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| John F. Reynolds. |
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| George House. |
General Doubleday had just arrived, and took Reynolds's place in command of the field, leaving his own division in charge of General Rowley. He ordered the “iron brigade” back to the woods, and
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charge into a wood on the left of the road, in rear of the Seminary, and fall upon Hill's right, under General Archer, then pressing across Willoughby's Run.
Meanwhile a Mississippi brigade, under General Davis, assailed and flanked the three regiments of Cutler's brigade, on the Chambersburg road, causing them to retire behind a wood on Seminary Ridge.
This left-hall's battery uncovered, and the gunners were compelled to retire, leaving one cannon behind.
The skirmishers of Cutler's other two regiments (Fourteenth Brooklyn and Ninety-Fifth New York) were, at the same time, near the woods just spoken of, disputing the passage of Willoughby's Run.
The “iron brigade” opportunely swept down in that direction, the Second Wisconsin, Colonel Fairchild, leading, and under the personal direction of Reynolds, struck Archer's
flank, captured that officer and eight hundred of his men, and re-formed on the west side of the little stream.
At the moment when the charge was made, Reynolds was anxiously observing the movement, having dismounted at the corner of the wood, when the bullet of a sharpshooter pierced his neck.1 he fell forward on his face, and soon expired.
His body was carried sorrowfully to the rear, and laid in the House of George George, on the Emmettsburg road, near the village.
1 the Confederate sharpshooters had made a Stone barn, near the western side of Willoughby's Run, and not far from the grove, at the edge of which Reynolds was making his observations, a sort of citadel, and it is believed that the bullet which slew the general went from that building. It was used, also, as a temporary hospital, and in it wounded Unionists, who had been made prisoners, were found after the Confederates fled from Gettysburg.
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| Stone barn. |
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