The 13th Massachusetts on July 1: The Repulse of O’Neal’s Brigade on Oak Ridge

Abstract

Gettysburg Magazine, no. 55 Late in the morning, July 1 at Gettysburg, aft er severe fi ghting faded out along the Chambersburg Road, reinforcements arrived for the two opposing armies. Gen. Robert Rodes’s large Confederate division of fi ve brigades approached Union lines from the north on Oak Ridge. Brig. Gen. John C. Robinson’s 2nd Division of the First Corps was rushed north to oppose them. Of Brig. Gen. John C. Robinson’s two brigades, Henry Baxter’s and Gabriel R. Paul’s, Baxter’s brigade has received all the glory at Gettysburg. Paul’s brigade certainly fought long and hard, but Baxter had the distinction of destroying Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson’s Confederate brigade of North Carolinians, a welldocumented tragedy of epic proportions. Th e general consensus today is that Brig. Gen. Henry Baxter’s brigade quickly dispatched the attack of Col. Edward A. O’Neal’s Alabama brigade from the north and then changed front to face west and destroyed Iverson’s brigade of North Carolinians. Stopped dead in their tracks with nowhere to turn, Iverson’s shattered troops raised white handkerchiefs to signal surrender. Several of Baxter’s regiments charged forward to gather in the Confederate prisoners; but while doing so, they were taking fi re on their right fl ank from the north. When they returned to their line, Paul’s brigade had arrived to reinforce them. Th en Baxter’s tired brigade, out of ammunition, moved south toward the railroad cut to support Lt. James Stewart’s 4th U.S. Artillery, Battery B, while Paul’s brigade remained on the ridge and opposed Maj. Gen. Robert Rodes’s fi nal Confederate assault. For this last push, Rodes used elements of all his fi ve brigades and attacked in unison. Th is massive assault was successful in The 13th Massachusetts on July 1 Th e Repulse of O’Neal’s Brigade on Oak Ridge