My great-great grandfather, Newell Elijah Gile, was wounded at Gettysburg. I had heard rumors for some time about this wound. Only after doing some research into my own Battle of Gettysburg genealogy, however, was I able to verify it. It seems fitting to honor his sacrifice and service on this the anniversary of the battle, which occurred July 1-3, 1863.
Battle of Gettysburg Genealogy: Newell’s Experience
Newell’s unit, the 4th US Artillery, Battery G, fought under Major General Howard in the XI Corps during the Battle of Gettysburg. He arrived on the morning of July 1st after a twelve-mile march up Emmitsburg Road, which extended southwest of town. That day, Newell and his fellow soldiers took up positions on Barlow’s Knoll, northeast of Gettysburg.
A series of blunders by his superiors led to his battery’s position taking fire from multiple sides. His Brigadier General, Francis C. Barlow, was wounded and captured. Lieutenant Bayard Wilkeson, commander of Newell’s battery, suffered a mortal wound. A shell passed through his horse and obliterated his right leg. Major General Howard ordered Newell and the other men to pull back from Barlow Hill to the northern side of Cemetery Hill, south of town. This location gave the Union a significant topographical advantage. Confederates would have to charge across a wide open area and up a hill to reach their defenses.
On July 2, Confederates attacked Union positions on the east side of Cemetery Hill and nearby Culp Hill. Newell and other soldiers in the XI Corps experienced heavy fighting and major losses. Artillery units such as Newell’s were key in these engagements, as they allowed the Union to fire down upon Confederates from afar as they charged the hill.
July 3rd: Newell Wounded at Gettysburg
July 3rd, everything came to a head as a massive barrage of artillery fire–the largest in the entire history of the Civil War–converged on Cemetery Hill. This, most likely, is the barrage that wounded my ancestor. Just last year, I obtained Newell’s full Civil War Pension file (which I talk about a bit more here and here), which revealed affidavits written by two soldiers who fought with Newell at Gettysburg: Charles W. Van Valkenburg and Oscar Vanwarmer. These two men, as well as Newell himself, state in this file their personal witness of my great-great grandfather’s wounds. Thanks to this record, I know that he was struck by a piece of artillery shell on the right shoulder blade on July 3, 1863, the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
After the Battle
The assault on Cemetery Hill, however, failed. The Union won. By the end of the battle, of the 3,809 soldiers in the XI Corp, of which Newell was a part, counted 369 (9.6%) killed and 1,924 (50.5%) wounded.
One of those wounded was my great great grandfather.
Throughout his life, the wound he took at Gettysburg remained a defining moment for him. Appropriately, his obituary recalls his wounds both at Malvern Hill and at Gettysburg. Alongside this memorial read the words: “He always stood for morality and the right.”
