"But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate we cannot consecrate this hallowed ground

Rating: Null/10 (20 May 2003)

I never seen Tara or Miss Scarlett O'Hara but our unit skirted TWELVE OAKS and I waved to Mr Ashley Wilkes. Everytime we met up with Yankees , cavalry or foot, they seemed to crumble and skedaddle. Having come up the beauteous and bountiful Shenandoah valley in early summer of 1863, we were advised that Hill's advanced brigades on July 1 and Longstreet's mighty corps on July 2nd had not been quite able to dislodge the stubborn Yankees and their vaunted Iron Brigade, consisting of dauntless but hardly literate Irish immigrants. We were honored therefore to be assigned to join the division of Major George E. Pickett. Our forces unleashed a devastating and certainly lethal artillery barrage upon the Yankee center on July 3rd and with whoops of confident victory did begin the mile-plus gentle ascent up the meadow to the Yankee bastions.I feared not for my own fate, harkening back to the proud and principled upringing my loving mother had conferred.I was barely deterred when a Yankee minnie-ball tore my left clavicle...brave and valiant cries urged us on...then all went dark.