The sight of the farmlands of Pennsylvania was pleasant despite the noise of cannons and fighting that filled the air. This peaceful sight was only witnessed briefly, as today marked the third day of the battle at Gettysburg.
General Jeb Stuart with 6,000 Confederate cavalrymen, rode eastward until spotting Union horsemen a mile east on the Low Dutch Road. In a plan to clear a path to the Union’s rear, Stuart ordered his subordinate Commander Ferguson to dismount and bait the opposing soldiers with his men.
Giving away their element of surprise, the armies of the North and South clashed. Union Brigadier George A. Custer called, “Come on, you Wolverines!” as he led his bluecoats on horseback into the violent collision.
The two sides met full force, with neither relenting to brace for the impact. The battle quickly erupted into a bloody entanglement, with men being crushed by their own horses during the chaos. “The clashing of sabers, the firing of pistols, the demands for surrender and cries of the combatants now filled the air.” described a Federal witness.
Other bluecoats began attacking the flanks of the gray column under orders from General Gregg while the saber-to-saber conflict ensued, with cannoneers pitching shells and canisters when possible.
Both the Confederate and Union forces had already suffered enormous casualties when General Stuart reluctantly withdrew his already outnumbered soldiers. Although this cavalry battle ended, the chaos of Gettysburg persisted on other fronts.
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