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Re: 56th Pa flag lost at Gettysburg day 1

Shawn,

My apologies for not replying back when this discussion initially took place, but hopefully you are still monitoring the message board.

My own research has not placed much credibility in the claim of the 2nd Mississippi capturing a flag of the 56th Pennsylvania. No primary source I have found discusses the capture of any colors nor hand-to-hand fighting in the initial clash of Davis's and Cutler's brigades on McPherson Ridge. The initial fight sounded like pretty much a "stand-up" fight with the regiments deployed on the volley line facing each other until finally the 76th NY and 56th PA were ordered to retreat, the 147th NY not getting the order and then being swamped by Davis's three regiments. This is not to say that the incident could not have occurred, but I have my doubts.

However, members of the 2nd and 42nd Miss were involved in the capture of at least one of the flags of the 149th PA (still unsure whether it was the State or Federal colors, since both were apparently lost during the incident). Since I don't have the Osprey book, does it reference any primary source for the claim of the 56th PA losing its flag to the 2nd Mississippi? I have seen the claim made in other secondary sources, but again, have pretty much discounted them based on my own research.

Thanks...

Mike Brasher

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Re: 56th Pa flag lost at Gettysburg day 1
Re: 56th Pa flag lost at Gettysburg day 1
Re: 56th Pa flag lost at Gettysburg day 1
Re: 56th Pa flag lost at Gettysburg day 1
Re: 56th Pa flag lost at Gettysburg day 1
Re: 56th Pa flag lost at Gettysburg day 1