Gettysburg July 3, 1863 - Elon J. Farnsworth aged 26 is killed in battle

[Farns10th at aol.com]

On June 28, 1863, the Army of the Potomac was reorganized. When Major 
General George G. Meade assumed over-all command, Kilpatrick was 
assigned a division in the Cavalry Corps. The unit consisted of two 
brigades under newly appointed generals, George Custer and Elon J. 
Farnsworth. Kilpatrick led his new command in its task of covering the 
army's center, as the Federals followed Robert E. Lee into Pennsylvania. 


On the last day of June Kilpatrick encountered Stuart's cavalry division 
in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The Federals were drawn up in the streets of 
the town, resting, when Stuart's leading brigade battered and nearly 
routed Farnsworth's command. Farnsworth and Kilpatrick rushed up to 
re-form and steady their line, and they directed a vigorous 
counterattack that dispersed the Gray horsemen and nearly resulted in 
the capture of Stuart himself. 

After the Confederates rode off, Kilpatrick took Farnsworth's brigade 
toward Gettysburg. After a sharp skirmish against Hampton on July 2, the 
cavalry reached the rear of the Army of the Potomac. On the morning of 
July 3 Kilpatrick's command took position on the left of the Union line, 
across the Emmitsburg Road. 

July 3, 1863, marked the beginning of Kilpatrick's decline as a soldier. 
To that date his career had been promising and distinguished; great 
things had been expected of him. But on July 3 he made an unwise 
decision that resulted in the shattering part of Farnsworth's brigade 
and the death of its young commander. 

Following Pickett's Charge, Kilpatrick directed Farnsworth to attack the 
extreme right of Rebel line. This was ordered, ostensibly, to exert such 
pressure on that vital defense point that the Confederates would be 
thrown back and their line opened up to a crushing assault by divisions 
of Union infantry. But it is also clear that Kilpatrick ordered the 
charge in frustration at having been kept out most of the day's 
fighting. He realized that only an energetic officer who committed his 
troops to battle would win glory on this field. 

But he asked the impossible of Farnsworth. The brigade commander was 
required to attack strongly positioned infantry over rough, 
boulder-strewn ground, despite being outnumbered. In point of fact, 
Farnsworth had tried that very thing a short while before and had failed 
signally. Naturally, he was stunned by the order. "General, do you mean 
it?" he asked. "Shall I throw my handful of men over rough ground, 
through timber, against a brigade of infantry? The 1st Vermont has 
already been fought half to peices; these are too good men to kill!" 

Kilpatrick was enraged that Farnsworth should question his command. "Do 
you refuse to obey my orders? If you are afraid to lead this charge, I 
will lead it." 

A witness to the confrontation later recalled the General Farnsworth 
"rose in his stirrups--he looked magnificent in his passion, and cried, 
'Take that back!'" Kilpatrick hesistated a moment and backed down, but 
would not withdraw his order. For some seconds there was silence between 
them, until Farnsworth said quietly, "General, if you order the charge, 
I will lead it, but you must take the responsibility." 

His troopers made the charge, were as successful as the Light Brigade at 
Balaklava, and the responsibility indeed rested on Kilpatrick's 
shoulders. In his official report of the battle, however, he tried to 
cover up his mistake with bombastic words about the infantry's failure 
to exploit the "confusion" into which Farnsworth had thrown the Rebel 
right. 

In the same report Kilpatrick praised the young general whose courage he 
had openly questioned a short time before: "...he baptized his star in 
blood, and...for the honor of his young brigade and the glory of his 
corps, he yielded up his noble life." 

Brig. General Elon J. Farnsworth died or 5 mortal wounds while in the saddle.
He was 26 years old.   He is buried at Rockton Cemetery, Rockton, ILLinois.
He directly descended from Lieut David Farnsworth of Groton, MA and Fort No.
4, Charlestown, NH - which David, Stephen and Samuel Farnsworth (brothers)
founded in 1740 - just prior to the French Indian Wars.  Fort 4 was the supply
station during the Rev. War for NH Troops.


CORPS: Cavalry - Maj-Gen Alfred Pleasonton

DIVISION: III - Brig-Gen Judson Kilpatrick

BRIGADES:

I - Brig-Gen Elon J. Farnsworth (k) II - Brig-Gen George A. Custer
 Col Nathaniel P. Richmond 1 MI - Col Charles H. Town
 5 NY - Maj John Hammond 5 MI - Col Russell A. Alger
18 PA - Lieut-Col William P. Brinton 6 MI - Col George Gray
 1 WV - Col Nathaniel P. Richmond 7 MI - Col William D. Mann
 Maj Charles E. Capehart Losses: k, 32; w, 147; m, 78 = 257
Losses: k, 21; w, 34; m, 43 = 98