Confederate Headquarters – Longstreet’s First Corps
The monument to McLaws’s Division of the Army of Northern Virginia is southwest of Gettysburg on West Confederate Avenue. (West Confederate Avenue – Pt. 5 tour map) A position marker is in front of the Black Horse Tavern on Fairfield Road.
Monument to McLaws’ Division of the Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg
Text from the monument
Army of Northern Virginia
First Army Corps
McLaws Division Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws
Kershaw’s Brigade Brig. Gen. J. B. Kershaw
Barksdale’s Brigade Brig. Gen. William Barksdale
Col. B. G. Humphreys
Semmes’ Brigade Brig. Gen. R J. Semmes
Col. George Bryan
Wofford’s Brigade Brig Gen. W. T Wofford
Artillery Battalion
Four Batteries Col. H. C. Cabell
July 1. The Division reached Marsh Creek four miles from Gettysburg after dark.
July 2. The Division was placed in position facing the Union line on the Emmitsburg Road. About 4 P. M. the batteries opened on the position the Division pressing to the front and the Union troops retiring to the hill in rear. The battle continued until nearly night when a strong Union force met the supporting Division which was cooperating on the left and drove one brigade back and checked the support of the other brigade exposing the left. It was thought prudent not to push further until other troops of the Corps came up. The Division was withdrawn to the first position of Union troops resting at the Peach Orchard the conflict to be renewed in the morning when other orders were received.
July 3. With the exception of severe skirmishing the Division was not engaged and after night disposition were made to withdraw.
July 4. The Division took up the line of march during the night.
Casualties Killed 313 Wounded 1538 Captured or Missing 327 Total 2178
About General McLaws
The division was commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg by Major General Lafayette McLaws. McLaws was a career army officer from Augusta, Georgia. He attended West Point with James Longstreet (West Point Class of 1842) and fought in the Mexican War. He married the daughter of Zachary Taylor, which made him a cousin of Jefferson Davis.
See more on the life and career of Lafayette McLaws
Confederate Major General Lafayette McLaws
Location of the monument
The monument to McLaws’s Division is southwest of Gettysburg on the west side of West Confederate Avenue. It is at the south end of the parking area for the observation tower. (39°47’57.6″N 77°15’22.1″W)
Position marker for McLaws’s and Pickett’s Divisions
From the marker by Black Horse Tavern
Army of Northern Virginia
Longstreet’s Corps
McLaws’s and Pickett’s Divisions
July 1 McLaws’s Division arrived late in the day and camped in this vicinity.
July 2 In the morning McLaws’s Division moved on the road towards Gettysburg but turning to the right half mile this side of Willoughby Run and crossing that stream lower down formed line as marked on the Battlefield. Pickett’s Division marched by this place in the afternoon but followed the other road with some deflections to avoid being seen by the Union Signal Corps and crossing Willoughby Run lay that night in the west side of Spangler’s Woods.
Location of the position marker at Black Horse Tavern
The tavern is about two and a half miles southwest of Gettysburg on the north side of Fairfield Road (Pennsylvania Route 116) at its intersection with Black Horse Tavern Road. (39°49’08.4″N 77°17’01.9″W)