July 2, 1863  was to be different.  We found that at Gettysburg their units were once again on the same field, but with a twist.  My Grandfather's unit, 105th Pa Volunteer Infantry, was posted at the Sherfy House, next to the Peach Orchard,  which was over-run by Barksdale's Mississippi Brigade, followed by Wilcox's Georgia Brigade.  As Grandpa McManigle fell back, Grandpa Kuhn's unit, 62nd Pa Volunteer Infantry, was the first unit sent into the woods between the Wheat-field and the Peach Orchard in an effort to stop the confederate advance.  Grandpa Kuhn received a shell fragment wound across his shoulders, possibly from his own union guns, that were turned on the mixed up melee of union and confederate troops alike, in an effort to stop the advance.  He was taken prisoner and held until the confederate withdrawal from the field.  When Union General Meade refused to exchange prisoners with General Lee, he was taken to Libby Prison and then to Belle Isle Prison.  After his discharge, he re-enlisted as sergeant in the 104th Pa Volunteers at the call of President Lincoln.

My grandfather survived that battle and went on to fight in 16 more major battles including Appomattox to end the war.  The casualties were so high in these battles that his regiment was combined with others many times by the end of the war.What follows is a description of our Grandfather's participation in the Battle of Gettysburg, as well as a description of some of the events that unfolded around them.  Regretably, we can only relate the movements of their units and those around them from the words of others present.  Their written accounts have been lost over the years.

To read about our Grandfathers, open the pages listed in the left margin.