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Battle Of Gettysburg: Brig. Gen. Barksdale's Mississippians Brave The Wheatfield

The arrangement of McLaws’ division mirrored that of Hood’s division. McLaws was to attack on a two-brigade front with Brig. Gen. Joseph Kershaw’s South Carolina brigade on the right supported by Brig. Gen. Paul Semmes’ Georgia brigade. On the left was Brig. Gen. William Barksdale’s Mississippi brigade supported by Brig. Gen. William Wofford’s Georgia brigade. The attack was to be “en echelon” formation with Kershaw advancing first with Semmes following behind him. Kershaw intended to have the center of his brigade strike Stony Hill. Hunt had moved additional Federal batteries into position along the Millerstown Road that divided the northeastern portion of the Wheatfield from Trostle’s Woods. These guns opened fire on Kershaw’s South Carolinians who were passing across their front. Kershaw’s three left regiments wheeled north. They passed the stone buildings of the Rose Farm in an attempt to storm the Union guns. But an order to move by the right flank caused the three regiments to veer to the right away from the enemy guns. The Federal gunners who were preparing to pull their guns out of harm’s way now opened up with a vengeance. “Hundreds of the bravest and best men of [South] Carolina fell,” wrote Kershaw. “[They were] victims of this fatal blunder.” Through the smoke and dust that clouded the field the bluecoats on Stony Hill could see in the distance a gray line with battle flags fluttering advancing toward them. The 17th Maine braced for another attack behind their stone wall. Anderson’s Georgians surged forward once again in a bid to capture the wall. Barnes grew deeply concerned over the position of his troops on Stony Hill in the face of McLaws’ attack. He therefore ordered both brigades to withdraw through the Millerstown Road and take up a new position in Trostle’s Woods. With casualties mounting and Barnes’s two brigades withdrawn, De Trobriand had little choice but to order his brigade to fall back as well. For this reason, the 17th Maine abandoned the stone wall for which it had shed so much blood. Captain John Bigelow’s 9th Massachusetts Battery, which was ordered to hold its position no matter the cost, is shown in action in a sketch by one of its men. Winslow’s Napoleons continued to hammer away at the Rebels. The 115th Pennsylvania also poured its fire into Anderson’s troops. Minie balls whipped through the wheat stalks, felling horses and gunners as Kershaw’s men fired into Winslow’s battery. Winslow gave the order to withdraw the guns to the Trostle Woods. In a herculean effort, his men managed to save all six pieces. With the Wheatfield and Rose Woods in Confederate hands, the Federals rushed fresh troops to the sector. Brig. Gen. John Caldwell received orders to march his First Division of Hancock’s II Corps to support the V Corps. Leading the column was Colonel Edward Cross’s First Brigade. The other brigades in order of march were Colonel John Kelly’s Second Brigade (Irish Brigade), Colonel John Brooke’s Fourth Brigade, and Brig. Gen. Samuel Zook’s Third Brigade. Cross pushed into the Wheatfield and about halfway across traded fire with Anderson’s Georgians positioned along the edge of Rose Woods. Cross was preparing his men for a charge when a Rebel sharpshooter shot him. While Cross was being carried from the field, Sergeant Charles Phelps killed the enemy sharpshooter. Cross succumbed to his wound the following day. Cross’s bluecoats advanced steadily. On their right, the Irish Brigade kept up a spirited fire with its emerald flags flapping. But the advance of Zook’s companies was slowed considerably by the retreating troops of the V Corps. “If you can’t get out of the way, lie down and we will march over you,” shouted Zook from his horse. Zook’s and Kelly’s brigades moved against the graybacks on Stony Hill. They met fierce resistance from Kershaw’s South Carolinians. Some men from both the 3rd and 7th South Carolina fired at Zook as he rode up the slope of Stony Hill. Minie balls ripped into his shoulder, chest, and stomach, mortally wounding him.