Battle of Gettysburg Trivia Quiz

Answer: Merritt's Brigade

Answer: Heidlersburg

Lee ordered Ewell to move south from Carlisle just as Ewell was about to capture Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. Ewell's men marched south on the 30th and spent the night about 10 miles north of Gettysburg and within easy range of the next day's battle.

They had orders to go to either Gettysburg or Cashtown (8 miles west of Gettysburg). Upon learning that A.P. Hill's Corps would be heading to Gettysburg on the 1st, Ewell chose Gettysburg as well.

Answer: Sherfy

Brig. Gen. Barksdale's Missippians chased the 3rd Corps from Sherfy's Peach Orchard on July 2. Although situated on "high ground," the Peach Orchard was highly vulnerable because it constituted a "salient" in the Union line. That meant that it could be attacked from two directions at once (here, it could be attacked from the west or the south; Barksdale came from the west). Peaches still grow in the Peach Orchard.

Answer: Iverson's Brigade

Iverson's men were badly shot up on July 1 and in no condition to fight the next day. Many of the killed were buried where they fell, and the spot became ghoulishly known as "Iverson's Pits," said by local farmers to be haunted.

Answer: 140th Pennsylvania

Zook was killed immediately after leading his men into action on the Stony Hill on July 2.

Answer: John B. Hood

Although Hood was severely wounded on July 2 (he lost the use of an arm), he survived to fight (and lose a leg) later in the war. By the end of the war, Hood was a shadow of his former self, having given both an arm and a leg to the Confederacy.

Answer: 6th Corps

The 6th Corps made a forced march of nearly 30 miles to reach the field at the end of the second day, an incredible feat. They arrived in time to bolster the left flank of the Union line.

Answer: Black

Col. Cross usually wore a red bandana into battle, but on this day he had a premonition of his own death and wore a black bandana. As he passed Maj. Gen. Hancock on his way to the fight, Hancock shouted to Cross that today's battle would bring him a star, referring to a promotion from Colonel to Brigadier General. Cross solemnly replied: "No General Hancock, today will be my last battle." His premonition was correct and Cross was killed leading his brigade's attack into the Wheatfield.

Answer: Shimmelfenning

Shimmelfenning was not a coward. When his 11th Corps retreated through the town of Gettysburg on July 1, he narrowly escaped being captured by the then-victorious Confederates, and took refuge behind a shed on Baltimore Street. Because the Confederates controlled the town for the next few days, Shimmelfenning was forced to lay low.

Answer: 2nd Corps

Winfield Scott Hancock's 2nd Corps manned that part of the Union line, and held it against the Confederate attack on July 3. Hancock himself would be wounded in the groin that day. Nicknamed "The Superb," Hancock had a glorious career in the military and would later run (unsuccessfully) for U.S. President in 1880.

Answer: The "Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble" Charge

Although popularly known as Pickett's Charge, the July 3rd assault actually involved two columns in addition to Pickett's. (1) Henry Heth's old division, now commanded by Pettigrew (Heth having been wounded on July 1), and (2) parts of Pender's division, now commanded by Isaac Trimble.

Answer: Major Joseph W. Latimer

Joseph Latimer, 19 years of age, was killed in a heroic attempt to engage the Union cannon on Cemetery Hill on July 2.

Answer: Brig. Gen. Samuel W. Crawford

Crawford commanded a division in the 5th Corps.

Answer: Bliss Farm

Both sides took turn using this unfortunately placed farm as a place to fire upon the opposing lines. Finally, the farm was burned to the ground. Many local farmers and townsfolk suffered during the course of the battle. After the battle was over, and the armies had left, the citizens of Gettysburg were forced to care for the more than 50,000 casualties (not to mention the nearly 5,000 dead horses that littered the area).

Answer: Maj. Gen. David Birney

Birney was Sickles's senior division commander, and temporarily took command of the corps after Sickles was wounded. After hearing of Sickles's wounding, however, General Meade sent Maj. Gen. Hancock to take command of the shattered corps. Hancock could not have been pleased with this assignment.

He was forced to leave his relatively intact corps, and take over a corps which had been shredded by the Confederate attack.