Timeline: The Peach Orchard

Day 2 - July 2, 1863

  • 4:00 am – The 63 PA (Graham’s brigade, Birney’s division, Third Corps) is bivouacked along the Emmitsburg Rd. at the Peach Orchard. Calef’s 2nd US Battery A and Gamble’s cavalry brigade (both of Buford’s division) are bivouacked in the fields just south of the Peach Orchard.
  • 5:00 am – The 63 PA deploys a skirmish line into the fields west of Emmitsburg Rd.
  • 8:35-8:50 am – Burling’s brigade (Humphreys’ division, Third Corps), arriving on the battlefield from the south via the Emmitsburg Rd., turn’s off at the Peach Orchard onto the Wheatfield Rd. They are followed closely by Smith’s 4th NY battery (3rd Corps).
  • 9:25-9:45 am – DeTrobriand’s brigade (Birney’s division, Third Corps), arriving on the battlefield from the south via the Emmitsburg Rd., turn’s off at the Peach Orchard onto the Wheatfield Rd. They are followed closely by Winslow’s 1st NY Battery D (Third Corps).
  • 9:55-10:00 am – Five of the six guns of Calef’s battery takes up a position at the NW corner of the road intersection at the Peach Orchard.
  • 10:20 am – The 5th MI (DeTrobriand’s brigade) arrives in support of Calef, via the Wheatfield Rd., taking position NE of the Peach Orchard.
  • 11:00-11:30 am – Gamble’s brigade, followed closely by Calef’s battery, depart the Peach Orchard area, via the Wheatfield Rd., heading for Westminister, MD.
  • 11:25-11:45 am – Four companies (D,E,F & I) of the 1st US Sharpshooters (Berdan’s demi-brigade, Birney’s division, Third Corps), followed by the 3rd ME (Ward’s brigade, Birney’s division, Third Corps) move south on the Emmitsburg Rd., through the Peach Orchard intersection, en route to the fields to the SW.
  • 11:35-11:45 am – Devin’s cavalry brigade (Buford’s division), excepting the 6th NY, pass thru the Peach Orchard, via the Wheatfield Rd., trailing Gamble, also headed for Westminister, MD.
  • 12:40-12:55 pm – The companies D,E,F, & I of 1st US Sharpshooters, along with the 3rd ME, reform just north of the Peach Orchard after withdrawing from their fight in Pitzer’s Woods shortly before.
  • 12:55-1:10 pm – The 3rd ME takes up a new position in the SW corner of the Peach Orchard, sending out a strong line of skirmishers to the SW from that portion. Meanwhile, the four companies of the 1st US Sharpshooters head north from the Peach Orchard, along the Emmitburg Rd., en route to a position in support of the other companies of their regiment.
  • 2:30 pm – Clark’s 2nd NJ battery (Third Corps) deploys in its first of three positions, facing SW in the field NW of the Peach Orchard.
  • 3:00-3:10 pm – Graham’s brigade (Birney’s division, Third Corps) moves up the slope toward the Emmitsburg Rd to the west to support Clark’s battery. Meanwhile, Clark’s battery adjusts its position into the Peach Orchard and briefly shells the Confederates forming well to the south.
  • 3:30-3:35 pm – Bucklyn’s 1st RI Battery E (Third Corps) moves west up the slope, through Graham’s regiments, into a split deployment at two locations along the Emmitsburg Rd., north of the Peach Orchard. Meanwhile, Clark’s battery returns to its original position.
  • 3:40-3:55 pm – Ames’ 1st NY Battery G (Fitzhugh’s brigade, Artillery Reserve) moves from a staging area near the Trostle Farm into the Peach Orchard position formerly occupied by Clark. They face to the SW and engage with Cabell’s confederate batteries 500 yards in their front. The 68th PA and 141st PA (Graham’s brigade) move to the SW in a supporting position to the rear of Ames’ battery.
  • 4:00 pm – Hart’s 4-gun 15th NY Battery (McGilvery’s brigade, Artillery Reserve) takes up position. One section forms east of the Peach Orchard on the Wheatfield Rd., while the other section moves further south into the field at the southeast corner of the Peach Orchard.
  • 4:00-4:15 pm – The balance of Graham’s brigade moves west up the slope to the Emmitsburg Rd. Meanwhile, the 2nd NH and 7th NJ (Burling’s brigade, Humphrey’s division, Third Corps) move respectively to the NW corner of the Peach Orchard and to a position behind Clark’s battery.
  • 4:05-4:25 pm – Bigelow’s 9th MA Battery followed by Phillips’ 5th MA Battery E (both of McGilvery’s brigade) take up positions west of the Peach Orchard, filling out the line of artillery that has formed along the Wheatfield Rd.
  • 4:25 pm – As additional Confederate batteries from Alexander’s battalion (Longstreet’s Corp) take up position in Pitzer’s Woods due west of the Peach Orchard, the right section of Ames’ battery changes front to meet the new threat.
  • 4:25-4:45 pm – The 2nd NH sends out skirmishers from their position at the SW corner of the Peach Orchard, relieving the 63rd PA which has run low on ammunition. The 63rd PA proceeds to the rear.
  • 4:45-5:00 pm – South and SW of the Peach Orchard pressure from Anderson’s brigade (Hood’s division, Longstreet’s corp) to the SE and Kershaw’s regiment (McLaws’ division, Longstreet’s corp) to the SW forces the skirmishers from the 3rd ME and the 3rd MI (deTrobriand’s brigade) to withdraw to the north to reserve positions behind the Wheatfield Road.
  • 4:50-5:00 pm – Running low on ammunition, Ames’ battery limbers up in the Peach Orchard and withdraws back toward the Trostle Farm just as 2 sections of Thompson’s PA Battery C & F (McGilvery’s brigade) arrives in position just yards east of where Ames had been. Ames’ withdrawal route takes him right past Watson’s 5th US Battery I (Fifth Corps) which had been commandeered by Sickles and coerced to the front.
  • 5:00 pm – Watson’s 4-gun battery takes up position in the Peach Orchard to the right of Thompson’s battery just in time to be part of the heavy shelling of Kershaw’s regiments advancing eastward 300 yards to the south.
  • 5:00-5:15 pm – Kershaw’s left wing regiments advance across the Emmitsburg Rd. and wheel left toward the Union artillery line on Wheatfield Rd. anchored in the Peach Orchard. They advance to within yards of the Union line, reinforced minutes earlier by four Third Corps regiments, 2nd NH, 3rd ME, 14st PA and 3rd MI, from four different brigades, but still they overran Hart’s forward gun section. Then, misinterpreting orders meant for other units, they catastrophically turn east and are decimated by the fire from the Union infantry and artillery now on their left flank.
  • 5:20-6:00 pm – Kershaw’s left wing regiments chaotically retreat to the SE where they reform in the woods NE of the Rose Farm. They soon deploy skirmish lines forward and begin to create havock for the men and horses of Hart’s, Phillips’s and Bigelow’s batteries.
  • 5:40-5:50 pm – Graham’s 3 right wing regiments take up positions along the Emmitsburg Rd., north and south of the Sherfy buildings just north of the Peach Orchard, as Barksdale’s brigade (McLaw’s division) advances from Pitzer’s woods to the west.
  • 5:45-5:50 pm – The 73rd NY (Brewster’s brigade, Humphreys’ division) is dispatch from Humphrey’s reserve line to support Graham’s right wing regiments.
  • 5:50-5:50 pm – Barksdale’s advance from the west is on the right flank of Watson’s battery triggering a hasty withdrawal back toward the Trostle Farm.
  • 5:55-6:00 pm – The 17th MS (Barksdale’s brigade) heavily pressures the 68th PA south of the Wheatfield Rd, as the 2nd NH changes front to the west to engage the 17th MS. Barksdale’s three right wing regiments fiercely clash with the 114th and 57th PA (Graham’s regiments).
  • 5:55-6:05 pm – Nearly captured and many horses out of action, Bucklyn’s battery, manages a chaotic withdraw, rumbling thru and cutting in half the 7th NJ (Burling’s brigade). The separated sections of Thompson’s battery fair better withdrawing to higher ground to the northwest where they briefly reengage the Confederate onslaught relentlessly coming their way.
  • 6:00-6:15 – Hart, then Clark, and then Phillips all retire their batteries toward the Trostle Farm narrow stone wall gate, creating a log jam of guns, limbers and horses.
  • 6:00-6:15 pm – Barksdale’s brigade line wheels to the northeast sweeping back Graham’s regiments. The 73rd NY charges into the fray momentarily halting Barksdale. Further south, the 2nd NH supported by part of the reorganized 7th NJ managed to make a brief stand before falling back toward the Trostle Farm.
  • 6:20 pm – The left wing of Barksdale’s brigade continues to drive the Union regiments to the northeast, up the Emmitsburg Rd., past the Sherfy farm and then the Trostle Farm Lane, leaving the Peach Orchard area.
  • 6:20-6:30 pm – The 21st MS, on Barksdale’s right, heads more easterly, engaging the remnants of the 2nd NH, 7th NJ and 3rd ME and heads straight for a showdown with Bigelow’s battery making a heroic stand that the Trostle Farm.
  • 6:20-6:25 pm – The left wing regiments of Wofford’s brigade (McLaw’s division, Longstreet’s corp) advance unopposed through the Peach Orchard headed for the Union units on the Stoney Hill.
  • 6:25-6:40 pm – Taylor’s Bath (VA) Battery, followed by Parker’s Richmond Battery, and then Woolfolk’s Ashland (VA) Battery (Alexander’s battalion, Artillery Reserve, Longstreet’s Corp) rush into the vacated Peach Orchard northern section, north of the Wheatfield Rd. They are followed by Jordan’s Bedford (VA) Battery and Moody’s Madison (LA) Battery, also from Alexander’s battalion.
  • 6:45 pm – The two remaining servicable guns of Gilbert’s Brooks (SC) battery join Alexander’s advanced artillery position in the southern section of the Peach Orchard
  • 7:05 pm – Manly’s battery, 1st NC, moves into the Peach Orchard from its afternoon fighting position to the south.
  • 7:30-7:45 pm – Barksdale’s brigade stops its withdrawal and bivouacs for the night to the rear of Alexander’s artillery in the Peach Orchard.