LIEUTENANT-COLONEL, COMDG. FIRST VERMONT CAVALRY.
Captain L. SIEBERT,
ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL.
HARTWOOD CHURCH, VA., AUGUST 7, 1863.
SIR: I HAVE THE HONOR TO REPORT THE PART BORNE BY THE FIRST VERMONT CAVALRY IN THE ENGAGEMENT AT GETTYSBURG, JULY 3. IN APPROACHING THE ENEMY'S POSITION ON THEIR EXTREME RIGHT, THIS REGIMENT HAD THE ADVANCE, COMPANIES A, D, E, AND I, DISMOUNTED, AND WERE DEPLOYED AS SKIRMISHERS. THEY SOON SUCCEEDED IN DRIVING THE ENEMY BEHIND THEIR BREASTWORKS AND FROM BEHIND SOME BUILDINGS ON OUR EXTREME LEFT. HEAVY SKIRMISHING WAS KEPT UP ALONG THIS LINE THROUGH THE ENTIRE DAY, THE LEFT OF THE LINE BEING SUPPORTED BY ONE SQUADRON MOUNTED (COMPANIES L AND F), WHICH SUFFERED CONSIDERABLY FROM THE ENEMY'S
SHARPSHOOTERS. COMPANY M, OF THE THIRD BATTALION, UNDER CAPTAIN WOODWARD, WAS SENT TO RECONNOITER THE ENEMY'S POSITION ON OUR RIGHT. THIS DETACHMENT, CONNECTED WITH OUR INFANTRY IN THAT DIRECTION, DISCOVERED THE ENEMY'S POSITION. AT 5 P. M., IN THE CHARGE MADE BY GENERAL FARNSWORTH, THE SECOND BATTALION OF THIS REGIMENT, UNDER MAJOR WELLS, FORMED THE RIGHT, AND WAS LED BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL FARNSWORTH IN PERSON. THIS CHARGE WAS MADE OVER SEVERE OBSTACLES, BUT SUCCEEDED IN BREAKING THE ENEMY'S LINES. MANY OF OUR DEAD, TOGETHER WITH THE BODY OF GENERAL FARNSWORTH, WERE FOUND IN THE REAR OF THE POSITION HELD BY THE ENEMY'S SECOND LINE. I WAS IMMEDIATELY ORDERED BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL KILPATRICK TO SUPPORT THIS CHARGE WITH THE BALANCE OF MY REGIMENT, WHICH I DID WITH THE FIRST BATTALION, UNDER CAPTAIN PARSONS, AND A PART OF THE THIRD BATTALION, UNDER CAPTAIN GROVER. IN CHARGING OVER THE WALL AND HILL CARRIED BY THE FIRST COLUMN, I ENCOUNTERED A VERY LARGE FORCE OF THE ENEMY, WHICH HAD BEEN SENT IN FROM THEIR LEFT TO RE-ESTABLISH THEIR LINE AND CUT OFF THE RETREAT OF THE FIRST COLUMN. THE CONTEST FOR THE POSSESSION OF THIS HILL WAS MOST DESPERATE. BEING TEMPORARILY CHECKED IN A DIRECT ATTACK, I OBLIQUE MY FORCE TO THE RIGHT, AND SUCCEEDED IN GAINING THE TOP OF THE HILL BY A FLANK MOVEMENT. THE OPPOSING FORCES WERE NOW COMPLETELY INTERMINGLED, AND THE CONTEST BECAME A HAND-TO-HAND ONE, IN WHICH OUR SABERS WERE EFFECTUALLY USE. THE ENEMY, BEING COMPLETELY CUP UP, SURRENDERED IN SQUADS, AND WERE SENT TO THE REAR. HAD I HAD TWO COMPANIES OF CARBINEERS AT MY COMMAND, I THINK I COULD HAVE HELD THIS POSITION AND REMOVED MY WOUNDED, BUT, BEING EXPOSED TO THE FIRE OF THE ENEMY'S BATTERIES AND SHARPSHOOTERS, I WAS OBLIGED TO FALL BACK. BOTH OFFICERS AND MEN DESERVE THE WARMEST PRAISE FOR THE COOLNESS, COURAGE, AND HEROISM WHICH THEY DISPLAYED IN THIS ENGAGEMENT. INDIVIDUAL INSTANCES OF BRAVERY WERE TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION. WHERE ALL DID SO WELL IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SAY WHO DID BEST. ALL HAVE MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE. OUR LOSS ON THIS OCCASION WAS 12 KILLED, 20 WOUNDED (2 OF WHOM HAVE SINCE DIED), AND 25 MISSING.
IN THIS CHARGE, CAPTAIN PARSONS, COMPANY L, CAPTAIN CUSHMAN, COMPANY E, AND LIEUTENANT CHEENEY, COMPANY C, WERE SEVERELY WOUNDED.
VERY RESPECTFULLY, YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT,
A. W. PRESTON,