8th Georgia Infantry at Gettysburg

8^th Georgia Infantry Webpage

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8^th Georgia Infantry at Gettysburg
(Order of Battle)

Brigadier General George T. "Tige" Anderson's Brigade marker appears on the background of this page. This marker is located in the Rose Woods, and this page will focus on the 8^th Georgia at/near this location on July 2, 1863.
Click on picture to see marker text and larger photo.

"Anderson Attacks the Wheatfield," by Jay Jorgensen, appeared in Gettysburg Magazine, No. 14, pgs 64-76. Read this article, courtesy of the Gettysburg Discussion Group (GDG), the authoritative online resource for Gettysburg.

A more recent article "'Hold Them with the Bayonet': de Trobriand's Brigade Defends The Wheatfield," (by Kevin O'Brien) appeared in Gettysburg Magazine, No. 21, pgs 74-87. It includes some excellent information on the 8th Georgia.

View a general overview of the Wheatfield and Rose Woods actions on July 2nd, courtesy of the "Battle of Gettysburg Homepage."

	8th Georgia Staff at Gettysburg
	The Assault Begins and Hood's Wounding
	Rose Woods and Plum Run
	"Tige" Anderson's Wounding
	17th Maine and the Wheatfield
	17th Maine vs. 20th Maine Comparison
	Henry Fuller Monument
	Hood's Division Hospital
	8^th Georgia on July 3rd
	8^th Georgia Casualties
	Map of the 8^th's action on July 2nd
	Georgia Confederate Monument
	Order of Battle

8th Georgia Staff at Gettysburg

The following field and staff officers were present at Gettysburg. This list was compiled by Stewart Hobson, by examination of staff and company rosters and other sources:

Col. John R. Towers
Lt. Col. E. J. Magruder
Maj. George O. Dawson
1st Lt. William F. Shellman, Adjutant
Capt. George C. Norton, Assistant Commissary
Capt. E. A. Wilcox, Assistant Quartermaster
Lewis H. Andrews, Sgt. Major
S. H. M. Hall, Quartermaster Sgt.
W. J. Morrell, Acting Commissary Sgt.
Daniel R. Towers, Ordnance Sgt. (son of Col. Towers)
Felix H. King, Color Sgt.
W. C. Dunlap, Chaplain
Dr. John F. Jackson, Surgeon
W. H. Cole, Asst. Surgeon
D. W. Willis, Asst. Surgeon

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The Assault Begins and Hood's Wounding

The 8^th Georgia, along with the 7^th, 9th, 11^th, and 59^th, was part of General George T. "Tige" Anderson's Brigade at Gettysburg. The brigade was one of four in Hood's Division (Longstreet's Corps), and reached the field in the late afternoon on July 2nd, after a long and tiring "tramp." The assault began near the Snyder Farm at the junction of present-day Confederate Ave. and the Emmitsburg Pike. Hood's Division formed here and then attacked in an eastward direction towards the Bushman Farm and beyond. They "double-quicked" across about 300 yards of open ground where enemy guns created "a very unpleasant condition." The 8th Georgia had 330 officers and men present at Gettysburg in 10 Companies; 312 were engaged; Anderson's Brigade had 1,874 engaged.

[From "Regimental Strengths and Losses at Gettysburg," by Busey and Martin, p. 135]

General Hood was wounded shortly after the assault began, in a small peach orchard (not "the" Peach Orchard about 3/4 of a mile to the north) at the Bushman Farm. An artillery shell exploded above his head and a fragment ripped into his left arm.

Click on picture to view larger image.

Hood wrote in 1875: "... I then rode forward with my line under a heavy fire. In about twenty minutes, after reaching the peach orchard, I was severely wounded in the arm, and borne from the field... With this wound terminated my participation in this great battle. As I was borne off on a litter to the rear, I could but experience deep distress of mind and heart at the thought of the inevitable fate of my brave fellow-soldiers, who formed one of the grandest divisions of that world-renowned army..."

[From his "Advance and Retreat" letter.]

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Rose Woods and Plum Run

The 8^th advanced with the rest of Anderson's Brigade eastward to north-eastward and into the Rose Woods. Here they probably obtained some relief from the artillery fire they had been receiving in the open fields near the Emmitsburg Pike. However, the 6 Napoleons of Winslow's Battery, in the Wheatfield, fired solid shot into the trees of Rose's Woods and appeared to be very effective on Confederates. (Map).

Advancing through the woods, the 8^th (and the 9th on their left) probably used the ravine formed by Plum Run for protection and possibly for water. Although its "drinkability" is questionable.

Click on picture to view larger image.

"... This little brook made a natural ditch some two or three feet deep, and in its meanderings with its grassy banks, made a fine natural rifle pit. We were quick to take advantage of the opportunity and occupied it... We met with some losses and the water of the brook soon became red with blood, but the enemy in the front suffered more than we did."

[From an address to the Confederate Veterans of Walton County, Georgia, by George Hillyer, Company C of the 9th Georgia, 1904]

L.W.C. Titshaw of Co. C, 9th Georgia Regiment, wrote to his sister on July 26: "... it did not look like that there ever could be a man ever get out without being killed for the cannon balls, shells, grape, canister as large as hen eggs. Minie balls was flying so thick that it did not look like a man could ever live a minute. As it happened they overshot the most of the time their balls looked like they struck everywhere at once..." [Letter courtesy of Greg Moore and C. Pat Cates].

William B. Sturtevant, Co. B of the 8th Georgia, remembered that the 8th attacked de Trobriand's position three times, each time being repulsed, but "...not a man was to be seen running away from his post."

Lt. John C. Reid, Co. I of the 8th Georgia described the attack as the 8th tried to splash through Plum Run: "Ring, [King], the color-bearer of our regiment, tried to cross, but he mired down to his middle. There he was mortally wounded, and after his body was on the ground he was still trying to keep the color up. I saw several others killed in the bog. One was so deeply mired that he did not fall over." Later, Reid writes: "... Ben Gilham, a lieutenant in Co K, some 30 yards to my left,... was hit in the forehead. He threw up his arms and he let himself down on his back by slowly bending his knees, a red siphon seeming to drain his brow. Captain Ballard fell not far from me. And I saw many others bite the ground under that terrific volley." Reid was wounded in the leg shortly afterward...

[From Diary of Lt. J. C. Reid, Alabama State Archives]

Anderson broke off the attack, and pulled his brigade back to prepare for the next assault, and to arrange for support from McLaws' Division. They had double-quicked about a quarter-mile in the July heat, and after the attack, needed some time to reform and recover.

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"Tige" Anderson's Wounding General Anderson wrote: "... I was severely wounded some time before the engagement was over, was taken back to our field hospital at the house of a Mr. Plant or Plank and left the evening before General Lee retreated." [From letter of George T. Anderson in "The Bachelder Papers," ed. by Ladd, Vol. One, p. 448]
Anderson was on foot at the time, returning to his troops after communicating with members of Kershaw's Brigade to his left.
As he walked by a large boulder, a bullet struck his left thigh between the bone and artery. Col. William Luffman of the 11th Georgia took over command of the Brigade, as "Tige" was out of action for the rest of the battle.
Click on picture to view larger image.

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17^th Maine and the Wheatfield

Anderson's regiments attacked again. Some distance through the woods, the 8^th and other Georgia regiments came into range of the 17th Maine and other Union rifles. The other units were the 115 PA, 8 NJ, 5 Mich, and 110 PA, aligned to the right (west) of the 17th Maine.

The 17^th Maine Regiment, part of Col. P. Regis de Trobriand's brigade, was behind a stone wall on the south side of the Wheatfield, a barrier a little less than three feet high, and faced into the Rose Woods and along Plum Run.

Click on picture to view larger image.

The 17^th (and other units listed above) opened fire on the Georgians in Rose's Woods at a range of 75 yards. It is likely here that my great-grandfather, William J. Andrews, was struck in the left thigh by a Minie ball. A 17^th Maine officer shouted: "Aim low, boys! Make every shot tell!"

[From "Maine at Gettysburg," Report of Maine Commissioners, p. 196.]

The battle raged and finally, the 17^th Maine retreated, allowing Anderson's Brigade to step over the stone wall and into the Wheatfield.

"... The third advance was made in connection with the entire line on that part of the field, and resulted, after a conflict in the ravine of one-half hour, in the rout of the enemy from the field. This rout was vigorously pressed... The loss of the enemy was here very great, his dead lying upon the field by the hundred. Nothing but the exhausted condition of the men prevented them from carrying the heights."

[Major H. D. McDaniel, cmdg. 11^th Ga. Reg., O.R. Series I, Vol XXVII, Part 2, pg. 401-402]

Read the 17^th Maine Infantry's Adjutant Charles W. Roberts' account "At Gettysburg in 1863 and 1888."

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17^thMaine vs. 20^th Maine Comparison An interesting comparison of the 17^th Maine, who heroically fought the 8^th Georgia and the rest of Anderson's Brigade near the Wheatfield, and Chamberlain's 20^th Maine, made famous in the "Killer Angels" novel and "Gettysburg" movie, follows: (numbers in dark red from "Regimental Strengths and Losses"; dark blue numbers from field monument ; black from "Red Diamond Regiment, the 17^th Maine" by Wm. B. Jordan) Question: Why is the 20^th Maine so well known, and not the 17^th Maine?
	17^th MAINE	20^th MAINE
Assignment	3 Corps, 1 Division, 3 Brigade	5 Corps, 1 Division, 3 Brigade
Commander's Name	Lt. Col. Charles B. Merrill	Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain
Commanders's post-war career	Law practice in Portland, Maine	Governor of Maine
Number of men engaged	350 391	386 358
Casualties - number	133 (18-122-3) 126 (17-105-4)	125 (29-91-5) 130 (38-92)
Casualties - percent	38.0% 32.2%	32.4% 36.3%
Note: The 17^th Maine sustained the heaviest battle losses of any Maine Infantry Regiment during the War. For more details, visit the Maine Civil War Archives Webpage.

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Henry Fuller Monument

One of the lesser-known, yet "powerful" monuments at Gettysburg, is that of Captain Henry Fuller, Company F, 64^th New York, which lies alongside Plum Run. Captain Fuller had been wounded and was being helped by Private George Whipple and another soldier, when another bullet struck Fuller in the back and killed him. They laid the Captain down on the bank of Plum Run, when Whipple heard the words of a Georgian who demanded that he surrender and told him "Go to the rear you d----d Yankee son of a b---h."

[Paraphrased from "Gettysburg, the Second Day," by H. Pfanz, p. 287-288]

Click here for the account of George Whipple, Private, Company F, 64^th New York, as he struggled through the Rose Woods with his Captain and friend, Henry Fuller...

And click here for the Henry Fuller webpage, which includes a portrait.

Although the incident occurred after the initial assaults by Anderson's Brigade, the monument probably sits on the very ground where the 8^th Georgia attacked a couple hours earlier on July 2nd.

Click on picture at right for larger image.

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Hood's Division Hospital
	Hood's Division hospital was located about 2 miles to the west of the Emmitsburg Pike, at the John Edward Plank Farm. This is (surely) where Generals Hood, Anderson, and my great-grandfather, William J. Andrews, and many other wounded Confederates, were taken.
Click on picture at left for larger image. Elizabeth Plank wrote: "... an ambulance arrived at the farm house and without any ceremony forced open the front door and carried in a wounded officer and placed him in the guest room and the best bed in the house... all over the floors in the halls on the porches in the out buildings, on the barn floor and every place were wounded men... many limbs and arms were amputated and their wounds dressed, while the battle raged. These wounded soldiers were left at this hospital five or six weeks after the fight. Every morning they buried their dead in shallow graves in the orchards..." [From "A Vast Sea of Misery" by Gregory Coco, p. 143] Dr. Thomas A. Means, of the 11th Georgia, stayed behind with the wounded Confederates after the Army of Northern Virginia returned to Virginia on July 4th. The Plank Farm was no doubt a dreadful place of death and dying. Over 100 identified Confederate soldiers were buried in the fruit orchard and grounds. "There were 1,542 wounded in the division [Hood's] and 515 were left behind. Dr. Means was left in charge." [From "A Vast Sea of Misery" by Gregory Coco, p. 142]

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8^th Georgia on July 3^rd

The 8^th and other parts of Anderson's Brigade repulsed a Union Cavalry attempt to turn the Confederate right flank on July 3rd. Major Henry D. McDaniel, 11th Ga. Reg., writes: "... the enemy's dismounted cavalry had succeeded in turning the flank, driving our cavalry force before them. Under the direction of Brigadier-General Law, I ordered a charge with the entire force which was promptly made. The enemy was repulsed with loss, and driven in confusion several hundred yards to a point far beyond our flank, before endangered. A number of prisoners fell into our hands....

... Meantime the Eighth Georgia, Captain [Dunlap] Scott, and the skirmishers of the brigade, Capt. S. D. Cockrell, had joined the detachment, the Eighth Georgia taking position on the right of the Fifty-ninth Georgia. The enemy, finding our pursuit stayed, made a demonstration against the skirmishers in front. Captain Cockrell was ordered to advance with his skirmishers. This advance was handsomely made, under a sharp fire, and the enemy quickly put to flight. No further attempt was made to penetrate to our rear in that direction. Our loss was very slight..."

[O.R. Series I, Vol XXVII, Part 2, pg. 402-403]

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8^th Georgia Casualties

The 8^th Georgia suffered a 53.8% loss at Gettysburg, 168 out of 312 (from "Regimental Strengths and Losses at Gettysburg," by Busey and Martin, p. 280). Of the 168, 36 were killed, 103 were wounded, and 29 missing or captured.

"... I know we were in a very hot place during the fight as witness the 8^th Ga. Regt. When we entered the fight this regt. had 36 officers on duty and at the close only 6 were unhurt. ... I can not now recollect total casualties, but my loss was very heavy..."

[From letter of George T. Anderson in "The Bachelder Papers," ed. by Ladd, Vol. One, p. 448]

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Map of the 8^th's action on July 2nd
Click on thumbnail at right to bring up larger map of Rose Woods and Wheatfield area. This was the main arena of action for the 8th Georgia Infantry and the other regiments of Anderson's Brigade from approximately 5:00pm through the rest of the afternoon and evening.

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Georgia monument

GEORGIA CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS

We sleep here in obedience to law;

When duty called, we came,

When Country called, we died.

Related Gettysburg Websites:

Gettysburg National Military Park

Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead Webpage

"Dixie - Gettysburg Mix" midi is by B. C. Richter.

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