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The Leister Farm. Was a small, but modest farmhouse owned by a then 52 year old widow, Lydia Leister. Situated along the Taneytown Road, just south of Gettysburg She had been living there with her two young daughters. One of only three years of age. She also had a son in the army. She had just left with her daughters the day before fighting intensified west and north of Gettysburg.
  On the 2nd of July, Officers of General Meade's staff turned into the small farm. The house standing behind Cemetery Ridge, which was the main battle line of the Union army. Being behind the slope made it invisible to confederate lines. Making it a great place for Meade's Headquarters. After setting up Headquarters. General Meade ordered the signal officer accompanying him to set up lines of communications from each corps commander to the Leister house.

  During July the 2nd Meade held a council of war with his commanders at the Leister house. Ten generals where present in the room Meade was in in this small farmhouse, When General Gibbon arrived. Among them: General Newton commanding the First Corps, General Birney the first division of the Third Corps, General Sykes The Fifth Corps, General Sedgwick the Sixth Corps, Generals Slocum and Alpheus Williams from the Twelfth Corps, and General Howard the Eleventh Crops, including General Warren, the army's chief engineer, and General Butterfield, and General Hancock temp commander of the Third Corps.
  General Gibbon recalled that the room was not more than 10 or 12 feet square. Meade began by asking each General to report the condition and position of their troops. Meade than had Butterfield write down some questions and read them out to those present. "should the army remain in position, or take up nearer to base of supplies?" Since the enemy was still dangerously close to Meade's line of supply and communication, which was on the Baltimore pike just in the army's immediate rear. And supplies where coming from Westminister MD, and Union Bridge which was some 22 miles distant. Gibbon Answered first saying to make corrections in our positions, but take no step that looks anything like a retreat, most in the room answered in the same.

  On the 3rd of July Union lines where bombarded by Confederate Artillery. Along Cemetery ridge union cannon replied. At the start of the artillery barrage Meade had been in the fields not far from the Leister house, conferring with some generals. returning to the Leister house with General Seth Williams, and Daniel Butterfield, along with staff officers, and their horses. Who where exposed to severe fire from incoming artillery. Aides ushered General Meade to relocate headquarters to a safer location. But he refused stating that he needed to be where he could be found easily by his army. Shells burst near and far. Shells burst in the yard, in the fence beside the home. Horses rearing in terror
  Amid the chaos. A shell tore up the steps to the front door, and another smashing a pillar of the porch in a explosion of splinters, and wood. A shell burst next to the open door. A shell nearly hitting Meade himself, as he stood at the door, as it screamed past him
  Meade finally agreed to move headquarters to a barn on the Taneytown road. Quickly cut from communications. , and unable to effectively communicate with his commanders in the field, as they had trouble finding him at his new headquarters, which was also exposed to fire. Meade hurried back to the Leister house. By then the bombardment had largely ceased. Late on July 3rd, Meade would again have to relocate due to overflowing field hospitals. Setting up along the Baltimore pike


Sources: : 'Meade At Gettysburg. A Study In Command' By Kent Masterson Brown.


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