What Happened at the Devil's Den at the Battle of Gettysburg

Thank you my military history advocate friend MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. for posting warfarehistorynetwork.com account of this Civil War summary of the assaults by Confederate forces under CSA Maj Gen John Bell Hood's and CSA Maj Gen Lafayette Mclaw's Division of CSA Lt Gen James Longstreet's I Corp on July 2, 1863.

Local Pennsylvanians had called this are Devil's Den since well before this bloody confrontation.
The slaughter pen in Devil's Den is infamous. The CSA forces managed to control Devil's Dean by the end of July 2 and lost it the next day - both events at considerable cost

Images:
1. CSA Maj Gen John Bell Hood’s Division and CSA Maj Gen Lafayette Mclaw’s Division assault on Devil's Den, July 2, 1863. Battle Map
2. Staged picture of dead Confederate Sniper at Devils Den July 1863
3. CSA Lt Gen James Longstreet's I corps assault on Devil's Den, July 2, 1863
4. CSA Lt Gen John Bell Hood in 1864
5. Federal Maj Gen Daniel Sickles
6. Devils Den Battle of Gettysburg midafternoon on July 3, 1863 LT Gen James Longstreet’s I Corp attack
7. Gettysburg, PA - A dead Confederate soldier in Gettysburg dear Devil's Den. It has been pretty much confirmed that this is the soldier that Alexander Gardner dragged to the sniper's den.

The Slaughter at Devil's Den (Gettysburg) | History Traveler Episode 132
One of bloodiest and most sinister looking parts of the Gettysburg battlefield has to be the rocky area known as Devil's Den. It was here that Confederates from Hood's division attacked the Union left flank on July 2, 1863 which resulted in some of the most brutal fighting during the entire 3 day battle. We're taking a look at Devil's Den the way that few have before by getting off of the beaten path and walking the ground in the same way that the men who fought there did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm4ejprFj3o


Background from {[civilwarsesquicentdaily-wolfshield.blogspot.com/search?q=July+2%2C+1863/]}
Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Day 2: The day opens with most of the remainder of the Army of the Potomac gathered (except for the VI Corps), and the Army of Northern Virginia is gathered with the exception of Picketts’ division from Longstreet’s Corps, which was still toiling up from the rear with the Confederate wagon trains. Lee and his generals consider their options. Cemetery Hill is heavily fortified now, so an attack on that position is out of the question.
Lee decides on a two-part assault on Meade’s flanks. Ewell, using Johnson’s division---his only fresh troops---would conduct a diversionary and probing attack on the Union right, on Culp’s Hill. Longstreet, with his only two divisions (McLaws and Hood) and with Anderson’s division from Hill, will mount an attack on the extreme Union left, with the attempt to take Little Round Top, a hill that dominates the battlefield.
Meade, on the other hand, places Slocum’s XII Corps to cover Culp’s Hill (really, two hills) and Hancock’s II Corps in the center and Sickles’ III Corps to cover the extreme left flank. Sykes’ V Corps has just come up, and Meade plans to put them to Sickles’ left. The VI Corps is to remain in reserve. Sickles is not satisfied with his position, however, and---against orders---marches his corps out the Emmitsburg Road to a high piece of ground where a peach orchard stands, and arranges his two divisions in an advanced position at an exposed angle from the rest of the Union line. Significantly, his arrangement leaves Little Round Top uncovered.
Longstreet has to march his two divisions on a circuitous route, finding that because of Sickles’ shifted line, his original point of attack would leave his advance exposed. After counter-marching at about 1:00 PM, he finally has McLaws lined up, and Hood on his right, on the far left of the Union position---although instead of attacking up the Emmitsburg, perpendicular to the road, as Lee wished, both divisions were lined up parallel to the road. At 4:00 PM, Hood’s division goes forward, almost skirting the flank of Sickles’ men. However, parts of Robertson’s and G.T. Anderson’s brigades smash into the Yankees of Ward’s brigade in a tangle of boulders called Devil’s Den.
Laws, Hood’s advance has been discovered by Brig. Gen. Gouverneur Warren and a signal team on Little Round Top, and they send a message to headquarters. Gen. Hancock forwards recently-arrived elements of the V Corps to the hill, who arrive literally minutes before Hood’s troops sweep to the top. These newly-arrived troops, specifically Strong’s brigade from Barnes’ division, and Weed’s brigade from Ayres’s division, put up a heroic defense of Little Round Top, against a series of attacks. Of particular note is Strong’s brigade, as several assaults by portions of three regiments sweep up the vale between the Round Tops to flank the Federal position: they are beaten off by the heroic efforts of the 20th Maine, led by Col. J.L. Chamberlain. Chamberlain leads his regiment, as a last resort, in a bayonet charge captures several hundred prisoners and breaks the back of the Rebel assault on the Union left.
Hood’s incessant attacks still almost take Little Round Top, after savage fighting in the rocky boulder formation called the Devils’ Den. Both sides feed more troops into the fray. Hood himself is badly wounded, and his battered brigades have lost nearly have of their strength. By 5:30, McLaws launches his attack, smashing into Sickles’ angle at the Peach Orchard and the Wheat Field. Brigade commanders Barksdale and Semmes are both killed, and the Confederate troops are badly mauled, but Sickles’ lines break from the pressure.
Whole units are surrounded and captured. Sickles suffers a leg severed by a cannon ball. He insists on a tourniquet, and being carried off the field while sitting up and flourishing a huge cigar. Hancock sends in more troops to stem the tide. But Hancock keeps feeding troops from his own II Corps into the hole, as well as troops from the XII Corps and a few from VI Corps.
Richard Anderson’s division from Hill’s Corps moves forward, attacking the II Corps position north of the III Corps disaster. At one point, eight companies of the 1st Minnesota Infantry, only 262 men, is sent by him to counterattack Wilcox’s Brigade (about 1,600 strong) advancing into a hole in the Union line. The Minnesotans plunge into the Rebels, and the shock stops Wilcox in his tracks, resisting repeated attacks. The 1st Minnesota suffers the highest percentage of casualties of any single regiment in a battle---83.1%. Only 47 men returned. Otherwise, A.P. Hill’s attack on the Union center (of which Wilcox’s advance is part) ends up causing ineffectual damage. Gen. Pender is mortally wounded.
Even though Longstreet has smashed the III Corps, his men do not have enough strength to hit the new line that Hancock has cobbled together.
Ewell’s planned attack on Culp’s Hill does not happen until later, almost at dusk. Furious fighting ensues as Avery and Hays from Early’s division attack the east side of Cemetery Hill in a supporting role, and are beaten off. Col. Avery is killed. As Edward “Alleghany” Johnson’s division attacks, the heavy woods and gathering darkness cause confusion and miscues. But the Federal position is in jeopardy: Meade has stripped the Union right to reinforce the center to the point that only one reinforced brigade, Green’s, is left to cover Culp’s Hill. At one point, one of Johnson’s brigades captures a section of the Federal entrenchments and find them empty. Apparently, troops had been reassigned without being replaced. At no great distance behind Culp’s Hill lies parked the Union reserve artillery. But the darkness and lack of reinforcements convinces Johnson not to overextend, as the Yankees rush back XII Corps to reinforce their position.
Although the First Day of the battle has been a clear Confederate victory, the Second Day is clearly a draw, and a frustrating check to Confederate ambitions. The Union line, shaped like a fishhook from Little Round Top to Culp’s Hill, remains a formidable object. That night, Meade holds a council with his commanders, who vote to stay in their position."

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Great unit-level detail on this one Dale and several tidbits I had not known - thanks for the share as always!

The Fight for Devil's Den at Gettysburg: Gettysburg 158 Live!
The term "Devil's Den" elicits a variety of unpleasant images. On the afternoon of July 2, 1863, this jumble of boulders in South Central Pennsylvania played host to one of the fiercest struggles of the American Civil War. Join American Battlefield Trust Chief Historian Garry Adelman as he explores the story of the battle, the boulder-strewn landscape, and why this area became known as Devil's Den.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBpeA7jxsTs

Images: details below
1. Jones detachment of the 44th Alabama as they reach the top of the gorge and prepare to enter the Slaughter Pen by Devil's Den.
2. 4th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment volley fire into the Slaughter Pen by Devil's Den.
3. 48th Alabama above Devil's Den preparing to enter the Slaughter Pen with the 4th Main Volunteer infantry at front right.
4. Charge of the 40th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment into Devil’s Den

Background from
a. historynet.com/devils-den-gettysburg
b. diographics.com/devils-den]

a. Background from {[historynet.com/devils-den-gettysburg/]}
THE DEVIL’S DEN
FACTS ABOUT DEVIL’S DEN DURING THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
Casualties At Devil's Den GettysburgLocation: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Adams County.
Generals: Union General: Major General David Bell Birney | Confederate General: Major General John Bell Hood
Soldiers Engaged: Union Army: 2,400 | Confederate Army: 5,500
Outcome: Confederate victory
Dates: July 2, 1863
Important Events: Major General John Bell Hood wounded, forced to yield command
Casualties: Union: 800 | Confederate: 1,800

DEVIL’S DEN SUMMARY
Devil’s Den is the name given to a ridge strewn with large boulders south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and about 500 yards west of Little Round Top on the Battle Of Gettysburg battlefield. The origin of the name is uncertain. On July 2, 1863, the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the area around Devil’s Den saw intense fighting as part of General Robert E. Lee’s flank attacks, when Lieutenant General James Longstreet’s Confederate corps attacked the divisions of Major General Daniel Sickles’ III Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Some 5,500 Confederates from Major General John Bell Hood’s division ultimately captured Devil’s Den from 2,400 defenders drawn from Major General David Bell Birney’s division. It was one of the few Southern successes in that day’s fighting. Total casualty estimates are over 800 for the Union, more than 1,800 among the Confederates.

THE FIGHTING AROUND DEVIL’S DEN
The broken ground of Devil’s Den lies in the angle between Plum Run and a small tributary branch. The steep eastern face becomes a ridge running to the west, some 100 feet lower than nearby Little Round Top. Between the two, Plum Run creates a valley where the ground is marshy in places. Many of the boulders in Devil’s Den are over 20 feet high.
Major General Daniel Sickles, whose III Corps occupied the low, southern end of the Union position on Cemetery Ridge, decided a rise where a wheatfield lay some three-quarter mile to his front offered a better position. He moved his corps forward to occupy the wheatfield, a peach orchard north of it, and Devil’s Den to the southwest.
One of Sickles’ brigades—that of Brigadier General John Henry Hobart Ward, comprised of six regiments and two companies of sharpshooters—occupied the area along Emmitsburg Road near Devil’s Den. The 4th Maine Regiment was positioned east of Plum Run while the rest of the brigade—20th Indiana, 86th New York and 124th New York—were on the opposite side. Atop the crest of the ridge were four 10-pound Parrott rifles of Captain James Smith’s 4th New York Independent Battery.
Around 4:00 p.m., Hood’s division launched its assault. Hood himself was put out of the battle when shell fragments struck his arm; it would hang useless for the rest of his life.
The 1st Texas and 3rd Arkansas of Brig. Gen. Jerome B. Robertson’s brigade struck Ward’s line west of Devil’s Den, and the 44th and 48th Alabama of Brig. Gen. Evander Law’s brigade came up Plum Run Valley on the east side. Intense, stand-up fighting ensued. Ward called for his 99th Pennsylvania Regiment to join the fight and reinforce the troops along Plum Run.
A second Confederate wave, the brigades of brigadier generals Henry Benning and George "Tige" Anderson—all Georgia regiments—attempted to exploit a gap between Ward’s brigade and that of Regis de Trobriand in the wheatfield. Anderson’s men were repulsed.
After severe fighting, the Texans captured three of Smith’s guns. The 40th New York and 6th New Jersey were pulled from the wheatfield to do battle in an area that would become known as the "Slaughter Pen," where they covered the retreat of Ward’s men.
After Ward’s retreat, Confederate sharpshooters moved into the boulder-strewn Devil’s Den, firing at the Federals atop Little Round Top with telling effect, dropping officers and artillerymen. Reportedly, among their victims were Brig. Gen. Steven D. Weed and 1st Lieutenant Charles Hazlett, whose cannon were supporting the infantry of Weed and Colonel Strong Vincent. By day’s end, Hood’s men still held Devil’s Den."

b. Background from {[diographics.com/devils-den]} for the posted images
Background on image 1. "Just to the east and south of the Devil’s Den, Plum Run descends through area covered with small boulders. Sometimes described as a gorge this acre of land was of little note prior to July 2, 1863. As Hood’s Division attacked the left of the Union army its flank initially sat upon the rocks of Devil’s Den. The shortest path around that flank led directly up Plum Run through the gorge. Two Alabama regiments, the 44th and 48th headed in that direction while the rest of Law’s Brigade filtered through the woods towards Little Round Top. First to arrive, the 44th Alabama was physically split by the rocks of Devil’s Den . Their Left moved up the south end of Houck’s Ridge and the right under Lt. Col. John Jones-was forced into the 75 yards of moon like terrain between Devils Den and the Round Top Woods. There the 4th Maine confronted them. This ground remained contested for the next hour and a half, and eventually casualties littered the area. The ground remained between the lines for two days and the Confederates were unable to recover their casualties. Within a few days photographer Alexander Gardner arrived and chronicled the gruesome scene as “The Slaughter Pen.” Here we see in the foreground the Jones detachment of the 44th Alabama as they reach the top of the gorge. Off to the left shooters from Company F of the 4th Maine harass the Alabamans from the Rocks of Devil’s Den. (they would shortly be captured by the remainder of the 44th ) The rest of the 4th Maine stands astride Plum Rum but are threatened by the 48th Alabama who has just erupted out of the woods to the right. In the background the 4th and 5th Texas are making their initial attack on Vincent’s Brigade on the slopes of Little Round Top."

Background on image 2. "While the 20th Maine enjoys much celebration for holding the south flank of the Union Army at Gettysburg, another regiment from Maine shared that challenge. At the time of the Southern attack on Day 2, the 4th Maine sat on the Union flank just atop Houck’s Ridge adjacent to an impressive rock formation now known as Devil’s Den. As Hood’s brigade moved off Warfield Ridge it became clear that the exposed flank of Dan Sickles’ tenuous twisted line was in jeopardy. At the urging of Captain James Smith, who feared the loss of his 4th NY Battery, General Hobart Ward ordered Col. Elijah Walker and his regiment down into the valley behind Houck’s Ridge. Walker was not happy to leave his strong position but he moved his 241 troops(leaving one company to secure the rocks) into the valley behind the ridge. From there the Regiment faced south toward an unseen but inevitable attack. To the left was the wooded lower ledge of Big Round Top. To the right was a small gorge filled with boulders. A broken line of Southern troops could be seen picking their way up the gorge. More dangerous was the report of troops coming from the woods to the left.
In the foreground is left flank of the 4th Maine. The 48th Alabama is threatening their left and the Jones detachment of the 44th has just cleared the rocky gorge. In the background is the Slyder Farm and on the right is the Devils Den “table “rock. The 4th would hold this position long enough for Vincent’s Brigade to establish its position on Little Round Top. Later the 4th fixed bayonets and charged up Houck’s Ridge (to the right) to retake Smith’s Battery, which had ironically fallen to a frontal attack. The 4th took 50% casualties that day including a severe wound to Colonel Walker. The valley they defended eventually became known as the Valley of Death, as 3 more hours of battle ended with the area a no man’s land of dead and wounded from each side.

Background on image 3 "The 48th Alabama was recruited from the Sand Hill region of Northeast Alabama and sometimes were known as the “Mountaineers.” The new regiment came east in the Spring of 1862 and were part of Stonewall Jackson’s “foot cavalry.” With some fortune prior to Gettysburg the 48th only took heavy losses at Sharpsburg. At Gettysburg the 48th was part of Law’s Brigade in Hood’s Division. In the early hours of July 2, 1863 the 48th arose and its 374 men made a 26 mile march from Chambersburg to the scene of battle. Barely having time to rest the 48th took its spot on the far right wing of Longstreet’s attack on the Union line. Due to some misdirection within the Brigade the 48th was moved off the left and directed to assist the 44th Alabama in taking a Union battery perched atop the rocks of Devil’s Den. Taking a path to flank the battery they moved, true to their nickname, through the wooded lower portion of Round Top.
In the scene above the 48th emerges from the woods to attack the 4th Maine. Below are the rocks of Devil’s Den. In the far distance is South Mountain, which the 48th had marched over that morning. To the left the 44th Alabama struggles through the rocks of the Slaughter Pen. Colonel James Sheffield observes the attack as a courier approaches him with a vital message. Shortly before General Hood was wounded by an exploding artillery shell and forced off the field. With that Evander Law would assume command of the Division and Sheffield would take over Law’s Brigade. This change caused great confusion for the rest to the day for the entire division. The 48th continued pushing back both the 4th Maine and later the 40th New York from what became known as the Valley of Death. The day was not over for the Mountaineers as they then joined in on the attack on the most valuable territory in the sector-Little Round Top. After clearing the Union Troops out of the Valley the 48th wheeled right and attacked straight up the open rocky slope. Initially, the 48th seemed to turn the tide. The 16th Michigan began to turn and withdraw. The summit and Hazlett’s battery were open for conquest. In moments the 48th came under heavy fire from its left as Paddy O’Rourke’s large 140th NY poured over the crest of the hill sending the Southerners back. The attacks resulted in 106 casualties. Officers were hit especially hard and by evening the Regiment was commanded by Lieutenants Burk and Ewing.

Background on image 4. "The 40th New York was organized in 1861. It's nickname “The Mozart Regiment” came from it’s sponsor, the New York Mozart Hall, a political opponent of Tammany Hall. The 40th was part of as part of French-born Colonel Philippe Regis DeTrobriand’s Brigade of the III Corps. As the fighting commenced on July 2nd 1863 the 40th , commanded by Colonel Thomas Egan, was stationed in the woods on Stony Hill. As the pressure increased on Ward’s brigade in the Devils Den area, Division Commander General David Birney pulled the 40th from its position near the center of the III corps line to shore up the left. The 40th moved across the relatively placid Wheatfield and over a stone wall into the valley due East of Little Round Top.
There they formed a battle line straddling Plum Run facing south. On Little Round Top the struggle for that vital hill had just commenced, but in the valley below only 2 cannons of Smith’s 4th NY Artillery opposed the southern forces that had flanked Devil’s Den and threatened to sweep below and past Little Round Top. Reacting aggressively the 40th charged down the valley that was to become known as the “Valley of Death.” The 430 New Yorkers swept the Confederate forces back into the Woods and the rocks of the Slaughter Pen Gorge. With Ward’s Brigade starting to withdraw on their right, the 40th had to abandon their advanced position having suffered 150 casualties. Covering Ward's brigade as they retired they witnessed the arrival of fresh Union troops from the II and V Corps who assured that Southern forces were unable to make significant progress in the valley that devolved into a bloody no man’s land.
Here we see the Mozart Regiment at their furthest point of advance. The rocks of Devils Den are just out of sight to the right. In the center background is a curious boulder known as Elephant Rock. Amid the smoke on either side the Georgians of Benning’s Brigade move to tip the scales to the South and the Alabama regiments of Law’s Brigade blunt the 40th’s charge from behind the rocks of the Slaughter Pen. The Slyder Farm is visible in the distance.


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