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- A Desperate Stand - 147th New York at Gettysburg
A Desperate Stand - 147th New York at Gettysburg
A Desperate Stand
147th New York Infantry - Cutler's Brigade
Battle of Gettysburg
July 1, 1863
by Mark Maritato
This painting depicts the 147th New York Infantry of the Union Army of the Potomac's First Corps, holding the line against a Confederate onslaught coming from three directions. The 147th New York Regiment hailed from Oswego, New York and has the credit of being the very first infantry regiment on the field on July 1st, 1863 as part of James S. Wadsworth's 1st Division of the 1st Army Corps. The 147th went into position on McPherson's Ridge just north of the unfinished railroad cut west of Gettysburg along with two other regiments, the 76th New York and 56th Pennsylvania who took position on their right. As the 56th Pennsylvania and the 76th New York became heavily engaged with Confederate regiments from Mississippi and North Carolina under the command of Joseph R. Davis, they were forced to fall back, leaving the 147th behind. Pinned-down and without support, the "Plow Boys" laying prone in a wheatfield steadfastly held their position, and was forced to refuse their right-flank. When Colonel Francis C. Miller of the 147th received the order to fall back he was shot in the mouth just as he was about to give the order. He fell from his horse with his boot getting caught in the saddle and was dragged away by the frightened animal. The men of his regiment never heard the order to fall back and stayed in it's position, fighting on until the situation became very desperate. The Confederates, having worked their way around the right flank of the 147th as well as with the New Yorker's left-flank bordering the unfinished railroad cut: the 147th was in great danger of being surrounded and cut-off from the rest of their brigade. Finally an aide from General Wadsworth's staff rode up and relayed the order for the 147th to fall back. The men were ordered to divest themselves of every piece of equipment except the musket and cartridge box. The order was given "in retreat Double-Quick-RUN" and the men of the 147th New York broke for the rear. Some men jumped into the railroad cut and others ran the gauntlet to get back to the main Union lines. Their Confederate foes were so close that camp axes were hurled at the New Yorker's as they fled. The 147th went on to fight during the remainder of the three-day battle on Culp's Hill with no resupply of food rations. During their brief 1/2-hour encounter with the Confederates on July 1st, the 147th lost 207 of the 380 men present.
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