General Hancock Reports from Gettysburg

"The battle is quiet now."

General Winfoield S. Hancock
"Hancock the superb"
(Battles & Leaders)
After the death of General Reynolds on July 1, General Oliver O. Howard took command of the field and sent dispatches on his view of the situation back to army headquarters near Taneytown, Maryland. Miles away from the battlefield and unable to discern the true nature of the Union positions at Gettysburg, General Meade ordered General Winfield Scott Hancock, commander of the 2nd Army Corps, to ride ahead to Gettysburg to assess the situation and take command of the field.
The charismatic 39 year-old career officer had an electric presence on those around him. Fearless and direct, Hancock was a superb officer who's only fault was a coarse vocabulary. General Hancock arrived at Cemetery Hill about 4:30 that afternoon, just in time to witness the flood of survivors from the day's battle streaming through Gettysburg. There was an awkward confrontation between Hancock and Howard over who was the senior commander on the field, but a compromise was struck. Working in conjunction with Howard, General Hancock established the Union positions on Cemetery Ridge and rallied the shattered remnants of both the 1st and 11th Corps. Seating himself near the gatekeeper's house at the cemetery, Hancock hastily scribbled out a message to General Meade:

5:25 P.M., July 1, 1863

GENERAL: When I arrived here an hour since, I found that our troops had given up the front of Gettysburg and the town. We have now taken up a position in the cemetery, and cannot well be taken. It is a position, however, easily turned. Slocum is now coming on the ground and is taking position to the right which will protect the right. But we have, as yet, no troops on the left, the Third Corps not having yet reported; but I suppose that it is marching up. If so, its flank march will in a degree protect our left flank. In the meantime Gibbon had better march on so as to take position on our right or left, to our rear, as may be necessary, in some commanding position. General (Gibbon) will see this dispatch. The battle is quiet now. I think we will be all right until night. I have sent all the trains back. When night comes it can be told better what had best be done. I think we can retire; if not, we can fight here, as the ground appears not unfavorable with good troops. I will communicate in a few moments with General Slocum, and transfer the command to him. Howard says that Doubleday's command gave way. General Warren is here.

  Your obedient servant,
  Winfield S. Hancock
Major-General, Commanding Corps

 

Read more about this subject:

A. M. Gambone, Hancock At Gettysburg, Butternut and Blue Press, Baltimore, MD, 1997.

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Author: John Heiser, GETT
Date: September 1998
www.nps.gov/gett