The Guns On The Far Right

The Rowan Artillery was called up 3 May 1861 for twelve months service.  The men were organized in Salisbury, North Carolina before being sent to Weldon, North Carolina where the men would enter the Confederate service for 3 years or the duration of the war.

It was here that Captain James Reilly took command of the artillery unit.  Reilly was an Irish Catholic Immigrant, who had been a member of the United States regular army.  He had fought during the Mexican American War in artillery and at the start of the Civil War; Reilly was the Ordnance Sergeant at the United State post of Fort Johnston in Smithville, North Carolina. He was known in the service as “Old Tarantula”, and was described by a soldier of the 4th Texas as “rough, gruff, grizzly and brave.  He loved his profession and knew his business.”

When the Rowan Artillery first organized, they didn't have any cannon, nor other related equipment.  So the men were temporarily assigned to the 4th North Carolina State Infantry.  Following the Union loss at the First Battle of Manassas, the unit was outfitted on 27 July 1861 with two 10 pound Parrotts and two Dahlgren Howitzers.

The Rowan Artillery served at the Battles of Williamsburg and Yorktown.  They were with Confederate General Thomas J Jackson during his valley campaign and in the Seven Days Battles.  During a reorganization of the Confederate Artillery in the spring of 1863, the Rowan Artillery; now called by many, the Reilly’s Battery, was placed in Confederate Major Mathis W Henry’s Battalion, a part of the Major General James Longstreet’s Corps.

Captain Reilly and his men arrived on the field at Gettysburg on 2 July 1863.  Sometime before 4 pm Major Henry had the guns placed on the crest of Warfield Ridge, in front of Confederate John Bell Hood’s Division.  This was the right wing of the Confederate line of battle that day. The ground was open and the sight lines to Devils Den and Little Round Top were good.  Reilly’s men brought six pieces to the field, 2 Napoleons, 2 three inch rifles and 2 ten pound Parrotts.

During the long cannonade on 2 July, as the Confederate enescholon attack was being made, one of the Rowan’s rifled pieces burst.  The gun was replaced that night by a captured Union 10 pounder, most likely from Smith’s 4th New York Independent Battery.

On 3 July Major Henry had Reilly move two of his guns; the Parrotts, to the far right of the Confederate line.  It was these 2 guns which took part in repelling a Union cavalry charge made by Brigadier General Elon Farnsworth at about 5 pm.  The last of the action on the Gettysburg Battlefield.

The Savior Of Culp's Hill

Brigadier General George Sears Greene was the Union commander of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division of the 12th Corps on Culp's Hill during the fight there on July 2 and 3. His brigade was made up of 5 New York Regiments. Greene was the oldest commander on the field at 62.


George Sears Greene was born in Rhode Island 6May1801. He came from an old military family, being a descendant of General Nathaniel Greens. George graduated second in his class at West Point in 1823. After serving in the military doing artillery duty and teaching math at West Point, Greene left the service in 1835. He would become a Civil Engineer, including building a reservoir for the New York City Dept of Water Supply which was used until the 1990's.

With the coming of the Civil War Greene returned to the Army and was given command 28Apr1862 of the 60th New York. He led this Regiment at the Battle of Antietam.

On the July 1 the General Greene and the 3rd Brigade marched to the Little Round Top area and spent the night.

On July 2 at day break Brigadier General John W Geary's 2nd Division of which the 3rd Brigade was part were ordered to the Union right on Culp's Hill. Although Geary didn't see the need, Greene ordered his men to build breastworks. With the left of the Union line being pummeled, the 12th Corps were ordered by General Meade to move to the left, leaving only Greene's men to defend the hill. At 7pm Greene's men would be attacked by Confederates. The men would recive reinforcement from Brigader General Thomas L Kane brigade. Around 10pm that night the fight would end. The rest of the Twelfth Corps would return to the hill abouth mid-night.

When Greene died 28Jan1899, as was his request, a rock from on top of Culp's Hill was moved to Rhode Island to used as his cemetery stone.