As did Colonel Strong Vincent's Brigade on the Union left, Brigadier General George Sears Greene's brigade of about 1,500 men would face a daunting challenge. As Major General Daniel Sickles' 3rd Corps line crumbled at the southern end of the battlefield, regiments from Union Major General Henry Slocum's 12th Corps, to which Greene belonged, were drawn from Culp's Hill and sent to the southern end of the field for support. General Greene had earlier reconnoitered the ground, expertly positioned his men, and ordered them to entrench. His foresight would serve his men well as they were repeatedly, ferociously attacked by Confederates of Major General Edward "Allegheny" Johnson's brigade which possessed almost three times the number of Northern men present on this hill. As darkness closed on the battlefield and visibility faded, so did the opportunity for the continuation of Southern attacks. General Greene's New Yorkers held against incredible odds with Colonel David Ireland and the 137th New York holding the far right as Colonel Chamberlain's 20th Maine protected the far left. General Greene's troops would be reinforced and would again hold their ground when fighting continued early morning the following day.  Statue of Major General George Sears Greene on Culp's Hill Major General George S. Greene (his rank at war's end) is pictured pointing over the works and the hill his skill and determination helped to secure. As did the rest of his brigade, the 149th New York dug trenches and erected breastworks as ordered. A captain in the 149th would later offer a glimpse into the hell they feared this hill would become. "The pale faces, starting eye-balls, and nervous hands grasping loaded muskets, told how terrible were those moments of suspense."  In the picture of the relief, you can see some evidence of how the men in blue constructed their cover and how the works appeared. Heavy logs allowed protection for all but the head and shoulders, allowing soldiers to fire and reload in comparative safety.  The northern face of Cemetery Hill . As a gentle spring sun nudges away the bitterness of winter, only the wind moves over the once contested northern slopes of Cemetery Hill. As the dark blanket of night covered the field on July 2, 1863, Confederate soldiers of CSA Major General Richard Ewell's Second Corp advanced towards the Union lines here, the taking of this hill as their goal. Red fire from Federal and Southern muskets flashed in the darkness as both sides fought an enemy they could barely see. As their foe gained the hill's crest, Union cannoneers fought hand to hand, using anything they could grasp to protect their guns. Despite the brief success of their bold advance, the Confederates could not hold the ground they had struggled so hard to gain. In the dark, with Union reinforcements now adding to the weight of Northern fire, Southern soldiers grudgingly backed down the hill.  Colonel Isaac E. Avery Colonel Isaac Avery of the Sixth North Carolina was found bleeding on this field, shot through the neck as he led his Tarheels forward up the hill. Understanding the mortality of his wound, he scribbled a note which he handed to a subordinate. The note read only, "Tell my father I died with my face to the enemy." |
