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Note: �b�1860 CENSUS:�/b� PA, Allegheny Co, Reserve Township Roll:M653_1066; Page 970; Image:128, Household 55/79.
�b�Math. [Mathias] Gehles,�/b� 30, Male, White, Blacksmith, Value of personal state 50, Born in Bavaria.
Elizab. [Elizabeth] Gehles, 25, Female, White, Born in Bavaria
George Gehles, 3, Male, White, Born in Bavaria
Anthony Gehles, Twin, 1, Male, White, Born in Pennsylvania
John Gehles, Twin, 1, Male, White, Born in Pennsylvania
�b�Account of the Freeman Ford Battle Site�/b�:
The Freeman Ford battle site is an area known as the "Little Fork," in Culpeper County, located on private property, two farms. You need to get permission from the owners to visit. The battle field is a mile square triangular area located between the Rappahannock River on the north and the Hazel River to the southeast. The area is heavily wooded rolling hills (although it is interspersed with pastures and corn fields as it was in 1862). One of the two farmhouses actually existed at the time of the battle and is still occupied; it is a Georgian-style brick house built in 1815, known as "Presque' Isle." There are some unmarked graves near the house, but they are likely Union dead from the battle of Brandy Station which was fought a year later. Since this battle took place early in the War when both sides were much more chivalrous, the Union dead were buried where they fell by the Confederate soldiers, probably within a day of their deaths. An example of this chivalry was shown in the body of Colonel Bohlen who was shot and killed was sent across enemy lines under the flag of truce to be transported home for buriel. It is to be noted that Colonel Bohlen was at the front of the troops, rallying his men to battle. Our ancestor, Mathias Gehles, a musician, would be beside Colonel Bohlen to sound the battle tactical signals.
The Confederate units that were engaged were D'Aquin's Louisiana Guard Artillery Battery, Trimble's Brigade (15th Alabama , 21st Georgia, and 21st North Carolina Regiments, and the 1st North Carolina Battalion) and Hood's Texas Brigade (18th Georgia and the 1st, 4th and 5th Texas Regiments, and Hampton 's Legion). Whiting's Brigade (4th Alabama , 2nd and 11th Mississippi , and 6th North Carolina Regiments) was in support, but not engaged. There was no overall Confederate commander, but General Isaac Trimble, in command of Stonewall Jackson's rearguard, coordinated the Confederate counter-attack. Trimble's Georgia and North Carolina troops were heavily engaged, the Colonel of the 21st North Carolina rallying his men by personally leading a charge carrying their battle flag. The 1st and 5th Texas suffered most of their casualties from artillery fire (the 5th Texas had a notably tall flag pole, which became an aiming point for much of the Federal artillery, leading to the death and wounding of the entire color guard and the regiment's commander -- who was a Pennsylvanian, by-the-way).
There were roughly 5,000 Confederates on the field versus 1,200-1,500 Union troops (8th Virginia , 61st Ohio and 74th Pennsylvania Regiments and Battery F, Pennsylvania Light Artillery, all under Col. Henry Bohlen, and perhaps 5 or 6 other Federal artillery batteries toward the end of the fight). Basically, in the morning, the Federals hit and captured Stonewall Jackson's supply train (ambulances and mules) at the rear of his Corps, just ahead of John Bell Hood's division, which was leading Longstreet's Corps. Later, in the early afternoon, Jackson 's rearguard under Trimble turned around and counter-attacked, in conjunction with Hood's lead brigades (his own and Whiting's). Their were several disconnected skirmishs and a one-mile running fight where the veteran 61st Ohio and 74th Pennsylvania regiments made several bayonet charges, beating drums and blaring trumpets, against superior numbers of Confederates. Attacked by the 21st Georgia , Col. Newton Schleich of the green 8th Virginia deserted his men at first contact -- many of his men thought he was drunk too -- and most of his men fled as well. Casualties are a little uncertain; Confederate casualties were at least 59 men and certainly less than 100, while 95 Federal casualties were reported (but more than 200 is more likely). The 15th Alabama lost at least 29 men (it was the hardest hit Confederate unit); the 74th Pennsylvania lost 68 men and the 61st Ohio certainly lost well over 100.
From Freeman's Ford Road (Rte 651, between VA Route 29 and the Rappahannock River Bridge at Lakota) you can see where the climax of the battle occurred, in the flats on the south side of the river where Union troops struggled to cross the open ground and then cross the flooded river, all the while under fire from Confederate troops on the hillside above. The Federal brigade commander, Col. Bohlen, was killed while rallying his men near the riverbank (he was shot off his horse with a bullet through his heart). General Carl Schurz had his hat shot off as he made his way over the flats. The river itself rose from waist deep when the Federal troops initially crossed in the morning to more than shoulder deep when they were trying to regain the north bank in the late afternoon. Many men drowned or were shot down trying to climb up the steep embankment. A fellow blacksmith who settled in Pittsburgh and joined the 74�sup�th�/sup� came from the same town in Germany where Mathias emigrated from. He later reported to Elizabeth Heilman Gehles, Mathias' widow that he lost saw Mathias leaning against a tree, mortally wounded by a minie ball.
The battle field is Northwest of the town of Culpeper and North of Freemans Ford Road:
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