APPENDIX A
Alfred Waud’s Commentary & Map
Author’s Note: The description of events contained in Waud’s text contains so many inaccuracies I chose not to correct them. It is presented here simply to illustrate that the fanciful tales explaining how a Rebel had shot Reynolds’ from behind began at once!
Transcription of Waud’s commentary on Maj. Gen. John Fulton Reynold’s death:
“Buford with four thousand cavalry, met the advance of the enemy on the Cashtown Road and Chambersburg Pike, on the morning of the 1st of July 1863. Reynolds who had command of the right wing of the Union Army, came up to the support of Buford, at 10 o’clock A.M. with two brigades of the First Corps, and immediately proceeded to post one of them (Cutters) to the north of the old rail-road bed, and returning, rode toward the other the Iron Brigade, (Meredith’s), which Doubleday, who had command of the First Corps, was leading to action in a piece of woods skirting Willoughby Run, where Archer’s (Rebel) Brigade which had just crossed the Run was advancing in line of battle. At the moment when one regiment of this brigade, Fairchild’s, accompanied by Doubleday had entered the wood, and was becoming desperately engaged, Reynolds, with his staff, rode up to the neck of woods to Fairchild’s rear, to examine the ground, and the disposition of the enemy, when he discovered the enemy advancing and sweeping up on his right left, instantly wheeling to ride back he received a ball in the back of his neck from the direction in which he’d seen the enemy and was born insensible from the field and soon after expired.
The enemy was at the time advancing—one brigade (Archer’s) as I have described and another whole division to the north of the railroad bed—apparently for the purpose of capturing Tidball’s Horse Battery posted on the Chambersburg Pike which the enemy doubtless judged was defended only by cavalry, (and in reality-was, until the arrival of Reynolds), and which was stubbornly contesting the enemy advance.
Waud’s hand-written commentary on Maj. Gen. John Fulton Reynold’s death:
Continuation of Waud’s commentary with map:
Enlargement of detail insert on Waud’s map from previous page:
