Rank and file, late war uniforms, clean weapons, canteens, and blankets if you expect to sleep on the field. Do not bring caps or cartridges. Officers, standard uniform and equipment.
I-70 to MD 65, South to the park. The park is located one mile north of Sharpsburg, Maryland. We will set up next to the Visitor Center
Mad Dogs and Englishmen
British Observers at Gettysburg
A month prior to the recent movements of the Army northward I was, at the request of
Captain Rivera, detailed to act as liaison to a small contingent of British observers
traveling in company of the Fifth Corps. The armies having moved so quickly, and being
so widely dispersed across Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, it was only immediately
before the action that I was able to locate our British friends on the field at Spangler’s
Spring near Gettysburg.
The small contingent was situated inconspicuously on the fringes of our encampment, and
only with some luck were they located early on the morning of battle. It was only by
chance that while observing from afar, I espied a distant figure with familiar bearing,
and remarked to myself that if by some chance that is indeed Reginald Grandville Fox Smythe,
my old acquaintance from a hunting trip to the Platte in early ’59, then I would be
most remiss in not strolling the few yards distrance to pay my respects. Moving closer
and hailing the casually attired figure, I was most pleased to learn that not only was
it Grandville Fox, but I had located the larger group of Englishmen as well.
Grandville smoking a cheroot, and sipping his morning sherry was very well met.
In company with Fox was my other good comrade 1st Lieut, Eric Graf Von Schlegel,
recently of Greater Kurfurst, and East Prussia. Being somewhat tardy myself,
Her Majesty’s officers were already being well looked after by the good
Lieutenant, himself a recent addition to the Army of the Potomac. Von
Schlegel let it be known that the Brits were a well meaning but hard lot
to keep corralled, demanding every sort of odd ceremony at all hours.
How right he was I would soon learn.
Grandville made the introduction and I presented my orders. No Union Jack
marked this modest but comfortable camp, out their very British sense of
polite discretion I would later learn. The officers sat around a small table
under the tent fly with a tea service and small dry bar service in its center.
Three in all, the gentlemen were introduced to me and I to them. First and
senior in commission was Colonel Sir William Hutchison of the Royal Marines,
Second Duke of Earl, hero of the Crimea, and master of Victory Manor. He
offered me a glass of port and cigar. A fine figure of a gentleman.
Second , Major Fitz Hugh D’Arlene, of Her Majesty’s Royal Welsh Fusiliers,
also recently of the Crimea, Ishapore, and Ulster. Major D’Arlene let me
know that he hoped to see some real fighting, having traveled so far.
Our final guest was Captain Francis Burton Hall, of the Burton Halls.
Captain Hall informed me that we had better drink up, as the party was
late for a date with the photographer.
We made our way to a tent at the edge of the canvas city that surrounded us,
and met the proprietor, Mr. R. Szabo. Mr. Szabo posed us, fussed with his
chemicals and glass plates. After a couple of good shots we retired to the
tents of some sutlers nearby and perused the shoddy goods displayed so to
entice our poor soldier boys to spend their monthly earnings. The guests
were quite surprised to find among other things, crimson jackets of their
own variety for sale in one tent, gold and blue tunics from the good ship
Enterprise, and Scotch kilts and basket hilted swords. Our system of free
enterprise and leger domain left them somewhat baffled.
Lieut Schlegel and Grandville taking their leave, I was left to spend the
mid hours of the day with our friends, making water for their tea, drinking
port wine, scouting sausages for lunch, and explaining the niceties of “American”
tactics to the good gentlemen. Colonel Sir Hutchison was convinced that we had
learned nothing from the example of the Crimean war, and I would have to concede
that we had not. For better or worse, leaving it to greater minds to study in full.
Moving about the camp Capt Hall and I encountered a very fine lady of his
acquaintance and escorted her back to the encampment. After enjoying some
pleasant moments in conversation and reminisence of ancient times on Englands’
green fields we were brought back to the present by the rude sounds of battle.
The slamming of artillery and the ripping of musketry heralded an assault on our lines.
The gentlemen, all pleased at the prospect, gathered their spy glasses and made
their way towards the sounds of the fighting and I guided them as best I could.
Lieut Schlegel joined us, and we observed the evolutions of our troops developing
the enemy at some distance. A line of artillery to our left and another battery
off to our front seemed to establish the line that would be held. The battle
lasted for some time, the near approach of the rebels causing us to fall back
to a less exposed position more than once. Our troops deployed in a salient
with the enemy moving in to probe at the flanks while a fierce fire was exchanged
in the center. As the lines moved to and fro, we soon became aware that what
we could observe with the sense still communicated little that we could ascribe
to logic or military art. We retired to the tent to take our afternoon tea.
The extremes of caring for the observers caught up with yours truly later in the
evening, when falling in a feint, I was overcome by the stresses of observing the
observers. Always drink plenty of fluids on a summer day in Pennsylvania when militarily
attired.
After the sounds of battle subsided, Sir William invited us back to a local
residence where he regaled us with stories of British riflemen, the Prince of Wales,
Portugal and Spain. A good time was had by all. If ever you are given orders to
spend time among our British friends, do so, by all means.
Written by
Sir Frederick Grogan Esquire
Mail the Editor with Submissions for the Regular or if you have
a good picture you'd like to see on this site.
