Even though the battle of Gettysburg started on July 1st, the 5th Corps was a few miles to the west in Hanover. Here they encamped after the battle of Hanover on June 30th, and they were told to start marching west towards Gettysburg. They arrived early on July 2nd on the southern outskirts of town and were told by their commanding officer of the 1st Division, Brigadier General James Barnes, to move towards the southern end of the Federal Line near Little Round Top. Here they would wait for battle that started in the afternoon near the Wheatfield and Rose Woods.
The 5th Corps was commanded by many different people in a small amount of time. Due to Major General George Meade being introduced on June 28th to command the entire Federal Army, many different commanders had to step up into new roles and lead different soldiers and officers. Major General George Sykes would take command of the 5th Corps while his divisional commanders were the following:
- 1st Division – BG James Barnes
- 2nd Division – BG Roman Ayes
- 3rd Division – BG Samuel Crawford
The 5th Corps, 1st Division, and the 1st Brigade was commanded by Col. William Tilton. He was directed to push towards the Trostle Farm and onward towards the Wheatfield. The 1st Brigade consisted of the 18th and 22nd Massachusetts, the 118th Pennsylvania, and the 1st Michigan. Overall, this brigade contained approximately 650 soldiers for all four regiments.
The regiment of the 1st Michigan was commanded by Col. Ira C. Abbott and Lt. Col. William Throop, under the Tilton’s Brigade. This regiment contained 21 officers and only 240 soldiers. They would move in from the north around 4:30 p.m., and move towards the Stoney Hill, near present day of the location of Sickles Avenue. They would arrive on the left flank and hold their position, as the Confederate forces from Georgia and South Carolina under Kershaw’s Brigade. They were on the field between 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., before retreating to the wood-line across the street from the Wheatfield.