Gettysburg national park. Hes here to talk to us about one of the worlds lesser known but vital actions of the battle on culps hill. Ladies and gentlemen, dan walsh. I want to begin by thanking all my friends and colleagues in the emerging civil war, chris monkowski, kevin pollock, chris white at the American Battlefield trust for having me today to present you 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 and Little Round Top, pickets charge, cemetary ridge, Seminary Ridge, but often what gets lost is some of the stories that would occur on the union armys right flank on july 2nd and july 3rd known as culps hill. At the dedication for the monument to honor George Greene after the battle of gettysburg, illuminary dan sickles would give a dedication speech to this monument that had been dedicated in honor of greene and his performance at gettysburg on july 2, 1863. Sickles said, quote, the battle fought here by general greene to hold possession of culps hill has a conspicuous place in history. It is memorable not so much for the combatants engaged as it is for the skill of his general, the commanding of his troops and what would follow the defeat of the union forces. Sadly today the story of greenes brigade and greenes generalship in 1863, the position on culps hill that his men would occupy for several critical hours during the second day of the battle has largely been forgotten. It is a story today that we are going to bring back to the forefront. But who was George Sears Greene . We already heard general sickles praise for George Sears Greene, but who was this man who worked so hard to honor the right flank in 1863 . George sears greene was likely the oldest officer in the battle of gettysburg. He was a direct descendant of Many American history luminaries. He was a descendant of one of the pioneers that had helped Roger Williams settle the colony. Several of his ancestors had served as Lieutenant Governor as well as being an ancestor of general greene of revolutionary war fame. He would go to providence before he was all set to go to Brown University to complete his studies. Unfortunately, financial setbacks in the family and greenes personal life would force him instead to move to new york city and find a job at a dry goods store inside of a merchants office. While in new york city and working to provide some income for himself and his family, greene received an appointment to the United States military academy. He would enter west point at the age of 18, and he would graduate as part of the class of 1823 with high honors, second in his class of 79. He would serve as a lieutenant of artillery upon his graduation, and then he would go on to teach mathematics for four years at west point. He would fall in love during his time at west point, marrying the sister of one of his classmates, elizabeth vinton, in 1828. But he would eventually be sent sullivan in 1832. His wife and three children would all go with him to fort sullivan where tragedy would strike and alter greenes course for the rest of his life. Elizabeth and all three of his children would pass away while greene was stationed at fort sullivan in maine. Greene would retreat much inside of himself, as you can imagine, as this tragedy affected him, but one of the things he did to deal with this loss in his life was to turn to study and education. He began to read books on law and medicine. And in just three years time, he would resign his commission and he would be prepared to pass not only the bar exam but also the medical board exam in both professions. So heres a man that is a graduate of west point, an educator at west point, he now has additional degrees in law and medicine, and he decides to not work in any of those fields but tackle yet another challenge, another educational challenge, to begin work as a Civil Engineer building railroads. He would later find love again. He would marry Martha Barrett dana and have six children beginning in 1867, and three of his four sons would go on to serve in the military in the union army during the american civil war. When war broke out in 1861, greene and his family were living in new york city. When lincoln would put up that call for volunteers after the firing on fort sumter in Charleston Harbor as we heard in mark malloys presentation in this symposium, greene didnt offer his services. He would wait and wait. Finally in january 1862, he could wait in longer and greene decided to offer his experience in the u. S. Army and he was assigned to the ny volunteer infantry. In 1862, little had been written about greene and his performance on the battlefield. There had been several notes here and there by other officers in the brigade to which he served, several beneath him in new york. It was perhaps lt. Colonel william fox in his dedication remarks in the life and military services of general greene would later write perhaps the best description of general greene as he came to gettysburg and would fight there on july 2nd and 3, 1863. Fox wrote, general greenes appearance at this time was about 62 years old, thick set, 510 high, dark complexion, with iron gray hair and a gray beard and mustache, gruff in manner and gruff in appearance but an excellent officer possessing a kind heart. Men learned to respect him as much as they feared him. This was saying a good deal. He knew how to drill, how to command, and in the hour of peril, how to care for his command, and the men respected him accordingly. Greene would need all of his past training and military experience as well as that kindheartedness to look after his command because the hour of peril would begin on july 2, 1863 in the battle of gettysburg. By the time of the battle of gettysburg in 1863, greene had been promoted. He was no longer the Commanding Officer of the 63rd command, but the battle in brigade of u. S. Soldiers consisting of 147th and 149th new york voluntary regiments. The men came from new york city, rochester, utica, binghamton, and many other small towns in the state of new york. It would be these men that greene would lead to battle at culps hill. Before greenes brigade would take a position at culps hill, union deployments on this hill would have started the evening before on the afternoon of july 1st. The union army had fought for approximately nine to nine and a half hours west of the town of gettysburg itself, ultimately suffering a defeat. By 4 00, 4 30 on the afternoon of july 1st, the union armys corps would retreat through the town of gettysburg. Many of them would begin to rally again on Cemetery Hill which had been selected earlier in the day by 11th port commander otis howard as a fallback position. Not far from the town of gettysburg itself is another wooded hill known as culps hill. As the regiment of the armys third and fourth corps were beginning to rally again, some of the units after the 5 0 5 30, 6 00 p. M. Hour would be ordered toward culps proper. They had already seen heavy fighting throughout the day on july 1st west of town, men of the famous wires brigade and cutlers brigade. They began to take position on culps hill or at least the North Western section of hill proper at approximately 5 30 p. M. As they did so, one of the things they began to do was to entrench their position, build more works. It began as more union armies including greenes brigade arrived to culps hill. Greenes army, which included greenes brigade, would not arrive on culps hill until july 2nd. They had arrived late on july 1st as the corps was constructing their position on the northwest quadron of culps hill. Another division had arrived south of culps hill, a hill that would become popular, Little Round Top. But on the morning of july 2nd, greenes brigade, members of the 12 corp. Were ordered to move their way out and take their place on culps hill. General greene would recall proceeding these orders and taking his men to culps hill. He wrote, we took position at 6 00 a. M. On the crest of a rocky hill. Rock creek running past our front at a distance of 200 to 400 yards. Our position and front were were covered with a growth of heavy timber with large projectiles on the surface. These rocks and trees offered good cover for marksmen. The surface was very steep on our left, diminishing to a gentle slope on our right. As soon as we were in position, we began to entrench ourselves and throw up branches of incredible heights, cords, stones and earth. The same was done by troops on our right. So as greenes men began to arrive to culps hill at 6 00 a. M. On the morning of july 2nd, they began to take this position, and greene described a lot of natural obstacles that made this position so strong. A very steep ascent on the left side of his position, declining rise on his right, these protrusions of rock outcroppings, of heavy timber, a minimal undergrowth, a creek 200 to 400 yards in front of his position, all obstacles for any force trying to attack the union armies right flank. The left of greenes line on culps hill would be the 16th new york. They would have a strong position as greene described, being the steepest position, or the steepness of the position in his front. Because the position began to decline and began to lose some of that height, the right of greenes line would not be as strong as steepness gave way. So units such as the 149th new york and the 137th new york on the far right of greenes line would have a much different experience if an attack was to come in their direction. To give you an idea of the change in height from the very left end of greenes line occupied by the 60th new york at the time of the fighting on the evening of july 2nd to the far right of greenes line occupied by the 137th, it was a 90degree drop in overall elevation. So greenes line was a mixed back of some strong elements to his position, but they were going to set out to make it Even Stronger in the coming hours after they went in to their position of approximately 1,500 feet in length. But before they did that, one of the things they needed to do was to run security. And so general greene, ordered by his general commander john geary, would throw together a force of 170 men drawn from each regiment of the brigade all going to be under command of John Reddington of the 16th new york. These men would provide a skirmish and push down to the creek itself. They would act as an early alert system that if a federal attack was coming this way, these skirmishes could let the brigade know that an attack was underway. But these 170 men just didnt seem enough to commander john geary, so geary would send more men to bolster the line. They would later be recalled in the afternoon, but quite a skirmish force that was sent out in greenes position. One of the men, henry bailish of new york, would write home. Quote, we took our position on the right on the 2nd, and we sent out skirmishes in front. We went out about a quarter of a mile to a piece of woods. There was nothing but large trees and no underbrush with lots of large rocks to hide behind. By 12 00 p. M. On july 2nd, over 8,600 soldiers held a strong position on culps hill. Part of those 8,600 men were of greenes brigade. One of the things they were working on since 6 00 a. M. Was constructing those earth works and breast works. As you may recall, the remnants of greenes brigade and cutlers brigade had begun to entrench themselves to prepare their position. After all, these men had been fighting out in the open north of the west of the town of gettysburg in mcphersons wood lot through the day. They made a brief stand on Seminary Ridge as the union line was crumbling throughout the later afternoon of july 1st. As they arrived, they, too, would begin to construct earth works and breast works to bolster their provision. Not only was it greenes brigade working on this in the Early Morning of july 2nd, George Collins brigade of gearys Second Division would also begin to entrench. Captain George Collins of the 149th new york who is pictured here on the slide and screen in front of you in a postwar image, he had later become the regiment historian, recalled that morning of building these earth works. He said general geary called a conference of his brigade commanders, including greene, and it was understood, submitted to them the question of building rifle pits. Geary expressed himself as being averse to the practice, on the ground that it unfitted men for fighting without them. So the Division Commander john geary called this meeting as the 12th corps is arriving to culps hill, and he put the question before them. Should we build these rifle pits . Geary said, no. Men will never fight out in the open again if we dont start to take these protective measures. He shouldnt have built them. Legend has it that greene with a Civil Engineering background degrees in med and law, using an incredibly smart manual, and that so far as his men were concerned and his brigade, they would have those breastworks if they had the time to build them. Colonel louis of the 27th new york recalled these statements as the conference broke up, and greene began to issue these orders for the five regiments to construct these earthen works. After the order by general greene personally, the men worked to construct earth works. The works were finished by noon. Many a man who sits before me today grumbled that morning, and throughout the afternoon at the insistence of old pop greene, their term of endearment, and prophecized they would have their labors for their pains. But they rendered thanks and blessings for the skillful plans and blessings of their beloved commander. Construction of the earth works in front of greenes position would utilize not only the terrain itself but the Natural Resources that culps hill provided. They would often write in the civil war and postwar era, culps hill was covered in woods. Piles of cord wood which lay nearby were quickly appropriated. The sticks standing on end at the outer face of the logs made excellent battening. It was also written that a log was propped up with a weapon to be fired underneath it, and the log was meant to protect the head. On the morning of july 2nd, culps hill is in a secure position, a secure way. The remnants of the first corps have been there since the evening of july 1st, 1863. Theyve begun to entrench themselves. They made a very strong position of the natural topography, terrain and resources. And now it will sit and wait. Now, robert e. Lees plan for july 2nd is a massive confederate attack on the right of his line. Hes going to utilize the two divisions of James Longstreets corps that are on hand, the divisions of john bell hood, and hes going to add another division under the command of h. Anderson with a created third corps. These men are going to attack up the emmetsburg road, rolling up on the left flank of the army, pushing them out of position on the ground just south of the ridge line itself, and hopefully by the end of the fighting on july 2nd, lee would have secured his victory at gettysburg. That would be the main confederate focus for the battle on july 2nd. Robert e. Lee needs to ensure that no union reinforcements will come to assist their comrades in arms. Ules men will make the assault and pin the butterfly to the board of the reinforcements to bolster his line that is going to be under attack. The orders are to proceed in tandem with the main confederate attack. The assume goes forward and fighting takes place at Little Round Top, devils den, the Peach Orchard and wheat field and stoney ridge and further north. It would not be until about 6 00 p. M. We dont have time to get into all the logistics of why it occurs two hours later. About 6 00 p. M. The confederate artillery becomes to open the bombardment. Theyll trade fire and it is has every bit as furious as pickets charge. On 7 00 p. M. On the evening of july 2nd, the infantry assault is moving forward and theyre making their way towards culps hill and Cemetery Hill and towards George Greene. They receive a dispatch from army signal watchers. Theyve seen the confederate sold years moving towards culps hill. Not long after this intelligence is received, he receives another dispatch from Major GeneralGeorge Gordon meade. He will order him to remove the 12th corps, pack them up and ship them a mile and a half to the south towards a location known as Little Round Top. Meades line, a large, you that had opened up because of an enter pricing new york politician by the name of daniel sickells, is under attack. He needs help bolstering the line. Slocumb is conflicted. Infantry is coming towards his position and hes received a message saying we need your help on the left end, pack up and abandon the right flank. Now Brigadier General williams of the 12th corps during the postwar era received an order from the general to send all the men that he could spare some of the confusion in the command of the army of the potomac on the right flank. General slocumb was operating thinking he was a Wing Commander on his march to gettysburg through the end of june and first of july. Its a whole mess of command and control for the 12th corps and the right flank. Suffice it to say williams recalls in a postwar recollection that he received an order from slocumb to send all of the men of the 12th corps that he could to the federal left to help bolster the line. But williams was concerned with this order. He rode over to meet with slocumb in person at slocumbs headquarters along the baltimore pike. There williams advised slocumb that it would be unwise to strip the fed