Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Goedkoop: Union Counterattacks Part 7
December 19, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel William L. Curry commanded the 106th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment at the Battle of Gettysburg. On the evening of July 2, 1863, he led his regiment towards the Codori farm buildings as they aided in repulsing an attack by Wright’s Georgians. This view was taken circa the 1860s. It is found in the History of the 106th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, page 204.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Dr. Rich Goedkoop is the host for a series on Union Counterattacks on Cemetery Ridge During July 2, 1863. He is a professor of Communication at LaSalle University. Rich began his professional career in education as a Graduate Assistant at Central Michigan University. He received his Masters there in 1977 and went on to Pennsylvania State University to receive his Doctorate in 1980. Rich joined La Salle that same year. Throughout his career, Rich has taken an active interest in news and public affairs television programming which inspired his book, Inside Local Television News (1988). His numerous reviews and articles have appeared in such publications as Journalism Quarterly, The Journal of Broadcasting, Feedback, and Critical Studies in Mass Communication.
Rich Goedkoop writes, “I wish to thank Licensed Battlefield Guide and close friend Cliff Detweiler, for research assistance on this series. I would also like to thank Mr. Dale Gallon and Ms. Anne Gallon of Gallon Historical Art, Gettysburg, PA (Gallon.com) for the gracious use of two of Dale Gallon’s paintings for illustrations of key moments of the First Minnesota at Gettysburg.”
To see the previous entries in the Union Counterattack series, click here.
In today’s Union Counterattacks’ post, Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Goedkoop shows us the area where the 106th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment charged from Cemetery Ridge to the area of the Codori Farm on July 2, 1863.
This map shows the location of the videos for Union Counterattacks series. Videos #1-#18 were shown in our previous posts. Video #11 was taken at the monument to the 150th New York Infantry Regiment. Video #12 was taken at the monument to the 1st Maryland Potomac Home Brigade. Video #13 was taken at the Trostle Farm. Videos #s 14-16 were taken near the monument to the 1st Minnesota Regiment on Cemetery Ridge.Videos #s 17-18 were taken near the monument to the 13th Vermont Regiment on Cemetery Ridge. Video #19 was taken at the monument to the 106th Pennsylvania at the High Water Mark area. Video #20 was taken at the monument to the 106th Pennsylvania near the Codori farm buildings. This map was created facing north at approximately 8:00 AM on Friday, November 25, 2011.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Goedkoop is the host for this series on Union Counterattacks. He is standing on Cemetery Ridge near the monument to the 106th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. This monument was dedicated on September 11, 1889. In the left background is the High Water Mark monument. Behind the monument to the 106th Pennsylvania is the famous Copse/Clump of Trees. The 106th Pennsylvania was originally recruited in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in August-October, 1861 and becomes the 5th California Regiment through the Battle of Ball’s Bluff in October, 1861. It Later was attached to the Army of the Potomac as a part of the Second Brigade (Philadelphia), Second Division, Second Corps. At Gettysburg in the early evening of July 2nd, 1863 the regiment assisted in repulsing an attack by Wright’s Georgians and went out as far as the Codori House near the Emmitsburg Road. There it recaptured three artillery pieces of Battery B, 1st Rhode Island, and took prisoner around 250 Georgians including Colonel William Gibson of the 48th Georgia Infantry Regiment. The 106th Pennsylvania was led by Lieutenant Colonel William Curry at Gettysburg. On July 3rd, except for Companies A and B, which helped repulse Picketts’s Charge, the balance of the regiment was sent to East Cemetery Hill to reinforce the 11th Corps position.This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 5:30 PM on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.
In Video #19 (Videos #1-#18 were shown in our previous posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Goedkoop is standing by the monument to the 106th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment on Cemetery Ridge. He shows the direction that the regiment took as it left Cemetery Ridge and charged towards the Codori farm buildings on the evening of July 2, 1863. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 5:30 PM on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.
This is a closer view of the bas relief on the east side of the monument to the 106th Pennsylvania. It shows the regiment charging towards Confederates around the Codori farm buildings. This view was taken facing west at approximately 5:30 PM on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.
To the bottom right of the Codori house is a Confederate soldier waving a piece of newspaper on a flag stuck on a bayonet as he attempts to surrender. This view was taken facing west at approximately 5:30 PM on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Richard Goedkoop is standing near the Emmitsburg Road by the monument to the 106th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. This monument was dedicated on August 5, 1884. The Codori House is in the background. This view was taken facing south at approximately 5:30 PM on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.
In Video #20 Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Goedkoop explains the result of the advance by the 106th Pennsylvania towards the Codori Farm on July 2, 1863. This view was taken facing east to south to east at approximately 5:30 PM on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.
A closer view of the north side of the monument to the 106th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. The text mentions their counterattack on the evening of July 2, 1863. The Codori House is in the left background. The Emmitsburg Road is on the right. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 5:30 PM on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.
The strengths and losses of the Union units that counterattacked the Confederates along Cemetery Ridge on July 2, 1863.
One of the best books regarding the action on July 2, 1863 at Gettysburg is a book by a former Gettysburg National Park Service Historian, Harry Pfanz. It is titled, Gettysburg: The Second Day.
To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides,click here.
