John Gibbon at Gettysburg Part 8 With Licensed Battlefield Guide Anthony Kellon

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Anthony Kellon is an attorney in the Cuyahoga County, Ohio Public Defender’s Office. Tony has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide since 2006. He continues his series on United States Major General John Gibbon. Tony is standing near marker for Battery B, First Rhode Island (Brown’s Battery). The marker is at their forward position on the afternoon of July 2, 1863. The Copse/Clump of Trees is in the background. This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

John Gibbon was born in the Holmesburg section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the fourth of ten children born to Dr. John Heysham Gibbon and Catharine Lardner Gibbon. When Gibbon was 11 years old the family moved near Charlotte, North Carolina, because Dr. Gibbon took a position as chief assayer at the U.S. Mint. John Gibbon graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1847 and was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Artillery. He served in the Mexican-American War without seeing combat, attempted to keep the peace between Seminoles and settlers in south Florida. In 1855, Gibbon married Francis “Fannie” North Moale. They had four children: Frances Moale Gibbon, Catharine “Katy” Lardner Gibbon, John Gibbon, Jr. (who died as a toddler) and John S. Gibbon. Lieutenant John Gibbon taught artillery tactics at West Point where he wrote The Artillerist’s Manual in 1859. The manual was used by both sides in the Civil War.

In our first Gibbon post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Anthony Kellon showed us where Gibbon directed the Second Army Corps through Taneytown Maryland, and where they bivouacked near Gettysburg on the night of July 1, 1863.

In our second post, Licensed Battlefield Guide Tony Kellon described the three positions occupied by the Second Army Corps on July 2, 1863.

In our third post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Tony Kellon provided biographical information on General Gibbon including how he rose in rank at the beginning of the war.

In our fourth post, Tony Kellon describes the brigade and divisions commanded by Gibbon before Gettysburg. He also discusses Gibbon’s relatives from North Carolina.

In our fifth Gibbon post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Tony Kellon discusses Gibbon relationship with Henry Hunt and shows us the terrain defended by Gibbon’s Division on July 2nd and 3rd, 1863.

In our sixth Gibbon post, Tony Kellon shows us the positions of Webb’s Brigade, Hall’s Brigade, and Harrow’s Brigade from Gibbon’s Division.

In our seventh post on John Gibbon, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Anthony Kellon shows the relationship between the 15th Massachusetts and the 1st Massachusetts Sharpshooters. He also shows the position of some companies of the 106th Pennsylvania on July 2, 1863.

In today’s Gibbon post, Anthony Kellon shows us the positions of some batteries in Hazard’s Artillery Brigade, Ranson’s First Artillery Brigade, and some controversy at Meade’s Headquarters.

This map shows the location of the videos taken during our series on John Gibbon. Videos #1-14 were shown in our previous Gibbon posts. Video #15 was taken at the headquarters marker for Brigadier Henry Hunt on the Taneytown Road. Video #16 was taken at the marker for the Second Division of the Second Corps (Gibbon’s Division) on Cemetery Ridge’s Hancock Avenue. Video #17 was taken at the U.S. Regulars Monument on Cemetery Ridge. Video #18 was taken at the monument to Brigadier General Alexander Webb on Cemetery Ridge. Video #19 was taken at the position of the brigade commanded by Colonel Norman J. Hall. Video #20 was taken at the position of the brigade commanded by Brigadier General William Harrow. Videos #21 and #22 were taken north of the “old” Cyclorama building. Video #23 was taken west of the Codori Farm. Video #24 was taken at the forward position of Brown’s Battery B First Rhode Island on July 2, 1863. Video #25, not shown on the map and south of the map was taken in front of the Pennsylvania State Memorial. Video #26 was taken at the position of Weir’s Battery, just north of the Vermont State monument. Video #27 was taken at the Leister House, Meade’s Headquarters. This map was created facing north at approximately 8:30 AM on Sunday, November 29, 2009.

In Video #24 (Videos #1-23 were shown in our previous Gibbon posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Anthony Kellon is standing near the marker to Battery B, First Rhode Island (Brown’s Battery). He explains the positions of Brown’s, Arnold’s, and Cushing’s batteries. This view was taken facing east to northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Tony Kellon is standing near the marker to John Hazard’s Brigade of Artillery located in the High Water Mark/Angle area. Brown’s, Arnold’s, and Cushing’s batteries made up three of the five batteries in Hazard’s Artillery Brigade. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

Licensed Battlefield Guide Tony Kellon is standing in front of (west of) the Pennsylvania State Memorial on Cemetery Ridge. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

In Video #25 Licensed Battlefield Guide Anthony Kellon is standing west of the Pennsylvania State Memorial. He describes how Thomas’ Battery was ordered to this position, and received support from the First Minnesota Infantry Regiment. He also shows us the position that Thomas’ guns occupied in the Plum Run “swale.” This view was taken facing northeast to north to southeast to north to northwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

Licensed Battlefield Guide Anthony Kellon is standing on Cemetery Ridge near the marker for Ransom’s First “Regular” Artillery Brigade of the Artillery Reserve. Lieutenant Evan Thomas’ Battery C, 4th U.S. Artillery was one of the batteries in this brigade. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

Licensed Battlefield Guide Tony Kellon is standing by the marker for Lieutenant Evan Thomas’ Battery C, 4th U.S. Artillery. Major General Hancock would order this unit to leave Cemetery Ridge and move closer to the enemy in the Plum Run “swale.” This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

Tony Kellon has now moved north of the Pennsylvania State Monument and the Vermont State Monument on Cemetery Ridge. He is at the position for First Lieutenant Gulian V. Weir’s Battery C, Fifth U.S. Artillery. Powers’ Hill is in the right background. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

In Video #26 Tony Kellon is standing near the marker to Gulian Weir’s Battery C, 5th U.S. He explains how Gibbon ordered Weir forward to help stop the Confederates from reaching Cemetery Ridge on the afternoon of July 2, 1863. This view was taken facing east to southeast to south to southwest to south to southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

First Lieutenant Gulian V. Weir, the battery commander, wrote in his offical report of his battery’s actions on July 2, 1863: “I opened with solid shot and spherical case, and as they continued to advance, I opened with canister. Soon it was reported to me that we were out of canister. The enemy being within a few rods of us, I immediately limbered up, and was about to retire when a regiment of infantry took position on my left and rear, and opened fire. I immediately came into battery again, hoping that our infantry would drive the enemy back, as their force seemed to be small and much scattered. The enemy were too close. I endeavored to get my guns off the field; succeeded in getting off but three, as some of the drivers and horses were disabled while in the act of limbering up. My horse was shot at this time, and, as I was rising from the ground I was struck with a spent ball, and everything seemed to be very much confused. I hastened off with the remaining guns. After the enemy had been driven back by the infantry, the other guns were brought off.” This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Tony Kellon has returned to Meade’s Headquarters on the Taneytown Road. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

In Video #27 Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Tony Kellon is standing near Meade’s Headquarters at the Leister House on the Taneytown Road. He explains how Butterfield told Gibbon that Butterfield had been directed to draw up an order to retreat. This view was taken facing northeast to southeast at approximately 5:00 PM on Sunday, November 8, 2009.

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