On arriving at the Luthern seminary General Reynolds voice bellows to General
Buford on top of the steeple ” WHAT GOES JOHN ” General Buford, who has anxiously been awaiting his Commanders arival retorts, ” Their is a Devil to pay !! ” CAN YOU HOLD..? says his Commanding General. I reckon I can..says Buford. Immediatley General Buford climbs back down the stairs from the steeple he has climbed several times since 5:00 A.M. On July 1st. 1863.

After reporting the current conditions to Gen. Reynolds, The Commanding General has quickly and assuredly ascertained the conditions and at once orders his troops to be placed on line. He of course knows Heaths division is advancing from Herrs ridge to the Willougby run and attempting to further push back Gen. Buford’s dismounted calvary brigade. Instinctively, Maj.General John Reynolds { the 2nd overall Commander of the Army of the Potomic,} starts deploying troops to halt Heth’s advance. This is the point where history is changed forever. While still personally deploying the Wisconsin Iron Brigade into the Herbst Woods about a mile only from the seminary he goes to the edge of the woods and orders the Iron Brigade to advance. He orders, ” Get these fellows, out of the Woods.” referring to advance troops of Archers Brigade. He than says, Charge Iron Brigade. Charge!! for God sakes Charge!!!

At this point, Major General John Reynolds was struck behind his right ear by a Rebel Mini ball. He died instantly. I contend that this Rebel Bullet that killed General Reynolds was the greatest single death of the Civil War. Even more than the death of Stonewall Jackson. If Reynolds lives he very soon would have been the final Commander of the Army of the Potomoc. The War would of ended at least a year earlier. He was THAT Good!!!!! Certainly, at that point on day 1 of the battle of Gettysburg. He would of continue to crush Archer’s Brigade and Penders division would of suffered great losses. Even in death his quick thinking and orders to General Doubleday, and General Hancock secured the Heights Southeast of Gettysburg from Culps hill to the round tops. you should ask yourself, what really would of happened, if General Reynolds was not killed that fateful day?

Another good question is, What would of happened if General Thomas “stonewall”
is not killed at Chancelorville, and was there at Gettysburg. Most assuredly, he would of instantly known exactly General Robert E. Lee wanted when he sent the messenger to gen. Ewell. ” All I want now is to secure the heights South of town. Tell General Ewell to take that hill if practicable.” Obvious what he meant was DO IT!!!! Stonewall Jackson not only would have known this but would of done this and Culps Hill, and Cemetary hill would have been in the hands of the Army of Northern Virginia at the end of day 1 of the battle of Gettysburg.

This would of put tremendous pressure on general Mead and would of caused either huge and unacceptable Northern losses are a comlete re-deployment of the entire federal Army which certainly would of favored The South. the fate of nations and countless lives hung on the 2 words ” If Practicable ” There would of never been a pickets charge… In any event General Pender was doomed…

Gen. j. P. Welby