Hey everyone, welcome to episode number 339 of our Civil War podcast.

My name is Rich.

And I'm Tracy.

Hello y'all.

Thanks for tuning into the podcast.

Shortly after 10 o'clock on the night of Wednesday, July 1st, 1863, Major General George

Gordon Mead left Tonytown, Maryland and rode north to assume command of the field at

Gettysburg.

For the 14 or so mile ride, Mead was accompanied by Brigadier General Henry Hunt, his chief

of artillery, Brigadier General Gouvener K. Warren, his chief engineer, and by Captain

William Payne, one of Warren's aides.

Several staff officers, including Captain George Mead Jr., as well as a dozen or so

troopers from Company C, Second Pennsylvania Cavalry joined them.

The moon hadn't yet risen when Mead's party took to the crowded road.

congested wagon traffic from both Hancock's second corps and Hunt's artillery reserve forced

the riders into the fields and through meadows, woodlots, and farm yards.

Still, according to Mead Jr., it took the party just 15 or 20 minutes to reach the spot

where the second corps had bivouette for the night.

While Winfield Scott Hancock had been gone on his errand to Gettysburg, the corps had

been under the temporary command of Mead's friend Brigadier General John Gibbon, and

now Mead quickly conferred with Gibbon, making certain he knew that Mead wanted the second

corps up and moving, quote, at the earliest daylight.

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