The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-08-14
THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
Interesting Rebel Account OF the
Great Conflict.
THE CHARGE OF PlCAET'S
DIVISION.
VICTORY CLAIMED AND LOST.
The Retreat into Virginia.

The correspondent of the Richmond En-
quirer gives the following account of the
the battle of Gettysburg:
FIGHTING ON THE 2D-REBKL SUCCESS.
About the middle of the afternoon or
ders were issued to the different comman-
ders to prepare for a general attack upon
the enemys centre and left. Longstreet
was to commence the movement, which
was to be followed up on his left in quick
succession by the respective divisions of
Hills corps. AS Anderson's division or
at least portion of it, took conspicuous
part in the movement, I have ascertained,
and now give you the order Of it's differ
ent brigades: On the extreme right of An
derson's Division, connecting with Nc
Laws left, was Wilcox's brigade, then
Perry's, Wright's, Posey's and Mahones.
At half past five O'Clock Longstreet COM
menced the attack, and Wilcox followed
it up by promptly moving forward, Per-
RVS brigade quickly followed, and Wright
moved simultaneously with his. The two
divisions of Longstreet's corps soon en-
countered the enemy posted little in rear
of the Emmettsburgh turnpike, which
winds along the slope of the range upon
which the enemy's main force was con-
centrated. After short, but spirited en-
gagement, the enemy was driven back
upon the main line upon the crest of the
hill. McLaw's and Hoods divisions made
desperate assault upon their main line,
but, owing to the precipitate and very rug
ged character of the slope, were unable to
reach the summit. The enemy's loss OH
this part of the line was very heavy. |
have heard several officers say that they
have never seen the enemy's dead cover
the ground so thickly, not even at the first
Fredericksburg fight, as they did on that
portion of the field over which McLaws'
troops fought. While the battle was rag
ing on our right, Wilcox and Wright, of
AndersCn's division, were pressing the en-
emy's centre Wilcox pushed forward for
nearly mile, driving the enemy before
him and up to his very guns, over and be-
You'd his batteries, several guns of which
he captured, and nearly up to the summit
of the hill. Wright had swept over the
valley under terrific fire from the enc
my's batteries, posted upon McPherson's
heights, had encountered the enemy's adj
vance line, and had driven him across the
EmmettsbMg pike to position behind a
with the pike, and about sixty or eighty
yards in front of the batteries on the
heights and Immediately under them
Here this gallant brigade had most des-
perate engagement for fifteen or twenty
minutes; but charging rapidly up the al
most perpendicular side of the mountain,
they rushed upon the enemy's infantry
behind the stone wall, and drove them
from it at the point of the l,ayonet. Now
concentrating their fire upon the heavy
batteries (twenty guns) Of the enemy on
crest of the heights, they soon silenced
them, and, rushing forward with shout,
soon gained the summit of the heights,
capturing all the enemy's guns, and driv-
ing their infantry in great disorder and
confusion into the woods beyond.
WHY THE BATTLE WAS LOST.
We now had the key to the enemy's
stronghold, and, apparently the victory
was won McLaws and Hood had pushed
their line we'll up the slope on the right;
Wilcox had kept well up on his portion of
the line; Wright had pierced the enemy's
main line on the summit of McPherson's
heights, capturing his heavy batteries,
thus breaking the connection between
their right and left wings. said that,
apparently, we had won the victory 1t
remains to be stated why our successes
were not crowned with the important re-
suits which should have followed such
heroic daring and indomitable bravery.
Although the order was peremptory that
oil % I'D livci oh
into action simultaneously, Brigadier Gen
eral POsey, commanding Mississippi brig
ade, and Brigadier General Malone, COM
handing Virginia brigade, failed to ad
vance. The failure of these two brigades
to advance is assigned, as learn upon in
quiry, as the reason why Pender's division,
of Hills corps, did not advance--the or
der being that the advance was to COM
mence from the right and be taken up
along our whole line. Pender's fail
ure to advance caused the division on
his left - Heth's-tO remain inactive.
Here we have two whole divis-
ions, and two brigades of another, stand
ing idle spectators of one Of the most des-
perate and important assaults that has
ever been made on this cOntinent-ffteen
or twenty thousand armed men resting
on their arms, in plain view of terri
BILE battle, witnessing the mighty efforts of
two little brigades (Wright's and Wilcox's,
for Perry had fallen back overpoweredD
contending with the heavy masses of
Yankee infantry, and subjected to a most
deadly fire of the enemy's artillery, with
out single effort to aid them in the as
sault or to assist them when the heights
were carried. Perry's brigade was be-
tween Wilcox and Wright, soon after its
first advance, was pressed so heavily as to
be forced to retire. This left an interval
in the line between Wright and Wilcox,
and which the enemy perceiving, he threw
a heavy column in the gap thus made, de-
ploying a portion of it in Wilcox's left
flank, while large force was thrown in
rear of Wright's right flank. The failure
of Posey and Malone to advance upon
Wright's left enabled the enemy to throw
forward a strong force on that flank, and
to push it we'll to the rear along the En-
mettsburg pike. 1t was now apparent that
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