A Soldier's Story of His Regiment (61st Georgia): And Incidentally of the Lawton-Gordon-Evans Brigade Army of Northern Virginia

Chapter 8

CIL~PTER VIII. Tmt GU'l'TYSBURG CAMPAIGN. We remained in our old ca.mps a few days and moved out about half a mile to a new camp in a pleasant oak grove, where we had nothing to do but drill and a little picket and guard duty, until about the first of June. Here in this camp our regimental chaplains held divine service day and night. Our beloved General Gordon was often among the worshipers. He had become almost an idol in the brigade ~h officers and men, often leading in the prayer and exhortation service . A great many professed religion, joined th~ church and were baptized. The last of May we drew plenty of clothing and shoes. Every gun was examined and if they were not all right we had to get one that was. Our cartridge boxes were filled, and we knew someth£ll,g was ttp. General Lee had been reinforced until his army was eighty thousand strong. On the first day of June we were ordered to coo~ two days rations, which we did. We left onr camp about dark for the Gettysburg campaign. The first little branch that we came to every man was trying to walk the foot-logs, when General Gordon jUlllped off his horse and waded the branch back and forth, to show the boys how to wade. We marched all night and camped just before day in very thick woods. We were not permitted to have any fire. Ewell did this to keep Hooker's balloon spies from seehI.g us moving. Generals Ewell and Hill were both 113 promoted to corps commanders, and Jackson's old corps was divided between them. Early's division was assigned to Ewell's corps. We remained in camps all day quietly, and started again just at dark: we marched all night again and got out of sight of the balloon spies. At Culpepper Court House we rested two or three hours. There was a brisk cavalry battle going on near Brandy Station, a few miles from Culpepper. The Union cavalry fell back across the Rappahannock. After this we marched only in day time and got along finely. General Ewell had us to march two miles and then .rest ten minutes. By doing this we could march all day, and all the boys who were well could keep up. We had but few straglers. The wagon trains kept up and we drew rations regularly. vVe made excellent time. We crossed the Blue Ridge mountains through the gap into the great Shenandoah valley at Front Royal, situated right at the foot of the mountains on the Shenandoah river. We arrived at Front Royal about five o'clock P. M. and camped for the night. The next morning Early's division took one road and Rhode's and Johnson's divisions took another. They all left about two hours before day. The Sixty-first Georgia Regiment was left to guard Early's wagon train on the march. It was said that there was a regiment of Union cavalry somewhere in the valley, so we had to protect our division wagon train. Colonel Lamar was commanding our regiment. He deployed UCJ along side of the wagon train, with orders to all rally in case of an attack, or to partially rally according to the number of the enemy, but we saw no enemy. We marched alongside of the wagon train all day and 114 arrived at Kernstown about 5 o'clock. Ewell was at Winchester trying to capture Milroy, who had about five thousand soldiers stationed there. We heard heavy cannonading and then the small arms. Finally we heard the rebel yell. It was Gordon's brigade and other troops charging the fort and Milroy's works. Genera.ls Rhodes and Johnson had Milroy cut off from the Martinsburg road and the fords on the Potomac river at Williamsport and Shepherdstown. The firing and yelling soon ceased, and Milroy's little army was nearly all captured and made prisoners of war. We captured about five thousand men, thirty-four cannons and some army stores. General Milroy and a few of his cavalry escaped. This was on June 13. Gordon's brigade lost about one hundred and fifty men,[killed and wounded. Among the killed was the brave and daring Captain Hawkins, who fell at the head of his company. General Gordon also capturedMilroy's...