July 1, 1863 First Day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Gen John Buford's delaying action, following a somewhat chance encounter with Harry Heth's Confederate Division of Hill's Corps the day before, affords the Union time to bring up the the 1st Corps of the Army of the Potomac, led by Gen John Reynolds who was offered Meade's job after Hooker's resignation, but turned it down to stay in the field. Buford understood Lee would be there in force first thing in the morning and set his troops to make the fight until support could get there. My favorite Reynolds line (from both the Shaara novel and Gettysburg movie) is when he looks at Buford upon his arrival on the field, slaps him on the shoulder and says "Now, let's go surprise Harry Heth." Unfortunately, not long after his arrival, Reynold's is killed, while in command of the field, leading, by then, the "left wing of the Army of the Potomac" which included the I, III, XI Corps, his final words uttered to the 2nd Wisconsin regiment whom he was placing on the field, "Forward men! For God's sake men forward!" Buford's action, and Reynold's ratifying of said action by engaging his 1st Corp, chooses the location for the Battle of Gettysburg for Meade. So ends Day 1. Tune in tomorrow, for my favorite story of the Gettysburg campaign, Chamberlain and the 20th Maine. First photo: Sam Elliot as Gen Buford from the 1993 movie Gettysburg. Second photo: painting of General Buford Third photo: John Reynolds statue at the Pennsylvania monument on the Gettysburg battlefield. #gettysburg #johnbuford #samelliot #johnreynolds #civilwar @addressinggettysburg @gburglife https://www.instagram.com/p/CQyCYHhpyMD/?utm_medium=tumblr