Jim Martin
5th AL Bttn & 13th AL Regt at Gettysburg (July 1)
Thu Sep 21 16:03:03 2000



On the first day of the battle of Gettysburg, one of the earliest and most severe actions was fought along Willoughby Run in the Herbst (McPherson) Woods between Archer's brigade, which included the 5th AL Bttn and the 13th AL Regt, and the "famed" Iron Brigade. I am interested in the exact locations of these two Alabama units in Archer's line.

Bachelder's maps show the 1st TN (Turney's) Regt. at the South end of Archer's line and the 7th TN at the North end. This map is incorrect! More recently, writers of articles and books about the first day at Gettysburg have corrected this and put the 1st TN (Turney's) at the North and the 7th TN at the South.

Here's the question! With the understanding, verified by a review of the written accounts, that the 1st TN was at the North end and the 7th TN at the South end, I believe historians have extrapolated that the alignment of the brigade was as follows: (North to South)

1st TN (Turney's)
14th TN
5th AL Bttn
13th AL
7th TN

Archer's brigade was flanked at both ends of its line as the Iron Brigade was larger and extended beyond the North and South flanks of Archer's line.

It is also known that when the 1st TN (Turney's) line was flanked the 14th TN went to their aid. The same is true on the South end of the line. When the 7th TN's line was flanked the 13th AL went to their aid. From this information historians conclude that the 14th TN was next to the 1st TN and the 13th AL was next to the 7th TN. The only unit left is the 5th AL Bttn, so they must be in the middle.

The only account I know of that gives a position of the 5th AL Bttn in the line at this time states, that the main line of Archer's Brigade overtook the skirmish line (5th AL Bttn and 3 co's of the 13th AL). I have examined every cited source in older and newer texts and have never seen anything which stated the 14th TN was "next to" the 1st TN, the 13th AL was "next to" the 7th TN or anything regarding the location in this line of the 5th AL Bttn.

The only exact conclusion I can reach from all I've read is that the 1st TN was at the North end, the 7th TN at the South and in between these units were the 14th TN, 13th AL and 5th AL Bttn. It is possible to conclude that because of their respective actions in supporting the regiments at the ends of the line that the you could assume the 14th TN was in the middle of the line or next to the 1st TN and the the 13th AL was in the middle of the line or next to the 7th TN; however, the definite locations of these units is unknown.

Has anyone seen material, which from eyewitness or authorative sources, that states the exact alignment of the units in Archer's Brigade on the first day of Gettysburg?

• 5th Alabama Battalion — Tom Elmore, Sat Oct 14 22:58
• Archer's on the 1st Day — Phil Oliver, Sat Sep 23 21:06
• Iron Brigade positions — Hayes Lowe, Thu Sep 21 16:32
• Links — Jim Martin, Thu Sep 21 18:00
• Thanks! n/m — Hayes Lowe, Thu Sep 21 18:55