Chapter 7: the Gettysburg campaign
- The final March to Gettysburg -- position of 121st at Gettysburg -- prompt pursuit of Lee
The reoccupation of its old position in the vicinity of Fredericksburg by the Army of the Potomac was of short duration. General Lee made that impossible by beginning another advance toward Washington by way of the Shenandoah Valley and to defeat this movement, General Hooker, who had recovered his energy, and had spent the intervening time in refitting and restoring the shattered morale of his army, began a rapid movement northward, virtually over the same ground on which the advance had been made. The first feature of this movement was another crossing of the river at the old place, called Franklin's Crossing. This movement began on the 6th of June, and the crossing was made by Howe's Division on the 6th with little loss. The 1st Division crossed on the evening of the 6th, occupying about the same ground as on the previous crossing. Rifle pits were immediately dug and preparations made to resist attack. But none was made. Several days transpired and then the Corps recrossed the river and prepared for the march northward by sending everything and everybody that were not needed to Washington. In the race with Lee's army for Pennsylvania and Gettysburg, the Sixth Corps brought up the rear and the rearmost position was assigned to the 121st. It was sent down the river several miles with orders to establish a picket line from the river towards White Oak Church. By the 14th of June it became
