“It was the hardest fire the 108th ever experienced- perfectly awful – murderous…. This destructive and murderous fire continued to pour in upon us for more than an hour…” Chauncey L. Harris, Co. F NYV
The regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Colonel Francis E. Pierce. At Gettysburg it lost 16 men killed and 86 men wounded
On the afternoon of July 3, the 108th was stationed along the Union line in Zeigler’s Grove to support Battery I of the 1st U.S. Artillery. THE 108th were providing two companies for picket duty. Once the intense Confederate artillery bombardment preceding Pickets’ charge started the regiment was pinned down. Most of the regiments casualties were taken without being able to return fire. During the Confederate infantry advance, the left of the Confederate line lapped the front of the 108th and came within 50 yards of their position before breaking.
Corporal William A. Raymond of Company A was awarded the Medal of Honor. On the third day of the battle, Raymond’s unit was positioned near Zeigler’s Grove. During the intense combat surrounding Pickett’s Charge, the Union skirmish line began running dangerously low on ammunition. Raymond voluntarily ran out into the open under severe enemy fire to carry a heavy box of ammunition to his isolated comrades. He was wounded during the battle but his action successfully resupplied the line at a critical moment. His citation reads “Voluntarily and under a severe fire brought a box of ammunition to his comrades on the skirmish line.”
108th New York Infantry Regimental reunion in 1888.