DOUBLEDAY, Abner (1819–1893). Autograph manuscript account of the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, with 14 annotated maps. [c.1870s/80s].

"Gen. Doubleday orders the First Corps to retreat under cover of a severe artillery fire from Seminary Ridge. Buford's cavalry deploy on the left, fight dismounted, and prevent the enemy from turning that flank."

Important and detailed eyewitness account from General Doubleday, from the unexpected start of the battle to his eventual retreat and the arrival of General Meade. The present manuscript weighs in on several important and often controversial aspects of the first day of battle, including Doubleday's battlefield performance in the first hours of fighting, the retreat of Union forces through the town of Gettysburg and the time at which Hancock arrived and took command of the field from Howard.

Square notebook (207 × 170mm), 20 pages of text written in black and red ink, nine printed maps of the battlefield with manuscript battlefront and other campaign details in green, red, yellow and black ink, four maps on tissue paper overlays, one folding map (227 × 207). Contemporary green cloth, titling in gold on upper cover (few marks, spine scratched); custom blue slipcase and chemise. Provenance: sale, Walpole Galleries, New York, 26 June 1916, lot 82 – John Gribbel (St. Austell Hall bookplate; his sale, Parke-Bernet, New York, 30 October 1940, lot 181) – Clendenin J. Ryan (his sale, Parke-Bernet, New York, 5 November 1958, lot 54) – Elsie O. and Philip D. Sang Foundation (their sale, Sotheby’s, New York, 20 June 1979, lot 690).

Abner Doubleday (1819–1893) saw the Civil War from start to finish, aiming the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter in 1861 and later taking command of a portion of Washington's defenses against Early's raid of the city in 1864. When Major General John F. Reynolds was killed in the early hours of the Battle of Gettysburg on 1 July 1863, command of the 1st Corps passed to Doubleday.

Referring to himself in the third person (Doubleday wrote a number of histories of the Civil War after the conflict's end), Doubleday details how the first day of Battle of Gettysburg unfolded, from 6am to midnight, accompanied by his maps which chart how the battlefield developed. He starts he account: “6. A.M. July 1st. 1863. The Confederate general A.P. Hill advances with two divisions of his corps to take possession of Gettysburg, which is only held by Buford’s division of cavalry.”

A few entries later we come to the fatal moment that would change Doubleday’s life and reputation: “10.10. A.M. Meredith’s brigade (commonly called the Iron brigade) is ordered into the woods by the Corps Commander Genl. Doubleday who has ridden up from the rear of the column at Marsh Creek. At this juncture Genl. Reynolds rides goes into the woods in advance of the troops and is killed. Genl. Doubleday then takes charge of the battle.”

Doubleday's maps, showing the placement and movement of Union and Confederate bridges as the battle unfolded, make highlight the attempted defense of Gettysburg and the Confederate's increasing and eventually overwhelming presence to the west and north. At 3:30, after describing the worsening danger facing the 1st Corps, he writes: “Genl. Doubleday orders the First Corps to retreat under cover of a severe artillery fire from Seminary Ridge." and described the controversial retreat through the town of Gettysburg to Cemetery Hill.

The final entry, for 11pm, closes with Doubleday referencing Meade’s arrival at Gettysburg and Doubleday’s replacement with a more junior office—an embarrassment that Doubleday would fail to live down after the war. “Genl. Hancock now turns over the command of the troops to Genl. Slocum and rides back to report the state of affairs to Genl. Meade. The latter leaves Taneytown and reaches the field of battle about soon after midnight.”