Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-07-17

weakest position.
Howard allowed them to think that
they had silenced him. He slackeued
fire TO allow his guns to cool. The time
has come for Lee to make his last grand
effort. Stand then by the cemetery aud
look south along the lines. Across the
meadows, emerging from the woods, is q
long line of skirmishers in double ranks.
Behind you see the first attacking force
and then the second attacking force and
then the third attacking force. The
lines are long and straight. They march
excellently. The ranks bend over a
hillock, dip into hollow, but are un-
broken. The open field is a half mile
wide. Solid shot plow through them
Shells make great gaps. Men toss their
arms wildly and fall headlong, but the
movement is still on. The movement
mainly is against the I'd, Sd and 9th
corps. Hill, Longstreet and Anderson's
reserves are expected to be there-forty
thousand men. The I'd corps is like a
thin blue ribbon-a single line. The
men are kneeling in the rife pits-not
in reverent acts Of worship, but to shell
ter themselves from the fire of the foe.
Forty pieces of cannon cut and cash the
line as it comes on. 1t does not waver.
Neither does the line of men in blue.
Gen. Gibbon--in command of the I'd,
now that Hancock is wounded-walks
composedly along the ranks. "Hold
your fire, boys-they are not near enough
yet" is his command. Still nearer, and
then, with bayonets at the charge, they
sweep up to the rife pits. A line of fire
flashes suddenly from the ranks of the
ID. Scores, hundreds of rebels 90 down
but they do not falter. They charge
over the pits. Gibbon orders his men
10 fall back to the rear of the
1t is done, without confusion. |
10 allow the artillery the privilege of |
using grape. Still on, up to the muzzles
Of the guns. They are blown away
torn, piled in heaps. They
move to the right. Their flank is per-
haps 10 rods distant from Howard. The
line has come for decisive blow. Forty |
pieces of artillery pour grape and can
lister into the ranks. They melt away.
You cannot burn a straw in a candle |
lame with greater raPidity. Their
courage, determination, braggadocio and
bravery are gone. They flee. The
,lain is a mass of discomftted rebels
The ground is thick with the dead. They
lie thick as fallen leaves in autumn.
The enemy was repulsed-now was the
ime for action. Webb's brigade, with
,ut waiting for orders, dashed into the
lying mass and came back with eight
hundred prisoners. Stannard's brigade
# nine months Green Mountain boys,
heir uniforms clean and new, improved
be opportunity and took as many more.
The Massachusetts 18th, reduced to two
core of men, rushed into the melee and
anne back with four stand of colors.
Halls brigade, including the 18th and
9th Massachusetts, the 9TH Michigan
nd Pennsylvania regiment, captured
leven colors. When the fight was
host terrific, Col. Hall, commanding the
rigade, quietly ordered the color bearer
t the 18th Massachusetts to advance up
n the enemy alone. 1t was like an
lectric impulse. 1t thrilled the entire
ne. Men forgot that they were on the {
eiensive, and without an order from a |
officer, the line, as if bent
n one common purpose, surged ahead. I
thousands of bayonets flashed in the t
cams of the setting sun. Then came g
lid hurrah, and the mass of rebels melt /;
] away over the plain.
THE RETREAT. a
The invasion of the North was over, /
lie power of the Southern confederacy j
roken. There at that sunset hour | s
'uld discern the future-no longer an Q
7ercast sky, but clear, unclouded star I
ght-a country redeemed, saved, bap-
zed, consecrated anew to the coming
yes. All honor to the heroic living, /
! glory to the gallant dead. II
INTERESTING PARTICULARS.
1t is stated on good authority that the !,
bel Gen. Ewell, successor so Stone
all jackson, was wounded in Fridays y
title, and died on Monday at the resi-
'nce of Sterling Gait, near Tarrytown. =
be report is repeated that Gen. Long :
rect is dead and within our lines.