I posted this last year, but it deserved repeating . . .
One hundred and fifty-two years ago today, “the music commenced” at Gettysburg. The quoted phrase comes from Private Oney F. Sweet, who made reference to the artillery barrages that signaled the beginning of battle.
Confederate General Lee had marched his army from Virginia into Pennsylvania, and the Union forces made a counter move to cut him off. They collided at the small town of Gettysburg.
Sweet and his comrades in Ricketts’ Battery — Battery F of the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery — were held in reserve that first day of battle. Sweet’s diary entry for July 1 leaves the impression that it was just another day.
Wednesday, July 1, 1863
A cloudy morning, but cleared off near noon. 12 o’clock and we are now in camp. Got two papers. We expected to march but did not.
The following day, his section was ordered into battle and positioned on
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