McPherson Ridge railway cut facts for kids

The railway cut of the Gettysburg Battlefield was an important place during the Battle of Gettysburg. In 1863, on the first day of the battle, soldiers fought here. It was a deep ditch dug for a railroad that wasn't finished yet. This ditch became a natural trench for soldiers. During the morning and early afternoon, Union soldiers tried to stop Confederate attacks. Even though the Union army fought hard, the Confederates had more soldiers and eventually pushed them back.

What Was the Railway Cut?

The railway cut was a deep ditch dug for a planned railroad line. This line was supposed to go west from the town of Gettysburg. However, when the battle happened, the tracks hadn't been laid yet. The cut went through hills west of Gettysburg, including McPherson Ridge. The Chambersburg Pike, a main road, ran next to this unfinished rail line.

Fighting at the Railway Cut

Morning Attacks Begin

Around 10:00 AM on July 1, 1863, Union soldiers arrived near the railway cut. These soldiers were part of Lysander Cutler's brigade, led by James S. Wadsworth. Three of their regiments, the 76th New York, 147th New York, and 56th Pennsylvania, set up north of the cut. Two other regiments, the 84th New York and 95th New York, were south of the Chambersburg Pike. The 2nd Maine Battery, a group with cannons, was placed between the cut and the pike.

Minutes later, Confederate soldiers from Joseph R. Davis's brigade attacked the Union right side. The Confederates had more soldiers than the three Union regiments. This allowed them to surround the Union soldiers. Because of this pressure, General Wadsworth ordered his regiments to pull back. The 76th New York and 56th Pennsylvania managed to retreat. This left the 2nd Maine Battery exposed, forcing them to retreat too. The 147th New York regiment didn't get the order to retreat and stayed near the cut. They suffered many losses before another messenger reached them, telling them to fall back.

Union Counterattack

After the Union soldiers retreated, Davis's Confederate regiments moved into the railway cut. Half of them jumped into the cut, using it like a trench. The other half stopped at the northern edge.

Meanwhile, Union Generals Wadsworth and Abner Doubleday quickly planned a counterattack. They used Cutler's two other regiments and the 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment from the famous Iron Brigade. These three regiments formed south of the Chambersburg Pike and advanced north. They faced heavy fire and suffered many casualties, losing about 300 to 330 soldiers.

As the Union force got closer to Davis's brigade, part of the 6th Wisconsin moved to the eastern end of the cut. From there, they could fire along the length of the Confederate positions inside the cut. About 300 Confederate soldiers surrendered, and the rest of Davis's brigade retreated out of the western end of the cut.

Later Fighting in the Afternoon

After defeating Davis's brigade, Cutler's Union brigade moved to the northern side of the railway cut. Later, they moved further north to help Union cannons near Oak Hill. They also prepared to face Robert E. Rodes's Confederate division, which was arriving from the north.

Another Union brigade, led by Roy Stone, was placed south of the Chambersburg Pike, near the cut. They faced west. When Junius Daniel's Confederate brigade began moving south from Oak Hill towards Stone's position, Stone moved two of his regiments to face north along the Chambersburg Pike. Some of Daniel's men jumped into the cut but couldn't climb the south bank to fire at Stone's brigade. When Union cannons started firing from their left, they retreated. Stone's brigade successfully stopped Daniel's attack, but Stone and the commanders of both regiments were wounded.

Around 4:00 PM, Confederate divisions led by Dorsey Pender and Henry Heth launched a large attack on McPherson's Ridge and Seminary Ridge. This attack slowly pushed Stone's brigade back.

Key Moments at the Railway Cut

• 1835: The railway cut was dug for a planned railroad line.
• July 1, 1863: Confederate soldiers used the cut as a trench. Union forces counterattacked, capturing many Confederates and forcing the rest to retreat.
• July 1, 1863 (5 PM): Union cannons from Cemetery Hill fired on Confederates near the railway cut.
• 1864: Corporal Francis A. Wallar received the Medal of Honor for capturing a Confederate flag near the railway cut.
• 1996: During a heavy rainstorm, the bones of a soldier were found in the cut. His identity couldn't be determined, and he was reburied.

Images for kids

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  The railway cut looking northwest towards the Catoctin Mountains.

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  The railway cut looking southeast towards the town of Gettysburg.

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  General James S. Wadsworth.