The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-07-17

lie song Of the larks on the meadows
rapc clear aad mellow, as though no
lauger Threatened As the afternoon Il
vore on, the shi-nishers became hotly en- :
ragged but three O'Clock came and passesi,'
and yet there was no sign of rebel iufsn.
try. Out on the hill, beyond the towt1s
The enemys batteries were visible and in' :
the shadow Of the trees littls groups Of =
horsemen were collected /; but these were "a
all that we could see. Occasionally We
caught glimpse of wagon :rain movingno
off, far beyond the forests, and now and
then horseman would dash along the Fl
skirt Of the woods west of Gettysburg
but no one could tell whether the night
would settle down with qnietness or upon
the carnage Of battlefield. sga
JUST AFTER THREE O'clock .s
the 81 Corps commenced advancing, and g.
| left the Cemetery for the western slope
of Round Top Mountain, where Gen. Ware
ren, Chief Of Typographical Engineers,.
was stationed 10 note the movements OF
the enemy. Upon arriving at my des,i"s--
ton was struck with the apparently ex>'e
posed condition of our left. The 3d Corps
was moving light ont from the centre, :,
in line of battle across the pain, like the
sweep Of crested wave. Gradually the
col umns passed on towards the woods,
where the enemy Law. and all eyes were
TUNED 20 the magnificence of the scene,
when suddenly rebel battery opened fro
10 the left end poured An enfiladiny fire
along the whole line Just below US, At
the base Of the mountain, we had 4 rifled
battery. This alore protected our posi-
ton, the 81 Corps having advanced nearly
two miles in front Of US, while there was
not man 20 check an attack from the left.
Presently the shells began to fly abou, our
heada Our group had attracted the ene-,
my's FIRE, and he aimed his pieces WE'LL,
Shells burst around u.s. round shot scatter
ed the rocks and sometimes the bullet OF
the riheman whistled uncomfortable near;
but General Warren remained at his post
cool and undisturbed, watching with his
glass the distant woods, and anxouslv
scanning the forest at our left. All aa.
once battery came ont into tie fed still
IoTlneI ~ tilc ltft, HIOfitO ~ WAN. Hbo
deliberately advancing to knoll within ~
short range Of our guns beneath us. Our
artillery officers saw it too, and their guns
flashed faster than before. The shell burs.
IN among Ire pieces Of the enemy, p!owef
up the soil around him, dashing d cloud
OF dirt and slate into the air: but still his
guns came nearer, wheeled round into
line, unllmbered, and the six pieces opened
at once. Their firing was exceedingly
rapid and effective. One gun seemed to
hu. sor! of bolt, which came with
dismal wlir>r, and was directed exclusive
Iy towards our signal flag upon the rock;
but We could hear it coming, and, by
croucling behind a huge boulder, avoid
its effects. At one time the fire grsw-so
ho: that our artillerists were compelled for
moment to lie down; and just then ~
| rebel brigade broke out of tue woods be-
hind their battery and dashed down to-
wards MS on a Iun, yelling like demons
Gen. Warren dispatched an aid to General
Meade for troops, and We anxiously await
Ell The coming Of the enemy. Swiftly
they swept down over the field; ont As
they came in front Of their own pieces our
ar,ilersts depressed their guns and poured
into the rebels tempest Of case sho, tbas
checked them, then broke their line, and
| CON PEELED them to fail ga, behind little
ridge.
Hardly had we recovcre from oul tre
! pida,ion when the entire field behind che
rebel batteries seemed alive with troops.
Three long lines Of retels, one behind the
other came out. at right angle with our
own line, and silently but swiftly moved
down upon us. Oar condition was fright
fully critical. Gen. Meade could not Q
found. Gen. Sickies was fighting desper-
atey in front with Hill, and could not
spare man. Longstreet was sweeping
down upon Us with his who'e corps and
rot brigade was up TO check him. Th"
| fire in The front grew hotter. The "a
I Corps wen; in, and all along the ridge
| from Round Tcp to our right, lie lines
swavel to and fro beneath tie canopy Of
smoke, which cleaned in lhe setting sun
| like q fiery furnace; and still the enemy
pressed nearer on our left, coming down
upon us with fearful rapidity. VIII assis-
tance never come? Down under rs on
The little knoll our ritled pieces are still
playing: bu. if they do no. get help soon
| they are lost Gen Warren's aids are all
gone for reinforcenents the bullets be-
| gin TO whistle about Us, and the enemy
| reaches the base Of the mountain, just as
we discover the coloIs Of the h Corps
coming up through the WOO Is behind us.
How our hearts leaped as we saw the
stripes and heard the rush Of our men over
the leaves and rocks and as we crouch
ed in the cleft we wondered which would
reach us first, the rebels or our men
| There is rumble down below there,
and battery comes up at galor, bound
ing over the boa,ers, away up upon tho
peak, and. almost before you can speak,
shower of canister rains down upon the
rebels on the other side The l>t Division
Of the h reaches the top, glides down
among the limestone blocks, and the mus
kerry grows terrible The enemy j. too
strong. Slowly he presses up the hill,
and his right swings round the mountain