“A Most Obstinate Resistance”: The Defense of Blocher’s Knoll

It was early aft ernoon in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Th e mercury hovered in the mid70s, but for troops who had labored along in heavy woolen uniforms over thirteen miles of rutted roads, through a pelting rain shower, racing the last mile at the doublequick, the chance to throw themselves upon the ground for a brief respite came as a welcome relief. Brig. Gen. Francis Channing Barlow had pushed his men hard, William Paynton in the 17th Connecticut recalled that “straggling was strictly forbidden— that the ranks must be kept closed up, and regimental and company commanders would be held accountable for the violation of said order.”1 Barlow’s aides rode up and down the marching column to enforce the edict. By the time they reached town the men were out of breath, thirsty, their legs tired with the weight of many hard miles. But here