Posted on 05/03/2003 12:00:21 AM PDT by SAMWolf
His service with the 2nd Artillery would bring him deeply into the Gettysburg Campaign in the summer of 1863. Attached to Colonel William Gamble's First Cavalry Brigade of General John Buford's Division, Calef's men, horses, and guns made the hard march with the horsemen on their advance into Pennsylvania, dogging Lee's Confederate Army. On the morning of July 1, 1863, and throughout the afternoon, Calef and his men would see some of their hardest fighting in the war.
Calef was a young buck right out of West Point when the war broke out and he had a long and illustrious career in the Army. I'm sure Calef's artillery skill was much appreciated by my two ggguncles fighting in Colonel Gamble's Brigade at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. Five days later, one of my ggguncles was mortally wounded while helping to rescue Calef's battery during Buford's attack on Lee's retreating forces at Williamsburg, MD.
Actually learned of Calef today while researching an add on to compliment SAMs thread.
2 Family members served with the 8th and 10th Wisconsin Light Artillery in the Army of the Tennessee.
2 saw action at Gettysburg 66TH N.Y. and the 20th Mass.
Headquarters 8th Ill. Cav.
Camp near Washington D.C. March 10, '64
W. S. Church Esq
Chicago Ill.
My Dear Sir
When I last saw you before leaving Chicago, you requested me to give you some information in regard to the operation of Illinois troops at the Battle of Gettysburg, which was fought on the 1st, 2d & 3d days of July 1863.
On the afternoon of the 30th June the 1st Cav. Brigade of Buford's Division, commanded by Col. W. Gamble 8th Ill. Cav. leading the advance, arrived at Gettysburg. The 8th Ill. Cav. in front. Col. Gamble received orders to pass through the town on the Cashtown Road, and select the most eligible line of battle beyond the Seminary that could be found, encamp the Brigade, and send forward one or two squadrons to find the enemy and remain in front on picket to watch the movements of the enemy. These orders were promptly carried out. The squadrons for advance picket duty were taken from the 8th Ill. Cav. who advanced three miles further, found the enemy, remained in front until 7 o'clock the next morning when the enemy commenced advancing in three divisions under Genl. A. P. Hill, and with shell and musketry drove in the squadrons mentioned, and the 8th Ill. Cav. had the honor of being first fired on by the enemy and returning their fire.
The advance of the enemy was immediately reported to Genl. Meade, the infantry advance being eight miles in our rear, were ordered up to support the cavalry.
The cavalry of Buford's Division were ordered to fight the enemy. I dismounted part of the 8th Ill. 8th N.Y. and 3d Inda. Cav in all about 900 men and ordered them to the front to keep back the enemy as long as possible till our Infantry came up to our support.
Devin's Brigade N.Y. Cav. was on our right and Merritt's Brigade of Regular Cav. was on our left - we had to fight the whole Army Corps. of Genl. A. P. Hill 25,000 strong for three & ½ hours, from 7 A.M. til 10½ A.M. to hold the original line of battle selected by me according to previous orders.
Tidball's Horse Battery A. 2d U.S. Artillery was attached to my Brigade that day.
The Cavalry above mentioned fought Hill's Corps for 3½ hours on the morning of the 1st July and held the original line of battle selected beyond the Seminary until our Infantry came up, with a loss 111 officers & men killed(,) wounded & missing and 56 Cavalry Horses killed - 13 Artillery Horses killed & 15 Artillery men killed & wounded. Nothing of this is mentioned in the newspapers or dispatches, but the above are absolute facts under my own observation.
An hour before dark the rebels outflanked our left, this Brigade of Cavalry was again ordered to the front, dismounted, & fought the Rebels on the Seminary Ridge and saved a whole Division of our Infantry from being surrounded and captured - nothing of this either is mentioned in newspapers or dispatches, yet these facts occurred with the loss of some of our best officers and men.
I am very truly yours,
Wm. Gamble
Col 8th Ill. Cav.
Comd 1st Cav. Brig. at Gettysburg
He must be having a nap, I hope he wakes up soon, LOL!
The link didn't work. :-(
Defeat does not equate to poor combat performance.
I remember an American general named Robert E. Lee. At the end of his war, he was ultimately defeated. Yet, I'd have to say that he and his Army of Northern Virginia put up a great fight. Care to tell me why they weren't any good?
IMHO one of the major differences between our war between the States and most civil wars. When it ended it didn't dissolve into a guerilla war for years afterwords.
Never a conformist, Mosby, however, did not "reconstruct" easily. Soon after his pardon in April 1866 in Leesburg, Va., he defied Union orders that no Confederate insignia be worn on the streets. When challenged by federal soldiers, he confronted them, stating that there were "not enough damn Yankees in Leesburg" to strip his uniform of its identification. The insignia stayed, and Mosby rode out of town triumphant.
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