** Return to main Gettysburg report page **

Gettysburg Battle Report: Posey's Brigade

No. 546.--Report of Brig. Gen. Carnot Posey, C. S. Army, commanding brigade.
BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,

Near Culpeper Court. House, Va., July 29, 1863.

MAJOR: On the morning of July 2, my brigade was placed in position before Gettysburg, in the rear of Major Pegram's battery of artillery, in an open field, with a woods on my right and left flanks. My position was to the right of the cemetery, about which the enemy's lines of battle were formed.

In the afternoon, I received an order to advance after Brigadier-General Wright, who was posed on my right in a woods before the advance was made. I received an order from the major-general, through his aide-de-camp, Captain [S. D.] Shannon, to advance but two of my regiments, and deploy them closely as skirmishers. I had then a thin line of skirmishers in front, and at once sent out the Forty-eighth and Nineteenth Regiments, Colonel Jayne and Colonel Harris commanding. These regiments advanced some 200 or 300 yards beyond the barn and house, which were burned.

Later in the day, I sent out the Sixteenth, and receiving information that the enemy were threatening their right and left flanks, I took out the Twelfth Regiment, and requested Brigadier-General Mahone, who was on my left, in the rear of another division, to send me a regiment to support my left. He being at this time ordered to the right, could not comply. When I reached the barn, I found my three regiments well up in advance. They had driven the enemy's pickets into their works and the artillerists from their guns in their front. It being then nearly dark, I sent the major-general a message, informing him of my position. He then ordered me to fall back to my original position, in the rear of Pegram's battery.

On the 3d, my brigade was held in reserve to support the battery in my front.

The list of casualties has already been sent in to you.

Very respectfully,

CARNOT POSEY,

Brigadier-General.

Major [THOMAS S.] MILLS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Division Headquarters.

Regimental Reports

No. 547.--Report of Col. N. H. Harris, Nineteenth Mississippi Infantry.

NEAR CULPEPER COURT-HOUSE,

July 29, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor of submitting the following account of the part taken by this regiment in the engagement of July 2, at Gettysburg, Pa.:

About 4 o'clock on the afternoon of the 2d instant, I received orders to advance the right wing of my regiment until I encountered the enemy's skirmishers, and drive them back. I immediately deployed the right wing on the brow of the hill in front of our batteries, and then advanced at a double-quick about 250 paces through a wheat-field to a post and rail fence, where I came up with our line of skirmishers, and found the enemy occupying the orchard directly in my front. Lieutenant [C. W.] Burrage, Company A, of this regiment, who was on picket with his company, and who had been beyond the orchard and barn in the morning, informed me that, if I advanced with my skirmishers without my right being supported, there was imminent danger, from the nature of the ground, of my being flanked easily.

I halted in this position some half hour, when General Wright's brigade commenced advancing, supported on his left by the Forty-eighth Mississippi Regiment, Colonel Jayne commanding, my right resting on the Forty-eighth. I again gave the order to advance, pushing forward my line and driving the enemy from his position in the orchard, and capturing some prisoners at the barn. Still driving the enemy before me, I advanced some 400 paces farther up the hill. The left wing of my regiment, Maj. T. J. Hardin commanding, here came up to my support. Within 60 yards of the right of my line of skirmishers was a battery of the enemy, which was playing upon General Wright. My skirmishers succeeded in driving the gunners three different times from their guns, when they soon changed their position to the crest of the hill in their rear I still holding my position until after dark, when I was recalled by Brigadier-GeneraI Posey.

It is with pride that I refer to the officers and men of my command during this engagement. Their conduct was such as to merit the highest praise.

In conclusion, it becomes my painful duty to state that among the list of casualties which I forward herewith (*) are the names of some of my most valuable officers and men.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N.H. HARRIS,

Colonel, Commanding.

Capt. STANHOPE POSEY,

Asst. Adjt. Gen., Posey's Brigade.