The Second Day at Gettysburg: The Attack and Defense of the Union Center on Cemetery Ridge, July 2, 1863

by David L. Shultz

Moving troops anywhere took time, even those traversing a short distance under good conditions. For example, Col. P. Regis de Trobriand of Birney’s division needed three-quarters of an hour to move three regiments a distance of only 400-600 yards from their position near the old Jacob Weikert log cabin east of Trostle’s woods to the Wheatfield, where they rejoined the 5th Michigan and 110th Pennsylvania. General Ward of the same division needed even longer to redeploy his detached command to several points needing additional troops. According to Colonel Elijah Walker, commanding the 4th Maine on Ward’s skirmish line, “From 9:30 until 2:30 there was but little firing from my men or by the enemy in our front … it took one hour to relieve and get my men [back] to where I had my headquarters” (near the Weikert homestead, a distance of roughly 1,000 yards).

Troop movememt and time ..…