Today marks the Battle of Gettysburg's 148th Anniversary. This battle has become the quintessential talking point for anyone who reads about the American Civil War, who wants to visit a Civil War battlefield, or for armchair historians who believe that their 20/20 hindsight should have been the glasses through which every General looked across the field.
Most popular histories of the 20th and 21st Centuries focus on the July 2nd battle for Little Round Top and the July 3rd Confederate assault, the poorly named "Pickett's Charge".
The 142nd PVI was not a player in either of these struggles, although they did have a front row seat to Pickett's Charge from their July 3 position, and even had a few casualties via the artillery barrage that preceded this assault.
The 142nd made their battlefield appearance in the July 1st battle for Seminary Ridge. At that point during the war, the 142nd was part of General John Reynold's First Corps. As Union Calvary kept the Confederate forces at bay at Seminary Ridge (so named for the Lutheran Seminary located there), General Reynolds brought his troops up from the south.
During the ensuing battle, a Confederate bullet felled General Reynolds, leading General Abner Doubleday to take over the command of his Corps.
As the 142nd came on the field, it formed its line of battle to the left of where Gen. Reynolds was killed. Morning turned to afternoon, and the Confederates, having superior numbers, pushed the 142nd's brigade back, and its lines began crumble after it was flanked. The regiment fell back toward the Seminary, and then back through town. On the field in front of the Seminary, the 142nd's commanding officer, Col. Robert P. Cummins was mortally wounded. Col. Cummins was captured by Confederate forces and held as a prisoner in the Lutheran Seminary, where he died the next day.
Above is a battle map of the July 1, 1863 action at Gettysburg. The 142nd was part of Biddle's Brigade.
The regiment saw no action on July 2nd and was held in reserve on Cemetery Ridge and was moved into its final position of the battle near Gen. Meade's headquarters on July 3rd.
Total losses for the 142nd during the battle of Gettysburg were 15 killed, 126 wounded, and 84 missing or taken prisoner.
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