Silas Coster
On July 1st the advance troops of Heth's division were in for a surprise. First the Confederates thought that the troops at Gettysburg were only some militia. But they were mistaken. There, fighting to hold the high ground, was Buford federal cavalry. But they were hard pressed. Buford new they could not hold forever against infantry. "They will attack in the morning and they will come booming - skirmishers three-deep. We will have to fight like the devil until supports arrive."
When Heth mounted for an all-out attack he expected to run over Buford's outnumbered and tired troopers. There and then he got a second surprise. Instead of cavalry he ran into infantry. These were units of General Reynolds' first corps. The support had arrived.
One of these reinforcements was the famous "Iron Brigade". This unit was build up from the 19th Indiana, the 24th Michigan, the 2nd, 6th and 7th Wisconsin. It was the only all western brigade in the by eastern troops dominated Army of the Potomac.
The men from the 2nd Wisconsin crested McPherson's ridge and smashed into Archer's brigade. They rallied in McPherson's woods and went on. In the meantime the other regiments except the 6th Wisconsin, which was in reserve, poured a deadly enfilade fire into Archer's men. Soon the Confederates were routed. Even Archer himself was captured by the boy's from the 2nd Wisconsin. When the confederates advanced again - Confederate reinforcements flooded the field - the "Iron Brigade" held its fire, but sooner or later they had to fall back.
During the assault on Archer's brigade and the rest of the day many men from the "Black Hat Boys" were killed or wounded. On of them was Silas Coster (Dutch name is Koorstra). Silas was born in Arum, The Netherlands in 1842. When Silas was eleven years old, his parents decided to leave Friesland for the United States. The Coster family suffered many hardships during their voyage to the New World. One of them was a shipwreck in the Bahamas. They arrived on July 5, 1853 in Prarie La Crosse and settled in New Amsterdam, La Crosse County, Wisconsin.
Silas was enlisted for 3 years on March 10, 1862. Lieutenant Woodhouse did this in an effort to rebuild the second Wisconsin. His servicetime and presence on the muster roll places Silas with company B at Catlett's Station, Gainsville, Groveton, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fitzhugh's Crossing, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.
Silas Coster died on July 30, 1863 because of the wound he received at the first day at Gettysburg. His Muster Out Roll states: Silas Coster, age 21, died in the Courthouse hospital, July 30, 1863, of a gunshot wound received at the battle of Gettysburg. He died possessed of no effects. His last pay was April 30, 1863. He had been advanced $72.23 on account of clothing since date of enlistment. A.G.O. dated at Rappahannock Station, Va. Aug 18, 1863.
The information on this page is provided by the Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Association, Inc.
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