During the Gettysburg Campaign started to begin, the Federal Army under the new commander General George Meade was supposed to took up a defense near Pipe Creek in northern Maryland. The Union army knew that the Confederates were in western Maryland and south-central Pennsylvania, but unsure of the exact positions. Skirmishers started near Emmitsburg so being the Left Wing Commander of the 1st, 3rd, and 11th Corps, he started to move his soldiers northward towards the little town in northern Maryland.
On June 29th, General John F. Reynolds issued orders to all his division commanders. The general orders number 70 was for the 1st Corps to march towards Emmitsburg from Frederick, but keeping to the left of the road. The artillery would bring up the rear of the leading division. As they entered town, General Reynolds and his staff looked for locals that could help his scouts observe the Confederate army through the mountain gap roads. As the Union soldiers made camp in Emmitsburg, the residents of the town welcomed the men and gave them bread and water. The hike was a grueling 20 to 25 miles with muddy roads and heat building from Frederick.
Luckily, the next day on June 30th, the town of Emmitsburg became the supply center for the Union army. Across the town, you have the 11th Corps at the southern edge, while portions of the 1st Corps were to the north. By the afternoon, General Howard of the 11th Corps made his headquarters at Mount St. Mary’s College show above by the southern black flag. General Reynolds of the 1st Corps broke camp with his troops and marched a slow march towards Marsh Creek, Pennsylvania, which is approximately 6 miles north of Emmitsburg. General Reynolds made his headquarters at Moritz Tavern which is the northern black flag.
Under the command of BG James Wadsworth, the 1st Division of the 1st Corps was deployed along both riverbeds of Marsh Creek. The 2nd Division of the 1st Corps was deployed near Middle Creek under the commander BG John Robinson. Their flag was a blue box with a white circle in the middle. The 3rd Division of the 1st Corps was commanded by BG Abner Doubleday. Their battle flag is a blue circle in a white box.
Reynolds would have dinner with General Howard at the Tavern while they awaited word on what to do next from their new leader of the Federal Army, George Gordon Meade. They parted for the evening and Reynolds laid on the floor of the Tavern and fell asleep. Around 4 a.m. on July 1st, Reynolds received his orders to slowly drift north and support his Cavalry under General John Buford near the town of Gettysburg.