Gettysburg Confederate order of battle facts for kids

The Confederate order of battle during the Battle of Gettysburg shows how the American Civil War officers and soldiers of the Army of Northern Virginia were organized. This army was led by General Robert E. Lee during the Battle of Gettysburg, which happened from July 1 to 3, 1863. This list helps us understand who was in charge and which units fought together.

Understanding the Ranks and Symbols

When you see names of officers, they have special military ranks. Here's what they mean:

• Gen = General (the highest rank)
• LTG = Lieutenant General
• MG = Major General
• BG = Brigadier General
• Col = Colonel
• Ltc = Lieutenant Colonel
• Maj = Major
• Cpt = Captain
• Lt = Lieutenant

You might also see symbols next to some names. These tell us what happened to them during the battle:

• (w) = wounded (got hurt)
• (mw) = mortally wounded (got hurt very badly and later died)
• (k) = killed in action (died during the fighting)
• (c) = captured (taken prisoner by the other side)

The Army of Northern Virginia

General Robert E. Lee was the top commander of the entire Army of Northern Virginia. Think of him as the head coach of the whole team.

His main helpers, called the General Staff, included:

• Chief of Staff: Col Robert H. Chilton
• Chief of Artillery: BG William N. Pendleton (in charge of all the cannons)
• Medical Director: Dr. Lafayette Guild (in charge of doctors and caring for the wounded)

The army was divided into large groups called Corps. Each Corps was like a big team, led by a Lieutenant General. These Corps were then broken down into smaller groups called Divisions, and then even smaller ones called Brigades.

First Corps

LTG James Longstreet was the commander of the First Corps. He was one of General Lee's most trusted generals.

His main helpers, the General Staff for the First Corps, included:

• Chief of Staff: Ltc Moxley Sorrel (w)

This Corps had three main Divisions:

McLaws' Division

MG Lafayette McLaws led this Division. It included several Brigades, which are smaller groups of soldiers.

• Kershaw's Brigade: Led by BG Joseph B. Kershaw. This brigade had soldiers from South Carolina.
• Barksdale's Brigade: Led by BG William Barksdale (mw), and later by Col Benjamin G. Humphreys. This brigade was made up of Mississippi soldiers.
• Semmes' Brigade: Led by BG Paul J. Semmes (mw), and then by Col Goode Bryan. This brigade had soldiers from Georgia.
• Wofford's Brigade: Led by BG William T. Wofford. This brigade also had soldiers from Georgia.
• Cabell's Artillery Battalion: Led by Col Henry C. Cabell. This group managed the cannons for McLaws' Division.

Pickett's Division

MG George E. Pickett was in charge of this Division. His division became very famous for its role in "Pickett's Charge" on the third day of the battle.

• Garnett's Brigade: Led by BG Richard B. Garnett (k), and then by Maj Charles S. Peyton (w). This brigade had Virginia soldiers.
• Kemper's Brigade: Led by BG James L. Kemper (w&c), and then by Col Joseph Mayo, Jr. This brigade also had Virginia soldiers.
• Armistead's Brigade: Led by BG Lewis A. Armistead (mw&c), and then by Ltc William White (w). This brigade was also made up of Virginia soldiers.
• Dearing's Artillery Battalion: Led by Maj James Dearing. This group handled the cannons for Pickett's Division.

Hood's Division

MG John Bell Hood (w) led this Division, but after he was wounded, BG Evander M. Law took command.

• Law's Brigade: Led by BG Evander M. Law, and then by Col James L. Sheffield. This brigade was made up of Alabama soldiers.
• Robertson's Brigade: Led by BG Jerome B. Robertson (w), and then by Ltc Philip A. Work. This brigade included soldiers from Arkansas and Texas.
• Anderson's Brigade: Led by BG George T. Anderson (w), and then by Ltc William Luffman (w). This brigade had Georgia soldiers.
• Benning's Brigade: Led by BG Henry L. Benning. This brigade was also made up of Georgia soldiers.
• Henry's Artillery Battalion: Led by Maj Mathias W. Henry. This group managed the cannons for Hood's Division.

Artillery Reserve

This was a group of cannons that could be used by any part of the First Corps as needed.

• Alexander's Artillery Battalion: Led by Col Edward P. Alexander (w).
• Washington (Louisiana) Artillery Battalion: Led by Maj Benjamin F. Eshleman.

Second Corps

LTG Richard S. Ewell was the commander of the Second Corps.

His main helpers, the General Staff for the Second Corps, included:

• Chief of Staff: Ltc Charles J. Faulkner
• Asst. Adjutant General: Maj Alexander S. Pendleton
• Medical Director: Dr. Hunter H. McGuire

This Corps had three main Divisions:

Early's Division

MG Jubal A. Early led this Division.

• Hays' Brigade: Led by BG Harry T. Hays. This brigade was known as the "Louisiana Tigers."
• Smith's Brigade: Led by BG William Smith. This brigade had Virginia soldiers.
• Hoke's Brigade: Led by Col Isaac E. Avery (mw), and then by Col Archibald C. Godwin. This brigade was made up of North Carolina soldiers.
• Gordon's Brigade: Led by BG John B. Gordon. This brigade had Georgia soldiers.
• Jones' Artillery Battalion: Led by Ltc Hilary P. Jones.

Johnson's Division

MG Edward Johnson was in charge of this Division.

• Steuart's Brigade: Led by BG George H. Steuart. This brigade had soldiers from Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia.
• Stonewall Brigade: Led by BG James A. Walker. This famous brigade was made up of Virginia soldiers.
• Nicholls' Brigade: Led by Col Jesse M. Williams. This brigade had Louisiana soldiers.
• Jones' Brigade: Led by BG John M. Jones (w), and then by Ltc Robert H. Dungan. This brigade was made up of Virginia soldiers.
• Andrews' Artillery Battalion: Led by Maj Joseph W. Latimer (mw), and then by Cpt Charles I. Raine.

Rodes' Division

MG Robert E. Rodes led this Division.

• Daniel's Brigade: Led by BG Junius Daniel. This brigade had North Carolina soldiers.
• Doles' Brigade: Led by BG George P. Doles. This brigade was made up of Georgia soldiers.
• Iverson's Brigade: Led by BG Alfred Iverson, Jr.. This brigade had North Carolina soldiers.
• Ramseur's Brigade: Led by BG Stephen D. Ramseur. This brigade was also made up of North Carolina soldiers.
• Rodes' (old) Brigade: Led by Col Edward A. O'Neal. This brigade had Alabama soldiers.
• Carter's Artillery Battalion: Led by Ltc Thomas H. Carter.

Artillery Reserve

This was another group of cannons for the Second Corps.

• First Virginia Artillery Battalion: Led by Cpt Willis J. Dance.
• Nelson's Artillery Battalion: Led by Ltc William Nelson.

Third Corps

LTG Ambrose P. Hill was the commander of the Third Corps.

His main helpers, the General Staff for the Third Corps, included:

• Chief of Staff: Maj William H. Palmer

This Corps had three main Divisions:

Anderson's Division

MG Richard H. Anderson led this Division.

• Wilcox's Brigade: Led by BG Cadmus M. Wilcox. This brigade had Alabama soldiers.
• Mahone's Brigade: Led by BG William Mahone. This brigade was made up of Virginia soldiers.
• Wright's Brigade: Led by BG Ambrose R. Wright, and later by Col William Gibson. This brigade had Georgia soldiers.
• Perry's Brigade: Led by Col David Lang. This brigade was made up of Florida soldiers.
• Posey's Brigade: Led by BG Carnot Posey (w), and then by Col Nathaniel H. Harris. This brigade had Mississippi soldiers.
• Cutts’ Artillery Battalion: Led by Maj John Lane.

Heth's Division

MG Henry Heth (w) led this Division, and then BG James J. Pettigrew (w) took command.

• Pettigrew's Brigade: Led by BG James J. Pettigrew, and then by Col James K. Marshall (k). This brigade had North Carolina soldiers.
• Heth's (old) Brigade: Led by Col John M. Brockenbrough, and then by Col Robert M. Mayo. This brigade was made up of Virginia soldiers.
• Archer's Brigade: Led by BG James J. Archer (w&c), and then by Col Birkett D. Fry (w&c). This brigade had soldiers from Alabama and Tennessee.
• Davis' Brigade: Led by BG Joseph R. Davis (w), and then by Col Hugh R. Miller (mw&c). This brigade had soldiers from Mississippi and North Carolina.
• Garnett's Artillery Battalion: Led by Ltc John J. Garnett.

Pender's Division

MG William D. Pender (mw) led this Division, and then BG James H. Lane took command.

• McGowan's Brigade: Led by Col Abner M. Perrin. This brigade had South Carolina soldiers.
• Lane's Brigade: Led by BG James H. Lane, and then by Col Clark M. Avery. This brigade was made up of North Carolina soldiers.
• Thomas' Brigade: Led by BG Edward L. Thomas. This brigade had Georgia soldiers.
• Scales' Brigade: Led by BG Alfred M. Scales (w), and then by Ltc George T. Gordon. This brigade was made up of North Carolina soldiers.
• Poague's Artillery Battalion: Led by Maj William T. Poague.

Artillery Reserve

This was the final group of cannons for the Third Corps.

• McIntosh's Artillery Battalion: Led by Maj David G. McIntosh.
• Pegram's Artillery Battalion: Led by Maj William R. J. Pegram, and then by Cpt Ervin B. Brunson.

Cavalry Units

The cavalry units were like the "eyes and ears" of the army, riding horses to scout ahead and fight on the flanks.

Stuart's Division

MG J. E. B. Stuart was the famous commander of the main cavalry division.

• Hampton's Brigade: Led by BG Wade Hampton (w), and then by Col Laurence S. Baker. This brigade had soldiers from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi.
• Robertson's Brigade: Led by BG Beverly H. Robertson. This brigade was made up of North Carolina cavalry.
• Fitzhugh Lee's Brigade: Led by BG Fitzhugh Lee. This brigade had soldiers from Maryland and Virginia.
• Jenkins' Brigade: Led by BG Albert G. Jenkins (w), and then by Ltc Vincent A. Witcher. This brigade was made up of Virginia cavalry.
• William H. F. Lee's Brigade: Led by Col John R. Chambliss, Jr. This brigade had soldiers from North Carolina and Virginia.
• Jones' Brigade: Led by BG William E. Jones. This brigade was made up of Virginia cavalry.
• Stuart's Horse Artillery: Led by Maj Robert F. Beckham. This group had cannons that could move quickly with the cavalry.

Imboden's Command

BG John D. Imboden led a separate cavalry command.

• This group included Virginia cavalry and a special unit called McNeill's Company (Virginia) Partisan Rangers.