Gettysburg: The Morning of July 1

By 9:00 a.m. Heth's artillery was lobbing shells against Buford's line from Herr Ridge. McPherson's Grove, a small patch of woods where Heth was sure many of Gamble's men were gathered, was a particularly heavy target. Union artillery answered in kind from McPherson's Ridge, and an artillery duel accompanied the struggle between infantry and cavalry. By 10:00, Gamble's men were beginning to give way to Archer's onslaught and Devin's troops were facing the prospect of having to deal with two large Confederate divisions - Rodes and Early - coming from the north. The two were arriving almost simultaneously and Devin knew he would not be able to hold them. The Union line was in trouble.

Before Reynolds and the I Corps arrived to relieve Buford's weary troops, the cavalry commander sent this dispatch off to General Meade:

The enemy's forces are advancing on me at this point, and driving my pickets and skirmishers very rapidly. There is also a large force at Heidlersburg that is driving my pickets at that point from that direction. General Reynolds is advancing; and is within three miles of this point with his leading division. I am positive that the whole of A.P. Hill's force is advancing (Hassler, 1970, p. 34).

Hill's force was advancing, though not en masse. It was still only Heth's lead brigade. But those 7,500 men were enough to push Buford's troops to the limit.

It was shortly after 10:00 when Reynolds found Buford on the field. He urged Buford to hold on for as long as possible, for Wadsworth's 3,500 strong First Division of the I Corps was still some distance away. Riding back down the Emmitsburg Road to urge the men forward, Reynolds ordered all fences be torn down as to expedite the infantry's advance through the fields toward the fighting. He also sent for Major General Oliver O. Howard to push his XI Corps to Gettysburg. Finally, he sent word to Meade informing him of the new situation, saying he would fight behind barricades until help arrived (Coddington, 1968).

Just as Buford's men were about to give way, the first troops from the I Corps had arrived, Lysander Cutler's Second Brigade being the first. Two regiments were placed near McPherson's barn to protect the left flank of James A. Hall's battery located between the Chambersburg Pike and the railroad cut. Three more regiments were placed across the cut

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