Reports of Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, U.S. Army, commanding Second Army Corps
The situation was now very peculiar. The men of all the brigades had in some measure lost their regimental organization, but individually they were firm. The ambition of individual commanders to promptly cover the point penetrated by the enemy, the smoke of battle, and the intensity of the close engagement, caused this confusion. The point, however, was now covered. In regular formation our line would have stood four ranks deep.
A single line of battle, with its left running nearly along the line followed by the right of the preceding lines, and numbering about 3,000 men, advanced, but it was utterly broken by the fire of the batteries on my left before it arrived within musketry range. A large number of the enemy came in and gave themselves up as soon as their line was broken, and 2 stand of colors fell into our hands.
This great victory was not gained without irreparable losses. In addition to those previously mentioned, the following regimental commanders were killed: Col. Dennis O'Kane, Sixty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers; Lieut. Col. Max A. Thoman, Fifty-ninth New York Volunteers; Col. Richard P. Roberts, One hundred and fortieth Pennsylvania Volunteers (on the 2d); Col. P. J. Revere, Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteers, and Lieutenant-Colonel Steele, Seventh Michigan Volunteers. The number of casualties among the field officers was very great, many of the regiments losing them all.
Toward the close of the main contest, I had the misfortune to lose the valuable services of a distinguished officer, Brig. Gen. John Gibbon, commanding Second Division, who was severely wounded. A short time afterward I was myself wounded, but was enabled to remain on the field until the action was entirely over, when I transferred the command to Brigadier-General Caldwell.
The services of the artillery during this engagement are particularly spoken of in the report of the commander of the artillery. Its losses in officers, men, and matériel will sufficiently attest the severity of the ordeal to which it was subjected. Three of the battery commanders, Captain Rorty and Lieuts. A. H. Cushing and G. A. Woodruff, all able, experienced, and distinguished officers, were killed, and another battery commander, Lieut. T. F. Brown, First Rhode Island Artillery, severely wounded.
The losses of the corps during the action at Gettysburg amounted to 4,323 officers and men killed, wounded, and missing. The strength of the corps in the action was about 10,000 officers and men. A statement of the losses in detail is herewith inclosed.
To speak of the conduct of the troops would seem to be unnecessary, but still it may be justly remarked that this corps sustained its well-earned reputation on many fields, and that the boast of its gallant first commander, the late Maj. Gen. E. V. Sumner, that the Second Corps had "never given to the enemy a gun or color," holds good now as it did under the command of my predecessor, Major-General Couch. To attest to its good conduct and the perils through which it has passed, it may be stated that its losses in battle have been greater than those of any other corps in the Army of the Potomac, or probably in the service, notwithstanding it has usually been numerically weakest.
For the services of the commanders of divisions, Brig. Gens. John Gibbon, Alexander Hays, and John C. Caldwell, I need only to refer to the history of the deeds of their commands.
Brig. Gens. John Gibbon and Alexander Hays, being more particularly under my eye in the crisis of the battle, it is but just that I should state that their conduct was all that could be desired in division commanders.
Capt. J. G. Hazard, commander of artillery of the corps, performed his duty in a commendable manner, behaving in the field with gallantry and directing his artillery with skill and judgment.
I desire particularly to refer to the services of a gallant young officer, First Lieut. F. A. Haskell, aide-de-camp to Brigadier-General Gibbon, who, at a critical period of the battle, when the contending forces were but 50 or 60 yards apart, believing that an example was necessary, and ready to sacrifice his life, rode between the contending lines with the view of giving encouragement to ours and leading it forward, he being at that moment the only mounted officer in a similar position. He was slightly wounded and his horse was shot in several places.
Brigadier-General Webb; Col. N.J. Hall, commanding brigade; Colonel Devereux, Nineteenth Massachusetts; Colonel Mallon, Forty-second New York; Col. R. Penn Smith, Seventy-first Pennsylvania, and others, whom I regret I am unable to name, performed in like manner most distinguished services in leading their men forward at a critical period in the contest.
Captain Hall, Fifty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Lieutenant Taylor, both of the signal corps, are entitled to mention at my hands for their energy and usefulness displayed during the entire battle.
For the services of other officers who distinguished themselves, not heretofore mentioned in this report (there are many of them), I respectfully refer to the reports of division, brigade, and regimental commanders, and to the report of the commander of artillery, herewith transmitted.
Lieut. Col. C. H. Morgan, inspector-general and chief of staff, performed highly important services during the entire campaign. His intelligence on all occasions, his forethought, and fine conduct on the field of battle, entitled him to high praise.
Lieutenant-Colonel Batchelder, chief quartermaster, and Lieut. Col. J. S. Smith, chief commissary, ably conducted the services of their departments. Their duties were such as to cause them not to be present on the field of battle.
Surg. A. N. Dougherty, medical director of the corps, in the performance of his duties gave me entire satisfaction. No matter whether under the fire of the enemy or not, he was always at his post.
Maj. S. O. Bull, Fifty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, provost-marshal of the corps, was actively engaged during the action in taking charge of the prisoners captured from the enemy. During the time of the engagement, he was under the orders of the provost-marshal-general of the army.
Maj. W. G. Mitchell, my senior aide-de-camp and acting assistant adjutant-general, who distinguished himself on several perilous occasions during this battle; Capt. I. B. Parker, aide-de-camp, and Capt.
W. D. W. Miller, aide-de-camp, twice severely wounded on the 2d, behaved with their usual gallantry, and added to the esteem their fine conduct has gained for them on many fields.
Capt. H. H. Bingham, judge-advocate, slightly wounded, and Captain Brownson, commissary of musters, acting as aides for me on the occasion, behaved with great gallantry, and shared all the dangers of the field.
My personal orderlies-- Sergeant [Owen] McKenzie, Private James Wells, color-bearer Sixth New York Cavalry, and Privates [Alvin] Stearns and [David] Smith, Company D, Sixth New York Cavalry--behaved with their usual bravery, and always faithfully remained at their posts, no matter how dangerous their position.
I desire to bring particularly to the notice of the major-general commanding the case of Sergt. Frederick Fuger, first sergeant of Battery A, Fourth U.S. Artillery. During the action of the 3d, his conduct was such as to entitle him to promotion, and his character is such as to make this a proper method of rewarding his services.
In this connection I refer to the report of Brigadier-General Webb.
Attached hereto is a tabular statement of casualties.
With reference to the number of colors taken from the enemy, it is proper to say that each division has been credited with the number actually turned in, and for which receipts are held, making the aggregate of twenty-seven. There were undoubtedly thirty-three colors captured, the balance having been secreted as individual trophies.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WINF'D S. HANCOCK,
Major-General, Commanding Second Corps.
Brig. Gen. S. WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac.
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