“The Bullets Flew Like Hail”

Cutler’s Brigade at Gettysburg, from McPherson’s Ridge to Culp’s Hill

by James L. McLean Jr.

Imprint: Savas Beatie

240 Pages, 6 x 9 in, 56 images, 26 maps

Hardcover
9781611216677
April 2023
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$32.95

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On the morning of July 1, 1863, Confederate forces pressed east toward the important crossroads town of Gettysburg. The only Union soldiers standing in their way were stalwart cavalrymen under Brig. Gen. John Buford. Luckily for the Federals, Brig. Gen. Lysander Cutler arrived with his 1st Corps brigade of infantry just in time to relieve Buford’s hard-pressed cavalry. The fighting spread quickly. Cutler’s stubborn defense, together with the arrival of the famous Iron Brigade, stopped the Confederate advance long enough for other Union troops to reach the field. The desperate fighting that morning helped save the important high ground upon which the battle would be fought—and won—over the next two days. “The Bullets Flew Like Hail”: Cutler’s Brigade at Gettysburg, from McPherson’s Ridge to Culp’s Hill by James L. McLean Jr. is the only complete account of this brigade’s critical contribution to the grand victory in Pennsylvania.

This completely revised and updated edition describes the brigade’s origins, its march to the field, and how it went into action, piecemeal and vulnerable. Two of Cutler’s regiments, the 14th Brooklyn and the 95th New York, along with the Iron Brigade’s 6th Wisconsin, participated in one of the most famous assaults of the war. The trio of regiments simultaneously charged across open ground, repulsed the attack of Brig. Gen. Joseph Davis’s Rebel brigade, and captured a large number of Mississippi and North Carolina troops in an unfinished railroad cut.

By the end of July 1, Cutler’s command had faced off against Confederate brigades led by James Archer, Joseph Davis, Alfred Iverson, Junius Daniels, and Alfred Scales. The brigade was one of the last to leave the field of battle and successfully reformed on Cemetery Hill. The brigade was sent to Culp’s Hill on July 2, where that evening and during the early morning hours of July 3, Cutler’s men assisted Brig. Gen. George Greene’s 12th Corps brigade in repulsing spirited Southern attacks against the Union right flank. In doing so, Cutler’s veterans held the distinction of being among the few Union troops who fought all three days of the battle. The performance of the brigade came at a great cost. Only five Union and Confederate brigades sustained 1,000 or more casualties at Gettysburg, and Cutler’s was one of them.

McLean’s study is grounded in primary research and a thorough understanding of the complex terrain across which Cutler’s men fought and died. The more than two dozen maps that accompany the text, which depict troop movements throughout each phase of the battle, complement the photos of the battlefield and key personalities who had a hand in the bloody action. The rerelease of this outstanding book fills an important gap in the Gettysburg literature.

“The Savas Beatie revised edition of Jim McLean’s long out-of-print Cutler’s Brigade at Gettysburg is one of those important Civil War small-unit accounts. It is chock full of new and overlooked primary sources of the brigade and its component pieces. Informative and occasionally controversial, it adds much to the story of the first day at Gettysburg. Simply first-rate.” ~Lance J. Herdegen, author of Those Damned Black Hats

“Cutler’s Brigade at Gettysburg was one of the best unit studies of its kind when it first appeared decades ago. This completely revised and updated edition is even better. Good writing, good scholarship, and outstanding presentation.” ~John Michael Priest, author of “Stand to It and Give Them Hell”

“Jim McLean has spent decades researching and writing on Lysander Cutler’s brigade of New Yorkers, Pennsylvanians, and Indianans at the battle of Gettysburg. This revised edition is marked by more meticulous research, more perceptive characterizations, and more gripping detail in a flowing narrative. This unit history deserves a rightful place among the vast literature on the three-day struggle at Gettysburg.” ~Jeffry D. Wert, author of The Heart of Hell

“Shortcomings are few, a credit to the authors thoroughness, and do not detract from this fine history, one which will help the novice in a plain, straight forward style, yet is very thorough, and a valuable resource for scholars and students on the battle of Gettysburg. This reviewer highly recommends this work.” ~The NYMAS Review

“McLean's study represents the preeminent chronicling of the achievements and sacrifices that produced that sublime yet devastating result, and McLean himself, through his ongoing research and writing, remains the individual most responsible for securing the Gettysburg legacy of Cutler and his men.” ~Civil War Books and Authors

“…offers Civil War enthusiasts an excellent treatment examining this unit’s combat experience during the first three days of July 1863. McLean’s narrative is high drama. Impeccably researched, and written in an engaging style, “The Bullets Flew Like Hail” is a “third time’s the charm” masterpiece that any Battle of Gettysburg enthusiast or tactical study student should consider adding to their library.” ~Emerging Civil War