Timeline: Oak Hill

Day 1 - July 1, 1863

  • 11:35 – Iverson’s brigade (Rodes’ division, Ewell’s corps), after leading the column south along the Herr Ridge Rd, arrives on the northern slope Oak Hill and takes up a position facing southeast. Skirmishers are deployed to the south.
  • 11:50 – O’Neal’s brigade (Rodes’ division) follows and forms his line to Iverson’s left. Both brigades are overlooking the Gettysburg plains north of the college.
  • 11:55 – Noon – Skirmishers from O’Neal’s brigade are deployed joining the skirmish lines previously deployed by Iverson.
  • Noon – 12:20 – The skirmishers from both brigades continue to move forward and establish positions in the open fields south of Oak Hill.
  • Noon – 12:15 – Two batteries of T.H. Carter’s artillery battalion, (Rodes’ division) arrive on the field. W.P. Carter’s battery, King William Artillery, deploys at the southern base of Oak Hill. Fry’s battery, Richmond “Orange” Artillery, arrives following Carter battery and also unlimbers on the southern slope. Their appearance is a complete surprise to Union First Corps infantry and batteries about a mile to the south. Ending the Day 1 noon lull, they loudly “announce” their arrival with a heavy barrage of artillery fire.
  • 12:05-12:15 – Iverson and O’Neal adjust their position to face the Union First Corps to the south. After the position adjustment Iverson forms a line in Forney’s Woods facing south. O’Neal forms a line on the south east edge of Oak Hill within the tree line.
  • 12:05-12:10 – Doles’ brigade (Rodes’ division) arrives, approaching on a more easterly route along the Carlisle Road, and forms a line east of Oak Hill and to the left of O’Neal.
  • 12:05-12:15 – Daniel’s brigade (Rodes’ division) arrives along the Herr Ridge Rd. and takes up a position west of the Hoffman farm and to the right of Iverson.
  • 12:10 – On his right flank, O’Neal sends the 5th AL down on to the plain below the east slope of Oak hill in an attempt to connect his line to Dole’s arriving brigade.
  • 12:20 – On his left flank, O’Neal now sends the 3rd AL to the west in a effort to connect with Iverson. He has essentially detached two of his five regiments and reduced his effective fighting force by 40%.
  • 12:30 – Rodes orders the main body of O’Neal’s brigade to move back into the woods, to better align with Iverson and provide shelter for the exposed infantry,
  • 1:15–1:25 – T.H. Carter’s remaining two batteries, that have been held in reserve, are ordered forward in response to the Union Eleventh Corps artillery arriving just north of Gettysburg College. Page’s battery, Louisa “Morris” Artillery, deploys his guns on the southern slope of Oak Hill, one gun above the next, likes seats in an amphitheater. Reese’s battery, Jeff Davis (Alabama) Artillery, takes up a position east of Oak Hill, south of the Samuel Cobean farm. Both batteries begin a prolonged duel with Osborn’s Eleventh Corps batteries deployed on the fields north of the college.
  • 2:10-2:15 – Ramseur’s brigade (Rodes’ division) arrives and takes up a reserve position in the woods, behind Iverson’s left and O’Neal’s right.
  • 2:10-2:20 – The fire from Dilger’s 1st OH Battery I (Osborn’s battalion) and Wheeler’s 13th NY battery (Osborn’s battalion), emanating from the plains north of the college, are having a significant impact on Page’s battery due to their easy targeting caused by their unique “stacked” deployment. Carter’s battery is ordered to move from its original position, deployed against the First Corps units well south, to the east of Oak Hill and to the right of Reese to reinforce the Confederate artillery fire against the Eleventh Corps units.
  • 2:15-2:40 – Rodes’ personally issues orders for O’Neal’s brigade to attack, while sending the same order to Iverson via courier. As a result O’Neal steps off some minutes ahead of Iverson. O’Neal is undermanned, advancing only three of his five regiments, the 12th AL, 26th AL and 6th AL. They’re headed towards an engagement with Baxter’s brigade (Robinson’s division, First Corps) who’s line of battle forms a salient at the apex of Oak Ridge and the Mummasburg Road. (Editor’s note: See the Oak Ridge timeline for subsequent actions involving the brigades of O’Neal and Baxter).
  • 2:30-3:00 – Iverson’s brigade, the 12th NC, 23rd NC, 20th NC and 5th NC, leaves the cover of Forney Woods and begins its advance. Iverson moves south then east and engages Baxter along Oak Ridge. (Editor’s note: See the Oak Ridge timeline for subsequent actions involving the brigades of Iverson and Baxter).
  • 2:33-2:50 – Daniel’s brigade advances from the southwest slope of Oak Hill in support of Iverson, but his route stays southerly and he ends up engaging the Stone’s brigade (Rowley’s division, First Corps) along the Chambersburg Pike and the railroad cuts. (Editor’s note: See the Railroad Cut timelines for subsequent actions involving the brigades of Daniel and Stone).
  • 2:40 – The detached 3rd AL, who did not participate in O’Neal’s initial poorly organized assault, has waited long enough to fight and moves off of Oak Hill shortly after Daniel’s departs. They come on line to the left of Daniel’s brigade and fight at multiple battle sites; their initial engagement on the left flank of Daniel’s. (Editor’s note: See the Shead’s Woods timeline for subsequent actions involving 3AL).
  • 2:50-3:15 – After sustaining heavy casualties while engaging Baxter, O’Neal’s shattered regiments retreat to the woods on the south slope of Oak Hill.
  • 2:55-3:05 – With their targets limited due to Iverson’s infantry engagement with Baxter on Oak Ridge to their front, and having sustained heavy damage from the battery fire of Dilger and Wheeler, Page’s battery limbers its guns from the “amphitheater” position and moves northeast to the Cobean farm area. There they immediately engage the advancing Eleventh Corps divisions of Schimmelfennig and Barlow.
  • 3:00-3:20 – Rodes orders Ramseur to send two regiments, the 2nd NC and 4th NC, to the left to help O’Neal. But O’Neal has fought his brigade poorly and they are in full retreat by the time Ramseur’s wing takes up position. Still, Ramseur prepares them to advance against Baxter, but Rodes has second thoughts when he sees that Iverson also has been soundly defeated and the Paul’s fresh brigade (Robinson’s division) is moving into position in support of Baxter along Oak Ridge. Rodes now orders Ramseur’s right wing to pull back into the Oak Hill woods and await further developments.
  • 3:25-3:35 – Ramseur again moves his brigade out of the Oak Hill woods. With a nod to the earlier plan, he orders the right brigade wing to strike Baxter and Paul at the Oak Ridge salient on the west side while the left wings strikes the east, but Ramseur is talked out of the two pronged attack in favor of a more consolidated assault. (Editor’s note: See the Oak Ridge timeline for subsequent actions pitting Ramseur’s brigade against Baxter’s and Paul’s brigades).
  • 3:35-4:25 – O’Neal’s reorganized regiments move out of the Oak Hill woods, slowly aligning with Ramseur’s left. They halfheartedly join in the final fight at Oak Ridge.
  • 6:00-6:20 – Once the Union forces have left the plains north of Gettysburg and retreated thru the town, the four batteries of Carter’s battalion limber and move off their last Oak Hill positions to overnight deployment locations just north of the streets of Gettysburg.