"Peach Orchard Skirmishers" Battle of Gettysburg Framed Giclee Print

The 3rd Maine Regiment was recruited majorly of Kennebec lumbermen. According to Fox's Regimental Losses the rugged recruits averaged 170 pounds. The 3rd Maine arrived on the front in time for first Bull Run in July 1861. After participating in nearly all of the battles of the Virginia Campaigns of 1861-63 the 3rd arrived at Gettysburg with only 210 officers and men. Colonel Moses Lakeman led the 3rd Maine as part of Hobart Ward's brigade of III Corps. Early on July 2, 1863 Ward's Brigade assembled in the Trostle Farm area. Eventually the bulk of the Brigade was assigned to the Devil's Den-Houck's Ridge area. In mid morning due to confusion in the Union command, John Buford's cavalry Brigade was removed from its screening assignment along the Emmitsburg Road. This concerned General Dan Sickles of the III Corps. The 3rd Maine was detached with along with the 100 rifles from Hiram Berdan's 1st USS Sharpshooters to the area of the Peach Orchard, where they were sent westerly to probe the woods west of the Emmitsburg Road. Later the #rd was moved into a skirmish line to the south of a Peach Orchard near the intersection of the Emmitsburg Road and the Millerstown road. The scene above portrays the right flank of the 3rd at the edge of the Emmitsburg Road and the corner of Sherfy's Peach Orchard. The 3rd Maine spent at least 2 hours in this area with artillery fire from both sides screaming overhead. Here they prepare to fall back before Kershaw's left wing approaches the Peach Orchard. The Southern troops visible are the the 8th South Carolina Regiment (nearest), the 3rd South Carolina Battalion and portions of the 2nd South Carolina. Kershaw's first attack on the Peach Orchard was defeated by the massed artillery in the Peach Orchard and a mistaken Confederate order. However in later action the 3rd was lucky to escape annihilation in Barksdale's onslaught suffering nearly 60% casualties in the day's action.