The US Army Regulars are Thrown Into the Bloody Wheatfield
The field was already bloody from the brigades that went before them. Despite this, they continued to march forward, maintaining perfect formation as they trampled on the wheat. As the troops of the 4th Infantry Regiment moved steadily onwards, smoke from firing enemy regiments could be seen ahead. But the Regulars marched on, marching into the whirlpool of death.
The fight for the Wheatfield was a confusing mess, with both Union and Confederate forces taking control and losing control of that position many times. It was a seesaw fight that resulted in many brigades being thrown into the whirlpool of death.
The fighting at the Wheatfield initially began at 4:45 in the afternoon, when Anderson's Confederate Brigade attacked Burling's Union Brigade, which defended a stonewall at the southwest corner of the Wheatfield. Anderson's initial assault was repulsed by Union forces, but his second attempt, with support from Kershaw's Confederate Brigade, manages to dislodge the Union forces, who retreat across the Wheatfield.
However, at 5:30 in the afternoon, De Trobriand's Union Brigade, followed by reinforcements from Caldwell's Division, from II Corps, began rushing to the Wheatfield and pushed Anderson's Confederate Brigade back to the wall. But success for the Union forces was short lived, for, at 6:00 in the evening, Barksdale and Wofford Confederate Brigades broke through the Peach Orchard (located northwest of the Wheatfield) and began pushing down against them. Outflanked, Caldwell's Division was forced to retreat.
As Caldwell's Division began to retreat it, Ayres' Union Division, from V Corps, began to approach the Wheatfield from the east. Ayre' Division was a unique one, as they contained two brigades of US Army Regular regiments.
Initially, during the start of the American Civil War, the Regular regiments were among the elite troops of the Union, as they were well-trained and well disciplined. However, after three years of war, experience in combat and campaigning resulted in the Volunteer regiments being little different from the Regulars, as many of the older Volunteer regiments had as much, if not more, experience in combat than the Regulars. Despite this, the Regulars were still looked up to by many troops, as they represented the Old Army.
Now, as 1st Brigade and 2nd Brigade of Ayre's Union Division, both composed of Regulars, approached the Wheatfield, it would be their turn to bleed.
At 7:00 in the evening, the two brigades of Regulars marched into the Wheatfield, with the regiments of the 2nd Brigade forming the first line, while the regiments of the 1st Brigade forming the line behind them. Almost immidiately, they received fire from Confederate skirmishers at Devil's Den. In order to counter this, the 17th Infantry Regiment, on the left flank of the 2nd Brigade, wheeling left to face the Confederates at Devil's Den. Meanwhile, the 2nd Brigade continued into the Wheatfield, with the 1st Brigade following close behind.
As they stood in the middle of the Wheatfield, the 2nd Brigade encountered heavy fire from two Confederate Brigades. To make things worse, two new Confederate Brigades soon began to deploy on their right flank. Recieving fire from both fronts, they tried their best to fight back, as one by one their troops fell. Thanks to their discipline, they managed to stand their ground. However, after thirty minutes of terrible fire, they soon began to withdraw.
Turning around, the Regular regiments managed to maintain their discipline and withdrew in proper order. However, most of their casualties occured during this withdrawal.
Observing the fight from Little Round Top, one Union soldier would comment: "For two years the U.S. Regulars taught us how to be soldiers. In the Wheatfield at Gettysburg, they taught us how to die like soldiers."
With the withdrawal of the US Army Regulars, the Wheatfield was left under Confederate control.
However, despite this, the overall day's fight left Confederate forces unsuccessful in their objective. Although the Confederate First Corps managed to bloody two Union Corps, the Union left still held and did not collapse. Meanwhile, on the Union right, although the Confederate Second Corps managed to gain a foothold at Culp's Hill, they too were unable to break the Union line.
The fighting during the second day was bloody for both sides. Lee was left unsatisfied with its results and was left pondering how to break the Union line on the next day. Meanwhile, Meade was left worried, wondering if his army could last against another powerful attack.
In order to decide what to do next, Meade held a council of war with all his corps and senior commanders. In that meeting, the corps commanders made the unanimous decision for the Army of the Potomac to stay and stand their ground.
After that meeting, just as the officers were dispersing and returning to their commands, Meade pulled aside Brigadier General John Gibbon, who commanded the division that held the Union center at Cemetery Ridge. Meade told him: "If Lee attacks tomorrow, it will be in your front."
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Featuring @thelunararmy @ask-space-race and @f0rever-autumn as members of the US Army Regulars 4th Infantry Regiment. Their uniforms are slightly wet, since the Army Regulars had to wade across Plum Run in order to reach the Wheatfield.
Two U.S. Marines prepare to disembark from their cutter in search for Filipino Guerrilleros in the province of Samar.
In 1901, U.S. Marines assigned to Samar often conducted river expeditions to hunt down Filipino guerrilleros that lurked along the various rivers of the island. Boarding cutters and sailing along the river's length, they would patrol the water way and land on shore whenever they find suspected Filipino camps. Such expeditions were dangerous work, as the marines on their cutters were exposed to hostile fire from enemy positions that were often concealed by the jungle around them.
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Featured here are @ask-space-race and @askpokeeosin both of whom are potraying U.S. Marines.
