing into the abdomens of the dead, and to his horror, the dying who were too weak to defend themselves. Fuller himself drew his sword and fended off 2 or 3 hogs that attempted to make a meal out of him. Fuller was eventually found and taken to the rear. His right leg was amputated above the knee, and he lost function of his left arm.

Colonel Cross was eventually found laying next to a tree in extreme pain. He was carried to the rear, where a surgeon told Cross that there was nothing he could do for him. Cross suffered immensely over the next few hours. Around 12:45 in the morning on July 3rd, Cross looked up to a member of his staff who was sitting beside him and said, “I think the boys will miss me.” With those words, Colonel Cross slipped away. The Colonel had realized his destiny, and he met it with all the courage in the world.

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