| Major General John Fulton Reynolds was born in Lancaster, PA on September 20, 1820. He died at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. John Reynolds attended and graduated from West Point in 1841. From there he served in the Mexican War. He was promoted to Brevetted Captain (1846) and then Major (1847) for gallantry at the battles of Monterry and Buena Vista. After the Civil War broke out in 1861 he was a brigadier general in a group of volunteers. During the battle of Gaines Mill he was taken prisoner (June 1862). While being a prisoner he spent six weeks in Libby prison but was released in time to command a division at the Second Battle of Bull Run (Aug 30, 1862). In November he was promoted to commander of the 1st Corps of the Army of the Potamac and given the new rank of Major General. He fought with distinction at the battle of Fredericksburg (December 1862), Chancellorsville (May 1863). On June 1, 1863 he was promoted to Colonel in the Regular Army. When Lee invaded Pennsylvania Reynolds was sent to protect Washington DC from an attack from Longstreet. On June 28, 1863 General George Gordon Meade ordered him to occupy Gettysburg. Until he was killed from a gunshot wound he was in command of all troops at Gettysburg. There is a bronze statue at the place in the field where he fell. He was the highest ranking military loss at the Battle of Gettysburg. |