PRESENTATION MONTHLY DISCUSSION GROUP AT THE PRESENTATION REVIEW AT MCCWRT October 8, 2019 Presentation by Laurence Schiller Cavalry on the First Day at Gettysburg Laurence Schiller is President of the Northern Illinois Civil War Roundtable. He is a retired Adjunct Professor of History and fencing coach at TO Northwestern University. He pointed out that there are a number of connections between the Union cavalry and the northern Illinois area. AT THE He is currently writing a book on cavalry tactics. In the 1800s U.S. Cavalry Tactics were generally OF PRESENTED BY derived from European Cavalry Tactics, mainly by the French. Also at that time. Mexican Cavalry DAVE POWELL Tactics were also derived from the Europeans. In the U.S., Cavalry was generally engaged in small actions. There were Three Types of Mounted Soldiers, not all of which could be considered Traditional Cavalry: 1) The Dragoons. Originally, developed as mounted infantry, but over time they evolved into what we would consider traditional cavalry, which carried out cavalry duties (reconnaissance, raiding THE and screening) however, they could also fight CHATTANOOGA dismounted. 2) Mounted Infantry. Forrest’s “cavalry” were CAMPAIGN mainly mounted infantry, and Wikipedia 3. Partisans, such as Mosby’s or Morgan’s forces. The Chattanooga Campaign consisted of a series of maneuvers and battles in October and Originally, the U.S. Dragoons were a mix between November 1863, during the American Civil War. Light Cavalry and Light Infantry, but by the latter Following the defeat of Maj. Gen. William S. and mid-18th century, they had evolved to the point Rosecrans's Union Army of the Cumberland at where they generally ceased fighting by being off the Battle of Chickamauga in September, 1863. their horses and dismounted anymore. Chattanooga, Tennessee. Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant was given command of Union forces in the West, now consolidated under But from 1833 to 1861, frontier fighting in the U.S. brought back the practice of dismounted fighting. During the Civil War, Federal Cavalry commanders mixed the concepts of dismounted fighting and By: Daniel Nardini traditional cavalry roles. Additionally, the Federal Borrowed From Cavalry were issued better up to date weapons, The Decatur, Illinois such as breechloading carbines and Spencer Civil War Roundtable Newsletter Repeaters. As part of the 150th anniversary of the start of What distinguishes true cavalry from mounted the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865), I can infantry is the mission. Generally, the uses of remember visiting the Savanna Museum and cavalry were for reconnaissance, screening, Cultural Center for a special exhibit on 100 covering the flanks and rear, shock charges, various mannequins wearing uniforms of the picketing, and seizing and holding strong points until many regiments of both the Union and Confederate armies. the infantry would show up. FOR OUR The period prior to the Battle of Gettysburg was a The exhibit, which was the courtesy of Gene critical period for the development of the Federal Wright, showed the different regimental Cavalry, which had been quite ineffective and uniforms from all the states from whichever inferior to the Confederate Cavalry. General George side their state was on. There was even a McClellan did not know how to utilize cavalry. mannequin of an Illinois Union soldier and General George Stoneman was not a great cavalry also a mannequin of an Illinois Confederate commander at first, but over time he began to soldier. develop the cavalry, to the point that later generals, WITH MUSIC BY Wait a minute! An Illinois Confederate rebel?! such as James Wilson and Phillip Sheridan, made strong use of cavalry. You mean that there were native Illinois residents— from the land of Lincoln—fighting General Joseph Hooker was the first Army of the for the Confederacy? Potomac commander to begin to organize the AT THE cavalry. He established a cavalry corps, with Weirdly enough the answer is “Yes.” WOODSTOCK COUNTRY CLUB General Alfred Pleasonton as Corps Commander. The Corps was composed of three divisions, A state that was solidly for the Union did have commanded by generals Buford, Duffie, and Gregg. some parts that actually sympathized with the John Buford was a gifted leader who was brought in Confederacy. a by General John Pope and performed well at the In 1861, one-third of the State of Illinois Battle of Second Bull Run. actually sympathized with the Confederacy. In the spring of 1863 General Lee devised the This area, which was known as “Little Egypt” Gettysburg campaign. He had three reasons in (today’s southern Illinois), was originally mind, namely, political (by winning a battle on settled primarily by people from the southern northern soil), forage for supplies in Northern states. territory, and to avoid being ordered to send troops Some of them even held slaves in southern for the relief of Vicksburg. Hooker ordered Illinois, and those settlers definitely had family Pleasonton to attack Stuart’s Cavalry at Brandy and close relatives in the southern states. Station. Buford commanded the right wing of the attack, crossing the Rappahannock River at Beverly In fact, during the presidential election of Ford. Meanwhile, Meade and Pleasonton were re- 1860, the area of Little Egypt was the one part organizing the Federal cavalry, which consisted of of Illinois that voted solidly against Abraham approximately 12,700 horsemen, into three Lincoln. This area was not only solidly divisions, commanded by Buford, Gregg, and Democrat but had wished to secede from the Judson Kilpatrick. (Pleasonton disliked foreign Union just like South Carolina did. This of commanders, such as Duffie, a Frenchman.) course did not happen. Because President Pleasonton attempted to curry favor with U.S . Lincoln had managed to keep the slave Illinois Congressman Farnsworth (previously the holding states of Kentucky and Missouri in the commander of the 8th Illinois cavalry regiment) by Union, the people of Little Egypt did not promoting the Illinois congressman’s nephew, Elon secede either. Farnswoth, to brigadier general in the ranks of General Kilpatrick’s division. At that time, the Of course, while many of the people in Little DOOR PRIZES federal cavalry’s mission was to locate Lee’s army Egypt were sympathetic to the Confederacy, and find out exactly where it was going. this was not the same thing as taking action in support of it. BACK HOME: Stuart, however, was screening all of Lee’s However, 34 Illinois residents did take action movements and prevented Hooker from precisely in support of the Confederacy. These were CIVIL WAR FLAG determining where Lee was headed. Buford’s the men who volunteered to become RETURNED brigade commanders were William Gamble and Confederate soldiers. TO STREATOR Thomas Devin. Buford’s division moved out on June The Confederate government put them into THE PANTAGRAPH 12 NOVEMBER, 2016 28 and was able to penetrate Stuart’s screen, while G Company of the 15th Tennessee Regiment Gregg’s division provided a screen for the Army of Volunteer Infantry. This company was made STREATOR — As a Civil War history buff the Potomoc. up of soldiers mostly from other southern with a strong interest in local history, Streator states, and they proved to be very capable On June 30th Gamble and Devin’s brigades entered resident David Reed couldn’t turn away from fighters. a story about a LaSalle County soldier who Gettysburg. At the same time, Pettigrew’s Ironically, G Company fought against many of was wounded while trying to save a flag Confederate division, which had penetrated into the Union Illinois regiments at the Battle of during the siege of Jackson, Miss. Gettysburg, withdrew to the west. Buford himself rode into Gettysburg and determined that Cemetery Shiloh (in Tennesee) that lasted from April 6- 7,1862. The war then became a fight Sgt. George Poundstone, a native of Farm Hill and Culp’s hill were the prime locations for the Ridge Township in southern LaSalle County Federal infantry. He sent Gamble’s and Devin’s between Illinoisian and Illinoisian as the near Streator, joined the 53rd Volunteer brigades west of Gettysburg onto the Chambersburg Illinois Confederates defended Tennessee Infantry Regiment of the Union Army in the Pike. Buford sent word back to Meade to bring up against Union Illinois armies. fall of 1861. He served as color bearer, his infantry. Buford positioned his two brigades to carrying the flag to help soldiers locate the block the Chambersburg Pike to slow down the At the end of the war those Illinois regiment during and after battles. The advance of the Army of Northern Virginia so as to Confederate soldiers who had survived regiment was comprised mostly of men of allow the Federal infantry to secure Cemetery Hill returned to Illinois. LaSalle County. and Cup’s Hill. Buford positioned his division to block the Pike, with Gamble’s brigade to the south of “All of the men from Illinois and all For those who have an interest in knowing the Pike and Devin’s to the north. The 8th and the of the men who fought for the more about the Illinois Confederates, I 12th Illinois cavalry regiments were assigned to recommend the book: preservation of our union, made Gamble’s brigade. The 8th Illinois was slightly on Illinois Rebels: A Civil War History of great sacrifices and 150 years the south of the Pike. later, we shouldn’t forget those G Company Tennessee Regiment sacrifices,” Reed said. On the morning of July 1, Heth’s Army of Northern Volunteer Infantry Virginia division of AP Hill’s corps was proceeding By Ed Gleeson. Poundstone was carrying the flag on July 12, eastward toward Gettysburg and was not expecting 1863, when he was wounded, said Larry an engagement.