14th Regiment (New York State Militia) - Gettysburg To Spotsylvania

Gettysburg To Spotsylvania

The 14th Brooklyn was last regiment of the 2nd Brigade on the road to Gettysburg. The 2nd Brigade were the first Infantry units to fire its rifles and to set foot on the field July 1, 1863. General John F. Reynolds rode up to the 2nd Brigade and urged them onto Gettysburg to support General John Buford's cavalry who were holding the Confederate forces at bay. The 14th dropped its packs on the Emmitsburg road and double quicked across the field that General Pickett's men would on July 3.

The 14th Brooklyn arrived at McPherson's Woods and halted the Confederate advance, until the 1st Brigade of the 1st division arrived. Once the Western Iron Brigade was online, Colonel E.B Fowler saw Confederate forces taking cover in an unfinished railroad cut to his right. He commanded his "Demi-Brigade" (14th Regiment & 95th NYVI) across the field to meet and clear out Davis' Confederate Brigade. Held in reserve the 6th Wisconsin was ordered to support the 14th regiment and 95th NYVI into the cut. Again the 14th and 6th were together working as they did in earlier engagements.

Into the cut the three regiments rushed, supporting each other equally on each other's flanks. One 14th Brooklyn soldier said of the Confederate defense of the railroad cut "they fought with the ferocity of wildcats" the fight became a brawl of hand to hand combat. The Federals who had taken a beating crossing the field in front of the railroad cut had their revenge. The Confederates facing them finally realized their position was a death trap and surrendered themselves to Colonel E.B. fowler, and handed their Flags over to the 14th Brooklyn. Finally the Confederates were able to wheel artillery down and fire on the 14th's Position in the railroad cut, the 14th marched out of the cut through the town of Gettysburg while the 11th corps came up to support the 1st corps so they could refit. The 14th Brooklyn had the honor of carrying General John F. Reynolds' body from the field into the town of Gettysburg.

The regiment continued to fight for the remainder of the battle of Gettysburg. They are the only regiment to possess 3 monuments on the field of Gettysburg - at the railroad cut, at McPherson's woods and on Culp's Hill. The remainder of the fight was had on Culp's Hill on the right flank of the Union army. They were called up to support General Greene who was losing his position to superior numbers. The 14th Brooklyn fought 2 days up there, and Greene later credited the 14th Brooklyn for helping save the entire Union army by saving the flank.

In the early hours of July 2, 1863 the 14th Brooklyn was called down to the slope of Culp's Hill. Lt. John J. Cantine, one of General Greene's aides, met the regiment and guided Col. Edward B. Fowler and the regiment to its position on the right of Greene's line. As Cantine led fowler by some trees, a soldier stepped from the darkness and demanded Cantine's surrender. Cantine dismounted from his horse and Fowler drew his pistol, and then there were a dozen or so shots from the woods. Fowler hurried back to the regiment and formed it facing the woods. Fowler then called for volunteers to scout the woods and report back, who may be at his front. Two men, musician John Cox and Sgt. James McQuire of company I, responded and disappeared into the woods or, as one 14th Brooklyn Member recounts "in the teeth of flank fire", to find out who was there. Cox returned with the word that McQuire had been wounded and that the troops in their front of them belonged to the 10th Virginia Regiment. Colonel Fowler then ordered the regiment to fire a volley and thus charged his regiment into the woods. Hand to hand fighting began, and the 14th Pushed the Virginians out of the woods and sent them into a retreat.

Lt. Henry H. Lyman who wrote of the regiment in his diary:

"14th & 147th go among the 12th corps to help drive back the charging rebs. Hot work from 1/2 past 5 to 1/2 past 9. Lie in the pits all night on our arms. No pickett in front."

The 14th Brooklyn was called back up the hill after this action being relieved by the 137th Ny. They were there long enough to eat some food and then were immediately sent back down the hill to support the hill once again. Colonel Fowler wrote that when the men entered the trenches "they did so without a shout, and the regiment remained there until their ammunition was all but exhausted." He also recounted the casualties taken with the trenches were light but that the colors, which rose above the works, were riddled with bullets, and the staff of the state flag was shot through.

On July 3, the 14th Brooklyn's Position was further up the hill near the 149th New York. When the men of the 149th New York had heard that the 14th Brooklyn were coming down they studied them closely. Prior to this the men of the 149th had heard that the 14th Brooklyn were "a bully fighting regiment" what they saw were young men with a "tidy and smart appearance". In Later years the regiment was credited with saving the line and thus saving ammunition trains as well as the flank.

The 14th Brooklyn Fought for another year, through the Battle of the Wilderness campaign and Spotsylvania. They finally mustered out in May 1864. The recruits who signed up and joined the regiment in 1862 were moved over to the 5th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment. However, the recruits who went over to the 5th New York Veterans (Duryea Zouaves)wore their 14th Brooklyn uniform and formed their own company in the 5th. The regiment mustered out at Fulton Ferry on May 25, 1864 to huge crowds who welcomed the regiment home after 3 years of service. During its 3 years in service the regiment sustained 717 casualties, nearly 41% of its men.