McPherson Ridge - First Day's Battle

Stop on Gettysburg Battlefield Historic Tour, a free self-guided tour.

The fighting at Gettysburg began here on the morning of July 1, 1863, when Union cavalry under Brigadier General John Buford encountered Confederate infantry advancing toward the town. Recognizing the strategic importance of the high ground, Buford's outnumbered troopers held off Confederate attacks for several critical hours using their rapid-firing carbines while fighting dismounted. This brave stand bought time for Union infantry reinforcements to arrive. The ridge offers an excellent view of the ground over which the initial Confederate assault waves advanced. The Lutheran Theological Seminary building, with its distinctive cupola, served as an observation post for both sides and later as a field hospital. Major General John Reynolds, one of the Union's most capable commanders, was killed near here while directing his troops into position, a loss that significantly impacted Union leadership. Walking this ground, you can appreciate the tactical decisions made in those opening hours that would shape the entire three-day battle. Monuments mark the positions of various regiments that fought desperately on this first day. The peaceful farmland today gives little hint of the chaos and bloodshed that occurred here.