Major General Henry Heth’s Division, led by Maj. William Pegram’s artillery battalion, set out for Gettysburg about 5:00 a.m. on July 1. Heth suspected a Federal force occupied the town, but did not know its character or strength. Regardless, he intended to push it away and enter the town on reconnaissance.
Watching for Heth just east of Marsh Creek were videttes of Brig. Gen. John Buford’s First Cavalry Division. Buford occupied Gettysburg with two brigades under Cols. William Gamble and Thomas C. Devin, slightly more than 2,700 troopers. Buford’s third brigade under Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt was still near Mechanicstown, Maryland, guarding his trains and watching the mountain passes. When the head of Heth’s column reached Marsh Creek, one of Buford’s men fired—the discharge was the first shot of the battle.1
The opening fire prompted Gamble to send more men from his regiments to the reserve line along Herr Ridge and to the west to reinforce his skirmishers. They dismounted, and every fourth man led the horses back to McPherson Ridge. Heth sent out a skirmish line both north and south of the Chambersburg Pike, which outnumbered Buford’s men 5 to 1. Pushed heavily on the front and flanks, Gamble’s troopers (assisted by some of Devin’s men) waged a fighting withdrawal toward Herr Ridge. Pegram’s cannons unlimbered and added their metal to the mismatch developing west of town. Heth held a firm advantage in both numbers and firepower, but the sharp resistance offered by Buford’s troopers slowed his advance to a crawl.2
The Federal skirmishers gave ground stubbornly for about one and one-half miles while Buford readied the rest of his men on McPherson Ridge. His artillery consisted of one battery of six 3-inch ordnance rifles under Lt. John Calef. This “flying artillery” was lighter and more mobile than the guns associated with the infantry. Calef had spent the prior evening near the Lutheran Seminary south of Chambersburg Pike. To give the impression of strong artillery support, Buford ordered Calef to disperse his guns. One section under Lt. John Roder deployed on McPherson Ridge north of Chambersburg Pike. A second section under Sgt. Joseph Newman dropped trail on the opposite side of the road near the McPherson farm. The last section, under Sgt. Charles Pergel, unlimbered in the southeast corner of McPherson Woods.3
Colonel Gamble’s brigade held Buford’s left half of his line. Gamble positioned the 3rd Indiana (six companies) to the right of the unfinished railroad cut north of Chambersburg Pike. The 12th Illinois (four companies) occupied the area between the cut and the road. Colonel George Chapman of the 3rd Indiana commanded both regiments. The 8th Illinois deployed between the road and McPherson Woods, and the 8th New York anchored the left of the line just south of the woods. Colonel Devin’s brigade was deployed north of the railroad cut, aligned from left to right as follows: 3rd West Virginia – 6th New York – 9th New York – 17th Pennsylvania. The right flank of the 17th Pennsylvania covered the Mummasburg Road.4
Heth’s skirmishers, eight companies from Brig. Gen. James Archer’s Brigade, approached McPherson Ridge. Buford reinforced his line and the fighting intensified. Heth responded by deploying more men from Archer’s and Brig. Gen. Joe Davis’ brigades, now moving in battle line. The rest of the division waited in column along the road. When it became obvious the fight was more than he was expecting, Heth deployed the balance of his first two infantry brigades. It was about 9:30 a.m. Davis’ men fell into line north of Chambersburg Pike; Archer’s infantry regiments formed south of the road.5
As Heth’s infantry began their slow advance upon McPherson Ridge, the First Brigade of Maj. Gen. John Reynolds’ I Corps, commanded by Brig. Gen. Lysander Cutler, arrived on the field and quickly approached Chambersburg Pike. Buford and his men had masterfully completed their task.