Threetoone. This talk was part of a symposium on the war in the east hosted by the emerging civil war blog. Welcome back to the emerging civil war symposium. Callext speaker i fondly professor henry hill, because by day he is a music teacher. Henry hill no relation to ambrose powell. Nevertheless a delight. Dan welch is the secretary of organization. Hes the author of the book the last roads north and he works as a historian at the gettysburg park. He is here to talk about one of the lesserknown, but vital actions of the battle on coal s hill. Culp ladies and gentlemen, dan welch. I want to begin by thanking all of my friends and colleagues at emerging civil war, chris, chris weitz at the American Battlefield trust for having me to present this often forgotten story of the battle of gettysburg. Over the last 157 years, so many of us are familiar with the stories of joshua chamberlain, Little Round Top, Seminary Ridge, but what will often get lost of the stories on the union right and left flank on july 2 and third, a location known as culps hill. General would speech to thison monument that had been dedicated greene. Onor of this says that this has a conspicuous place in history. Its memorable, not so much for the number of combatants as it is the skill of the general, the andic conduct of his troops the consequences that followed the defeat of the union forces. The position on colts hill that is men would occupy for several critical hours has largely been forgotten and it is a story that we are going to bring back to the forefront. But who was George Sears Greene . We already her general sickless praise for George Sears Greene. So it was this man who work hard to anchor the union army right flank. Was arguablygreene one of the oldest at the battle of gettysburg. He was born in rhode island in of onee was a descendent of the colonial settlers. He was also a descendent of general Nathanael Greene of revolutionary war frame frame. He would go to let the school in providence before he was set to go to Round University to continue his studies. Unfortunately, family and financial setbacks would force him to move to new york city to find a job inside a dry goods store. While in new york city and working to provide income for himself, he received an appointment to the United States military academy. Graduate with high honors, second in his class. Serve as a lieutenant of artillery and go on to teach mathematics for 4 years. He would teach mathematics for 4 years. And moving upn the chain of command, he would eventually be sent to maine and. Tationed at fort sullivan when he took the assignment, him, his wife elizabeth, and their children would go. Elizabeth and all three children would pass away while he was stationed. He would retreat as much inside himself as you can imagine. To read books on law and he would resign his commission and be prepared to pass the bar exam and the medical he has degrees in law and medicine. Again. D later find love three of his sons would go on to serve in the military and the union army during the American Civil War and when the war broke out in 1861 he and his family were living in new york city. When he put out the call for , greene did not initially volunteer his services. He would wait and wait and wait. Finally he could wait no longer and decided to offer his military experience to the union army. Little had been written about greene. There were notes here and there from other officers. Col. Williams lt. Remarks. S dedication he would later write the best description as he came. The better description as he came to gettysburg. He wrote this iron gray hair, a gray beard and mustache, gruff in manner, stern and experience. Roughh weeks a exterior with a kind heart. He knew how to drill, how to command and how to care for his command and the men respected him. He would mean all of his training and experience to look because ommands by the time of the battle of gettysburg in 1863, greene had been promoted. Over ain commands brigade of new york soldiers. The men that comprise these units came from places like new ,ork city, buffalo, rochester and many other smaller towns in the state of new york. It would be these men that greenwood leave to battle. Brigade woulds take a position, union deployments will have started the evening before on the afternoon of july first. They ultimately suffered a the army of the potomac would begin to rally again on a location known as Cemetery Hill. Hill froms cemetery from Cemetery Hill is another wooded hill known as culps hill , and as the remnants of the union army were beginning to rally, some of those units would eventually be ordered toward colts hill proper. They had already seen heavy fighting, men from the colors brigade. They began to take positions northwest of the hill proper and as they did so, one of the things they began to do was entrench their position. More Union Soldiers would arrive. Division John Division would not arrive until the predawn hours. In the Northwest Quadrant of culps hill. The hill would become famous for other events. Theye morning of july 2 would receive orders to move out to continue to make their way toward the developing right flank on culps hill. Greenwood report receiving these orders. Position on aok steep and high hill. Our position and fronts were covered with heavy growth of timber. They offered good cover for marksmen. As soon as we were in position we began to entrench ourselves, and the same was done by the troops on our right. Began to arrive, they began to take this position and greene describes a lot of obstacles, a very steep ascent, a declining rise towards his right, immense ledges, atrusions, heavy timber creek two or four yards above his position, all obstacles. Left of the line, they would be occupied by his regiment and they would have the strongest position. Because the position began to decline and lose height, the right would not be as strong, and so units such as the 149th new york would have a much different experience if an attack was to come their direction. To give you an idea of the it was a 90ight elevation. In to set out. Ing things that they needed to do was to run this with security. Thiswould throw together brigade to be under the position of the colonel. Theould be put out with early alert system the confederate attack was coming that way. They could notify cutlers brigade that the attack was coming their way. So he would end up sending out more men to bolster the line that would later be recalled. It was quite an impressive skirmish force. Henry bayless of the 137 new york would write home we took our position on the rights and sent out skirmishers in front. I was one of them. There is nothing but large trees and no underbrush, with lots of large rocks to hide behind. By 12 00 p. M. Over a 600 federal soldiers stood behind a solid position and part of that position and those 8600 men were brigade of new yorkers and one of the things they had been working on was constructing those earthworks. There is nothing new for the union troops. They were ordered out to the northwest slope of culps hill. These men had been fighting in railroad. Orth of the stand on a brief Seminary Ridge as the union line was crumbling july 1. Brigade arrived they would begin to construct earthworks. Greene not only was itgreenes brigade not only was it greenes brigade, but colonel candys brigade, other brigades. 149th newn from the york would become the regimental historian and recalled the morning of the leading earthworks. He said that general. Called a conference of the commanders and it was understood, submitted to them the question of building and he expressed himself as being adverse to the practice on the it fitted men for fighting without them. The question before them. He puts up the question and immediately answers in and says, no. The men will never fight in the open again. We should not hold build them. But general greene, Civil Engineering background, incredibly smart and intelligent man with a wealth of experience. Ays yes the saving of life was of far him and asuence to far as his men were concerned they would have those if they have the time to build them. And greene begins to issue the orders. The men began to construct the earthworks. Grumbled about the and said that they would have laborers for their pains. It would utilize not only the jesse jones would write that culps hill was covered with woods, so all of the materials were at the disposal. Of cord word cordwood were quickly appropriated. It made excellent batting. There was aote that log to permit the musket to be fired under it. In a 12 00, colts hill is secure position. John gearys position arrived. Entrenchn to themselves. They made a very strong position of the natural topography and terrain and resources and now they will sit and waits and wait. Is on theees plan right of the line. Will add another division, and these men are going to attack, striking the union armys left flank, pushing them out of their thetion to the south of ridge itself and hopefully they will have secured their victory at gettysburg. His will be the main focus but they need to make sure that there will be no assistance to lee willin arms, so order his second commander to create a division married divers in area attack. The diversionary assault will basically hidden the butterfly to the board of all of these available reinforcements that general shift to be able to bolster his line that will be under attack. Proceed withe to the assault in tandem with the main confederate attack. At 4 p. M. , the main confederate attack will go forward. And then further north as more confederate units make their way into combat and as all of this is Going Forward it would not be until 6 p. M. And we do not have time to go into all of the logistics, but it will thebe until 6 p. M. That confederate artillery made by this man will begin to open the confederate bombardment for the diversionary assault. For the next 90 minutes, they will trade fire with Union Artillery and there will be a candidate that will be every bit as. As one that will be much more the nextd remember day. As darkness is beginning to fall , they are moving forward and they are making their way towards Cemetery Hill. As all of this is taking place, dispatch. Receive a they received news of the officers. Now confederate attack is making their way toward the location. He does not know is going to be a diversionary assault, but theres a confederate column headed toward their position. He receives another dispatch. He receives a message from. Eneral George Gordon meade he is going to order slocum to remove the entire core from the right flank, ship them out mile and a half to the south toward the location known as Little Round Top. Meade is to the left of his line. His left is under severe attack. Help. Ds he is conflicted. He has now received a message saying we need your help. Cap up. They received an order from. Eneral slocum there is confusion and command on the right flank. General slocum was still operating under the thinking that he was a wing commander. That place williams in command and theres a whole mess of command and control, but suffice it to say that oems recalls that they received an order to send. T least a division but williams was concerned, and so he rode over to meet in. Erson at the headquarters there williams advised slocum it would be unwise to strip the right flank to save the left flank. ,. Ring the meeting is assuming that they could wrap up the left flank. Its an assumption that would asnge radically because there was candidate between the confederate and the union later he trading shots would write that he received an order that he needs to leave those hill as well and the only thing he was to leave behind was one long brigade and the brigade that would be selected was brigade. Ars greenes they left behind the remnant of greenes brigade. Greene had to chuckle the remaining regiments to stretch out and occupy the division with just his men. There would be small gaps in their position because of the few men to occupy the massive front. Thankfully he had spent the morning strengthening and actually strong position. In 30 minutes, things began to heat up. Reachedederate column rock creek, depending on where you were located. These men waited all day. They have heard of federal trees. S selling they know the position they are about to attack will be incredibly strong. Not only will it be strong, but they will be going in almost with one boot off. They will be leaving behind one of their most famed brigades. Stonewall jacksons brigade. And so they will have no reserve. These three brigades will number 3700 men. They will be under the command and aeral john jones mixed brigade of soldiers under the command of brigadier. Ommander George Stewart as they begin to see the thosesh line one of would require the post war era and he wrote that soon the regiments would appear. Intoing them as they come line. I calculated that there were eight regiments and the rear of lines ofming the right battle, there were smaller lines. On the left flank where more regiments living by the left flank in files of four. An officer mustve made marks of flymen as i saw the flag and hats waving in the air, although they were too far away to be heard. They moved forward, in perfect alignment. The confederate charge had begun and the two skirmish lines made contact. Thated would write about moment, as soon as the advanced skirmish line came in reach of us, we opened a brisk fire upon it and lines of deployed men were soon one blazing line of musketry. The smoke of the battle under the dense foliage of the trees together with the desk of the evening soon bought out the flashes of the musketry. Tramp, trampit was and became clearly audible. Olmsted was not the only one that recorded the moment in discourage lines collided. Johnstone of the first maryland and stewarts brigade, said scarcely had we reach the creek when we were fired upon by the enemy, ambushed nearby. Four fell wounded and many other along the line. Underirmish line, 170 men John Redington of the 60th new work new york, were no match. The skirmish line began to fall back. But it was risky business. Darkness was falling. They traded fire and smoke began to cling under the canopy of the dense trees on the hill. Visibility was lessening. The nervousness of the men in greenes line further up the slope was growing. Commanding officers of the new york regiments were doing all they could to wait for the skirmishers to get back before some scared, nervous tension filled private fired a round, and the next and next, and friendly fire casualties may occur. Lt. Col. Redington recorded at this moment receiving the brigades of confederates along rock creek, i fell back slowly with my 170 men and contested every inch of ground and the enemy was close on our heels and firing occasional volleys at of. The darkness was so great that we could not see the enemy. We fired at the flashes of their guns. They were so close to us that we took 12 visitors prisoners. Said theeorge collins skirmishers came running back and were followed by a confederate line of battle, yelping and howling in a peculiar manner. Some skirmishers were killed within sight of the brigade and occasionally a stray bullet zipped by the head of the men, who were so eager that it was all the officers could do to prevent them from opening fire before the men on the skirmish line could come in. Out in anshers cried agonizing and beseeching manner. The skirmishers clambered over the earthworks and found their places back in line with the regiments and the confederates moved up the slope. The confederate attacked near greenes position and he realized his men could not hold out again touch a large confederate column. Together help. To meet withde james wadsworth, who had fought valiantly at gettysburg, the men of the iron brigade, cutlers brigade on the left. He asked for any health. Wadsworth sent of reply that he would prepare his reserve to come to greenes need, repair prepare a reserve, but he would not send them until he was positive no confederate attack was coming his way. He was not sure when that would be. From wadsworth, greene would be on his own. He also sent word to the Commanding Officer of the 11th corps, begging for help to shore up his line. Howard could scrape together about 400 men from four different regiments but it would take time for them to get to greenes line. For the time being, it was greenes men against the confederate attack. The first confederates to reach his position were under the command of colonel Jesse Williams from the state of louisiana. They were the first to hit the line in the first to be repulsed by the stout defensive position. In a letter to the syracuse standard six days after the battle of gettysburg, one soldier reported the moment of the First Contact between union and confederate infantry on the slope. He wrote the rebels advanced in a perfect storm of lead and we mowed them down like grass, but still the rascals stood their ground and returned fire with interest. Our men, however, were protected and suffered comparatively letter. A captain from the 60th new york toward the left flank of greenes line in a much deeper position, recalled the moment of the louisiana brigade striking. He said not a sought shot was fired at them until they got within 15 rods. We did fire and kept firing. Firedr men loaded and more rapidly than the 60th and on this occasion, i never saw them do it. The rebels yelled like wild indians and charged upon us doubleclick quick. As a confederate column strikes greenes position they are repulsed. They will fall further down the slope, reorganize and go another time. The confederate gate assaulted the works another time. Order was given for the second attack, just before they fell back to charge upon the enemy, they collected together and with the flag in about 20 more, when up to the works. The brave flag bearer fell and my men all went up there. Coming back, i discovered general jones, and not able to find my command, i thought the best thing to do would be to assist major white in carrying jones off the field. Command and control is beginning to devolve. The confederates will continue to attack, moving closer to greenes defensive position. They will fall down the slope, reorganize and press the attack again. Ns attackiana again and again. They have figured out these linear tactics that had been drilled into these men on the battlefields of 1861 in 1862 were not working in this terrain. Men moving shoulder to shoulder at the right shoulder shift would not suffice. The men from the louisiana brigade and joness brigade were figuring out that the best tactics they could deploy was that of trees and boulders. As the third and fourth attacks of the confederate column begin to make their way toward greenes position, reinforcements are finally on the way and greene will receive help. Those reinforcements were men of the 147th new york regiments. One soldier who arrived to the scene of chaos and pandemonium said wereenes position were ordered to reinforce art of the line that was hard pressed. It was a hard job to get the men forward in the face of such a fire as they were exposed to in order to reach the pits. The experience of yesterday, the 147 new york had experienced west of town, he said the experience of yesterday was a fearful reminder, but soon we got the and started forward with a shout and double quick we were under the shelter of the breastworks. Orpsst cirp the health shore up the right flank of the union army. As this was taking place and reinforcements begin to arrive, the confederate continue to attack, reforming and charging again. Little progress is being made by them. All, the confederate brigade had made the assault three times in an hour on a greenes line. The constant fighting between 7 30 and 8 30 pm had put a tax on greenes supply of ammunition viewed ammunition. They had originally been issued 60 rounds per man and they were running solo and ammunition at Company Level commanders were issuing orders to fix bayonets. Other men were picking cartridges from the dead to continue to fire at the oncoming confederate attack. The 60th new york on the left end of greenes line, connecting with the remnants of the core from july 1, were also ordered to fix bayonets and to defend the position at whatever cost. I hope for those of you watching now, you are drawing comparisons and thinking there is another where in gettysburg bayonets are to be fixed. Where holding the flank of the union army was to be held at all costs. But i would argue the story of greene and his men is more critical to the union army. It is much more valiant and heroic a story, the men of greenes brigade than those mainers at the far left of the line. The confederate attacks continue linevelop and greenes is under severe attack. Is rest of the 12 corps bolstering the left end of the line by Little Round Top. Darkness is setting and the men of the 12 corps coming to save the day got lost on their march to Little Round Top and well get there long after dark, long after the battle was over, long the other units of the fifth corps and other units has short of the left end of the line. Gothe time the 12 corps there, thanks for coming, weve got it, you can go back now. There are no more defenders passed greenes position him and his line ins here with the 137th new york. There are no other Union Soldiers that had been prepared earlier in the day. This is a weak point in any line Confederate Union army position, i flank. You attack them on the flank or in the rear. On thes immense pressure line. One reason is one particular unit of stewards brigade, the 10th virginia, you can see it on the bottom of the map, it will not only cross rock creek them up but discover the union breastworks are empty and able to get into the rear and on the flank of greenes position. York, commanded by colonel david ireland. He will order his men to refuse the line, to face the oncoming attack. It is too much. The men will fall back toward a position that will become known as traverse. Hadorians have argued who argued this position. There are a lot of opinions on it. It was not needed throughout most of the day on july 2, but a godsend for greene in the darkness of the fighting. The men of the 137th would fall back, the men of the 84th new york and six wisconsin would arrive to shore up the position. They were finally slow down the attack of the 10th virginia and the 23rd virginia as well. It would be the last stand for greenes men on the late evening of july 2, 1863. The federal reinforcements in the area, line secured, darkness settling across the battlefield, greenes men will finally be relieved at 11 00 p. M. To retire, and replenish ammunition. Although their fight of july 2 was over, their fight at gettysburg was not. They would continue to fight the morning of july 3, a story for another day. Casualties had been high. Men hads greenes the casualties on the confederate line. It was a ghastly sight. Captain George Collins of the one 49th new york wrote this, he said at first the killed were tenderly put out of the way but afterward, attention was given only to the wounded unable to get off the field without help occasionally the dead were tossed from underfoot that in most instances, they remained where they fell and were set upon by the men while loading their pieces. The bodies of the killed commenced to putrefy at once so that the close of the engagement, the stench was almost insufferable. Most of the wounded were injured about the head and upper parts of the body as the lower extremities were covered by breastworks. Most of the companies would average at least one man killed or wounded every time it went in or out. Back on thet experience of George Sears Greene, and we think about how other events of july 2 have overshadowed this moment in gettysburg historiography, greene received praise from all aspects of the army of the potomac in the weeks, months and years following the battle at gettysburg. But greene always credited his men. He wrote in his official report that the officers and men had behaved admirably during the whole of the conflict. He talked about colonel ireland attacked on the flank of the line and fighting with skill and gallantry. His regiment suffered severely for it. It is we also did difficult to commend any individual but all have my recommendations for their gallant conduct and the good service that rendered their country. In all official reports, Brigadier General geary praised greene. Brigadier general Alpheus Williams praised greene. Henry slocum praised greene. And 30 years after the battle of gettysburg in a speech on the battle itself, general long street conceded to greenes brigade the credit for successfully preventing the confederates for turning the right flank. Always willing to take credit for gettysburg, at a monument dedication, actually relented a little and said it was not just he himself said it helps save the union army in victory at gettysburg, but the stubborn resistance of greene alone that saved us from disaster. I think the importance of greenes story on the slope of culps hill was said that in this quote i would like to use to close today. It says this these who are now doesnt present, those of you watching at home, on your ipad or phone screen, those watching on your television on cspan, these that are now present remind this generation, us today, of the debt it owes to the soldiers who won the victory for the union not only for themselves, but for the millions who enjoy the fruits of the triumph gained at the cost of so many thousands of lives. Thank you. Learn more about the people and events that shaped the civil war and reconstruction every saturday at 6 00 p. M. Eastern, only on American History tv. Here on cspan3. Cspan cities tour travels the country, exploring the american story. Since 2011, we have been to more than 200 communities across the nation. Like many americans, our staff is staying close to home due to the coronavirus. Next, a look at one of our cities tour visits. [hail to the chief being played]