No matter how many times I visit the National Park Battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for some reason or reasons I feel as if I could have learned more. I try extremely hard to visualize the extent of the carnage that occurred for those three difficult days in 1863.
In addition to myself, the events have fascinated many people over the years and the writers have covered just about all aspects of the horrifying circumstances in print. However, my continued fact-finding trips always seem to reveal some small piece of additional information, temporarily satisfying my continued curiosity.
In May of 2000 I drove down to Gettysburg with one mission in mind, to enhance my knowledge of five Union soldiers, born in Ireland, all emigrants, each serving in a different regiments and because of their action on the 2nd and 3rd of July 1863, became recipients of the Medal of Honor. The purchase of a book at the visitor’s center which mapped out the State and regimental monuments on the field drew my attention to five particular monuments, the 13th Vermont, the 82nd New York, the 14th Connecticut, the 1st Delaware and the 19th Massachusetts. While many Irishmen served in numerous regiments in Union Blue and Butternut Confederate, my attention was directed to the five Irishmen who received the Medal of Honor.
At approximately 6:00 p.m. on the evening of the July 2, 1863 the 13th Vermont was positioned in the center of the Union line and came under heavy musket fire from the enemy. The Union line began to buckle as two regiments broke to the rear, thus exposing the 5th NY Battery of four field pieces, subsequently captured by Confederate Forces. John Lonergan, a Tipperary man and a captain in the 13th Vermont Volunteer Infantry was present on the field that day and played a major role in an action that not only retrieved the artillery pieces but also captured eighty Confederate soldiers. Taking a company, the Tipperary man rushed the Rebel position, recaptured the Battery and passed them back to the Union lines. Not satisfied with his accomplishments, Lonergan pressed on capturing two enemy artillery pieces and eighty Confederates who were supporting the guns.
The 13th fell back to its original position until the end of the battle, despite two unsuccessful charges by the enemy. For his action, John Lonergan received the Medal of Honor and his citation read: “For gallantry in the recapture of four guns and the capture of two additional guns from the enemy, also the capture of a number of prisoners.”
However, it would take thirty years after the fact before he received the medal, which was October 28, 1893.
Flags carried into battle were useful not only for identification purposes, but as morale boosters for the combatants. The flag, State or regimental, regardless of which side, was a focal point in an attack and because it was held high, amid the smoke and din of battle, the troops could see it advancing, which inspired them in the same direction. The capture of a flag during the Civil War was considered a brave and heroic action. To lose the flag to the enemy was demoralizing and more than not had an adverse effect on the troops who were following it. The impact of losing a State or Regimental flag could ultimately influence the outcome of the engagement.
Sergeant Hugh Carey, Company E, 82nd New York Infantry, received his Medal of Honor for capturing the flag of the 7th Virginia, at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. The date and the action cited on his citation raises a question as to the accuracy of the information. The 7th Virginia Infantry was one of the regiments in Kemper’s Brigade, assigned to George Pickett’s Division of Longstreet’s Corps. Pickett’s Division did not “come up” until the evening of the second day, July 2, 1863, and was involved in the attack of the Union center on July 3, 1863. Notwithstanding, Sergeant Carey did receive his medal for the capture of the 7th Virginia’s flag.
Hugh Carey was born in Ireland in 1840, and emigrated with his parents when he was sixteen years of age to America. Hugh, worked as an iron molder in Brooklyn, New York. Five years after his arrival in his adopted land the country was torn apart by civil war. Like many of his fellow Irishmen, he enlisted in the Union Army. The young immigrant enlisted in Company E., 82nd New York Volunteer Infantry, as a Corporal, April 18, 1861. He was twenty- one years of age.
Long before those horrific days in July of 1863, at Gettysburg, Hugh Carey, with his regiment, was engaged in many hard fought battles. And once again he became embroiled in what was to be the turning point in this sad conflict. The first day of the battle, July 1, 1863 did not go well for the Union forces. However, they held their own and with great significance, the high ground. The latter became the focal point of the outcome of the battle. On the second day, July 2, 1863, Robert E. Lee believed with a strong attack on the Union left flank in the vicinity of Little Round Top, coupled by a feint demonstration on the Union right flank at Culp’s Hill, he could gain that covet high ground. It was Lee’s plan to annihilate the Union Army, thus bringing closure to the conflict in his favor. That was not to be. The Union held, with the final day of the engagement to take place on July 3, 1863.
The focal point of day three was an attack on the Union center. Lee had attacked the right and left of the Union line and again he assumed the flanks were strongly protected and the center would be weak. He assigned General Longstreet, his 1st Corps Commander with the dubious task of “breaking that line in the middle.” With three Divisions at his disposable, 15,000 men and General George Pickett leading, the task would be difficult, however possible. Longstreet had his doubts.
One of Pickett’s division commanders, James Kemper had five Brigades in his Division, one of which was the 7th Virginia Infantry.