July 5, 1863 - Retreat into Maryland: Confederates at Williamsport after Gettysburg; Union XII Corps & Artillery Reserve to Littlestown

July 5, 1863

Retreat into Maryland

Washington County, MD

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=4730

Retreat into Maryland
"Asleep and at the same time walking"
Gettysburg Campaign

It was a miserable night, and an even more miserable journey. As 3 a.m. neared on July 5, 1863, the van of the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg arrived here at Leitersburg. The men had marched nonstop for nearly twelve hours, but heavy rain and thickening mud had slowed their race to Williamsport and the Potomac River - and safety.

Suddenly, the 1st Vermont Cavalry dashed onto the Leitersburg Pike and captured more than 100 men, as well as horses, mules, cattle, and wagons. The Federals then sped toward Hagerstown and Boonsboro in search of more Confederates, but they failed to strike the column again. Meanwhile the Leitersburg train, after its initial shock, continued unmolested toward the Potomac.

"Never had the men and horses been so jaded, and stove up. One of our men who dropped at the foot of a tree in a sort of hollow, went to sleep, and continued sleeping until the waster rose to his waist. ...Battery horses would drop down dead. So important was our movement that no halt for bivouac, though we marched scarcely two miles an hour, was made during the route from Gettysburg to Williamsport - a march of over 40 miles. ...The men and officers on horseback would go to sleep without knowing it, and at one time there was a halt occasioned by all the drivers ... being asleep in their saddles. In fact the whole of the army was dozing while marching and moved as if under enchantment or a spell - were asleep and at the same time walking."

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July 5, 1863

Retreat back across from the river.  

Williamsport, MD 

Confederate Gen. John B. Imboden "ordered every family in town to cook for the casualties" 

vs.

Union signal corpsmen, just watching 

"by July 14 most of the soldiers had left"

"ammunition was soaked and Gen. Richard S. Ewell's corps lost 8,000 pairs of shoes"

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=1117

"The first of the wounded [from Gettysburg] arrived on July 5th, the day after the battle ended, but were trapped here by the rain-swollen river,"

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=3910

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Meanwhile, on the other side of Gettysburg, the Artillery Reserve of the Army of the Potomac is dispatched to Littleton, PA.

Photographed By Craig Swain, June 28, 2008

"Second Corps marched from Gettysburg to Two Taverns. Fifth Corps to Marsh Run. Sixth Corps to Fairfield. Eleventh Corps to Rock Creek. Twelfth Corps to Littlestown. First brigade Second cavalry division to Emmitsburg and the Artillery Reserve to Littlestown. First cavalry division reached Frederick. The Third brigade Second cavalry division moved from Hunterstown to Greenwood. Third cavalry division and Second brigade Second cavalry division marched from Monterey via Smithburg to Boonsborough.

Skirmishes at or near Smithburg, Md. and Green Oak, Mercersburg, Fairfield, Greencastle, Cunningham's Cross-Roads, and Stevens's Furnace or Caledonia Iron Works, Pa." 

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=10873