No. 223.
Reports of Maj. Gen.
John Sedgwick, U.S. Army, commanding Sixth Army Corps.
HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY
CORPS,
Warrenton, Va.,
August 8, 1863.
GENERAL: I respectfully submit the following report of the
operations of the Sixth Corps in the engagements near Gettysburg and since:
This command arrived on the field of Gettysburg on the
afternoon of July 2, after a march of more than 30 miles.
Wheaton's and Eustis' brigades, of the third Division,
temporarily commanded by Brigadier-General Wheaton, and Bartlett's brigade, of
Wright's division, went into action about 5 p.m. on the left center, between
divisions of the Fifth Corps, and assisted in repulsing the assault of the
enemy. Russell's and Torbert's brigades, of Wright's division, were held in
reserve that night. Neill's brigade, of Howe's division, was sent to the right
of the line, reporting to Major-General Slocum, and Grant's brigade, of the
same division, was posted on the extreme left of the general line. Shaler's
brigade, of Wheaton's division, was held in reserve near the left center. The
artillery of the corps was placed under the orders of the chief of artillery of
the Army of the Potomac.
On the next morning and subsequently the following changes
were made in the positions stated above: Russell's brigade was sent to the
extreme left of the line, General Wright taking command of the troops of this
corps there stationed. Subsequently it was returned to the left center, and on
the following day it was placed in position, relieving a brigade of the Fifth
Corps. Torbert's brigade was sent to the center, reporting to Major-General
Newton, and remained in position until the morning of the 5th. Eustis' brigade
was sent to the right center, also reporting to Major-General Newton. Shaler's
brigade was also ordered to the left, and then to the right, and subsequently
returned to the left center, and held in reserve.
During these movements the troops were more or less exposed
to the fire of the enemy's artillery, but, with the exception of the evening of
July 2, they were at no time seriously engaged.
On July 5, Wright's division, supported by the rest of my
command, was sent forward to determine the position of the enemy, who was
discovered to be in retreat through Fairfield in the direction of Hagerstown.
The rear of the column was shelled for a short time in the morning, and in the
evening a brisk artillery fire was opened upon his wagon trains in the vicinity
of Fairfield, while the infantry pursued the rear guard, which was posted to
protect the passage of the trains; 250 prisoners were captured during the day.
On the following day the enemy continued his retreat through
the mountain pass, with a strong rear guard well posted, with artillery in
position.
During the night the corps marched to Emmitsburg, with the
exception of Neill's brigade, which was detached and sent in pursuit of the
retreating column. From Emmitsburg I marched by way of Hamburg to Middletown,
and thence to Boonsborough, Md.
On July 11, the enemy was posted near Funkstown, Md., and
the corps moved up and took position, after crossing Beaver Creek. The Vermont
Brigade (Grant's, of the Second Division) were deployed as skirmishers,
covering a front of over 2 miles, and during the afternoon repulsed three
successive attacks made in line of battle. The remarkable conduct of the
brigade on this occasion deserves high praise.
On July 13, my command was placed in the general line of
battle in the vicinity of Hagerstown, connecting with the Eleventh Corps on the
right and the Fifth Corps on the left, and continued in this position, with
occasional sharp skirmishing, until the enemy retired from the front and during
the night recrossed the Potomac. He was closely followed to the river by
Wright's division and the rest of the command.
On the day following the retreat of the enemy, I moved by
way of Boonsborough and Middletown to Berlin, and crossed the river in rear of
the army, and continued my march by way of Union, Rectortown, and Barbee's
Cross-Roads to Manassas Gap, and thence by way of Barbee's Cross-Roads to
Warrenton.
During the operations herein reported, the conduct of the
troops was admirable. The marches were very severe, and the hardships undergone
were greater than in any previous campaign.
The casualties of the corps were as follows.* A nominal list
has been already forwarded.
Very respectfully,
JOHN SEDGWICK,
Major-General, Commanding Sixth Army Corps.
Brig. Gen. S.
WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac.
* Embodied in revised statement, p. 182.
_______________
HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY
CORPS,
September 12,
1863.
GENERAL: In compliance with Special Orders, No. 227,
Paragraph III, Headquarters Army of the Potomac, August 24, 1863, I
respectfully report that no guns were captured by or captured from my command
during the recent operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
I am, general, very respectfully,
JOHN SEDGWICK,
Major-General, Commanding Sixth Corps.
Brig. Gen. S.
WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac.
_______________
HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY
CORPS,
October 8, 1863.
GENERAL: I respectfully report that the number of
Confederates buried by this command at Gettysburg was 4 officers and 91
enlisted men; total, 95.
I am, general, very respectfully,
JOHN SEDGWICK,
Major-General,
Commanding Sixth Corps.
Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac.
SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
27, Part 1 (Serial No. 43), p. 663-4; George William Curtis, Correspondence of John Sedgwick, Major-General, Volume 2, p. 138-42
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