"This Spring I have been doing a series of watercolors in Hunterstown, PA. In an effort to save the town from wanton development, the local historical society (www.hunterstown1863.com) has been trying to draw attention to the important but little known role that Hunterstown played in the Battle of Gettysburg. At this juncture, I have done paintings of nearly every Civil War era building in the town (vide Hunterstown Prints). Several of these buildings are immediately at risk of destruction or of such radical modification that their historical value would be severely compromised. Only last year a farmer tore down a barn that hid Custer's troops in his ploy to ambush Hampton's cavalry on the second day of the Gettysburg Campaign. Hunterstown has existed since Colonial times: Indians traded with early settlers along Beaver Dam Creek there, George Washington stopped to have his horse shod at the Tate Farm blacksmith shop, people have worshipped at the Great Conewago Presbyterian Church site since before the stone church was completed in1784. The watercolors are an effort to show what of the Civil War or older is extant at the present day and to demonstrate the town's importance as an historic relic. It is a shame to allow the shortsightedness and greed of a few to destroy a heritage which once lost can never be recovered. Hunterstown truly has much the same potential for restoration as Colonial Williamsburg did; would that another John D. Rockefeller Jr. could be found."

"Ranger Troy Harman and LBG Mike Vallone stirred up some controversy a couple years ago when they speculated that Custer's foray from Hunterstown into the left rear of the Confederates was not accidental but part of a larger tactical plan to thwart Rebel action.

For those not familiar with this action, at about 4:30 pm on July 2 Custer led a brigade with horse artillery south from Hunterstown that struck at the rear of a column of Wade Hampton's brigade. Some of us are calling this area "North Cavalry Field" to connect it with the larger battle. (To read Troy's battle account, Click the "Battle History" Tab)

Today I came across a message in an out-of-print book by David F. Riggs in which he quotes a rather dramatic message:

4 P.M. July 2
Custer--
Ewell is knocking the hell out of Howard on Culp's Hill. If H cannot hold ground, we are flanked. Cut E's communications; harass his rear; at all hazards relieve pressure on H.
Kilpatrick

Now some of this doesn't make sense, particularly since Howard was not on Culp's Hill (Slocum was). According to Ewell, "about 5 p.m., when General Longstreet's guns opened, General Johnson commenced a heavy cannonade... against the Cemetery Hill." Howard was on Cemetery Hill, and it is generally agreed that Longstreet's guns opened around 4:00, not 5:00. Major Osborn, commanding Howard's artillery, reported that "at the time the heavy attack was made on the extreme left of our line, the firing was especially severe, and especially on the [Cemetery] hill. They engaged the greater portion of our whole line, and from both the right and the left of the town much of the fire was concentrated on our position."

How quickly could word be transmitted to Pleasonton to Kilpatrick and then to Custer? I would have thought it would take some time, but the Union signal corps did a fine job during most of the battle and perhaps it was done promptly.

Kilpatrick reported "Received orders from headquarters Cavalry Corps, through Brigadier-General Gregg, to move over to the road leading from Gettysburg to Abbotstown, and see that the enemy did not turn our flank." That OR report fits nicely with this message and seems to confirm it. Kilpatrick went on to say "Was attacked by Stuart, Hampton, and Lee at sundown near Hunterstown." Since sundown was about 7:30, that suggests that the fight at Hunterstown may have occurred a bit later than the commonly supposed 4:30.

This is certainly something to chew on, but it sure seems to me likely that Custer was not simply "out there patrolling" and just happened upon elements of the enemy forces. And it is also evidence that cavalry action between Custer and Stuart was integrally related to the larger battle and not isolated from it. My thoughts, anyway."