Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-07-24

fallen back overpowered, contending with tht
heavy masses: of Yankee infantry, and sub
icctcd to q most deadly fire from the enemy:s
heavy artillery, without single effort to att
them in the assault, or to assist them wher
the heights were carried. Perry's bri gada
which was between Wilcox and Wright, soon
after its first advance, was pressed so heavily
rs 10 he forced to retire. This left an interval
in the line between Wright and Wilcox, and
which the enemy perceiving, he threw heavy
column in the gap then made, deploying Il
portion of it in Wilrox's left flank, while a
large force was thrown in rear of Wright's
right flank. The failure Of PoSey and Mahone
to advance upon Wright's left, enabled
the enemy to throw forward Il strong
force OIL that flank, and to push it well 10 his
rear along the Emmetsburg pike. 1t was now
apparent that the day was loSt--lost after 1t
was mon-loSt, not because our army fought
badly, but because Il large portion d!4 not
,fqht at aH.
Nv narrative left Wrights little brigade of
Georgians in the enemys scntrcnchmcnts upon
the heights. Let us return to this little Spartan
baud, who this day covered themselves with
slory-alas, how vainly Percciving, after get
ting possession of the enemy's works, that
they were certainly isolated-more than ,nlte
from support-that Perrys brigade had been
driven back on their -right-that no advance
had been made on their left. aud just then see
Ing the encmys hanking column on their
right and left iianks rapidly converging i'll
their rear, these noble Gcorsians faced about.
Abandoning all the guns they had captured,
and prepared TO cut stheir way through the
cncmr who had now almost entirely surround
ed them. Springing with nlacrity down the
hill to the stone fence, they here halted, and
delivered Il we'll directed fire upon the enemy
then passing along the Pike road, following
this discharge hy charge over the stone wall
and through the cncmy's ranks, they soon
gained the foot Of the slope, when the lately
abandoned guns upon the heights opened Il
most destructive fire Of crane and canister
upon them. Here their loss WAS very severe.
But, although more than one half their num-
her had E,Ilen-athough every field officer
but one had been killed OF wounded
with their comrades falling in heaps
on every side, this little hqmdtm Of choice
spirits retired in toicnJle order until they
reached the bottom Of the SECOND slope, where
they were halted, faced to the front and re-.
formed, to await the approach OF the enemy,
now seen advancing about 200 yards distant.
The Yankees. pcrceivinS that our men had
reformed for Il fight, prudentlv withdrew
without firing gun.
During this time Wilcox, who had driven the
cnemr well up the side OF the mountain, cap
turing several of his guns. found his left eX-
posed hy the flank movement Of the enemy,
heretofore mentioned; and was compelled to
retire, abandoning his captured guns.
On our right, McLaws and Hood continued
to press the enemy until night set in and end
ed the sanguinary conflict. The enemy's loss
during this days fight was very heavy, par
ticuarly on that portion of the field where
Benuings brigade of IIood'S division, Barks-
dale's and Wotinrd's OF McLaws', and Viii
cox's and Wrghts Of Anderson's division
were engaged Our own loss was slight, ex-
cept in "right's and WiIeox's brigades,. in
both Of which it was very heavy, amountin.
to more than ha!f y the. .forces engaged.
Early next morning Friday. the Sd, pre-
parations were made for u general attack
along the encmy's whole line, while large
force was to bc concentrated against his CEN
tre,. with the view of retaking the heights cap
tured and abandoned the day before by
Wright It. Cen. Lonsstreet massed large
upon the crest Of slight erAinence just in
front of perry's and Wllcox's brigades, and o
little to the left of the heights, upon which
they were to open. 1t. Geu'l Hill massed
some sixty guns along the hill in front of Po-
seys aud Mahone's bri gades, and almost immc-
liately in front OF the heights. At IL o'clock
the signal gun was fired, and the cannonading
commenced. The fire Of our guns was con-
ccntratcd upon the enemy's line on the heights
stormed on the day before by Wright'S bri-
gade. Our fire drew most terrific one from
the enemy's batteries, posted along the heights
from point near Cemetery Hill To the point
in their line opposite to the position Of Will
cox have never yet heard such tremendous
artillery firing. The enemy must have had
over one hundred guns, which. in addition to
our Is, made the air hideons with most dis
cogdan. noise. The very earth shook beneath
our feet, and the hills and rocks seemed torccl
like Il drunken man. For one hour and L
half this most terrific fire was continued, DUR
ing which time the shricking of shells, the
crash Of falling timber, the fragments Of rock
flying through the air shattered from the cliffs
by Solid shot, the heavy mutterings from the
valley between the opposing armies, the
splash Of bursting shrapnel, and the fierce
reighins Of wounded artillery horses, made Il
picture terribly grand and sublime, but which
my pen utterly fails to describe. After the
firing had continued for little more than an
hour, the cncmy's guns began to slacken, and
finally all were sienccl save soaie six or ei gut,
which were in clump Of woods Il little 10 the
left of the stone fence.
Now the Storming party was moved up,
Pickett'S division in advance, supported on
the right by Wilcox brigade, and on the left
bv IIeth's division, commanded by Pcttigrew.
Tie left of Pirkett's division occupied the
same ground over which Wright had passed
the day before. | stood upon an eminence
and watched this advance with great interest:
had seen brave men pass over that fatcd val
lev the day before; | had witnessed their
death struggle with the foe on the opposite
heights; / had observed their return with
shattered ranks, u bleeding mass, but with
unstained banners. Now l saw their valiant
comrades prepure for the same bloody trial,
and already felt that their efforts would be
vain unless their supports should be true as
stee and brave us lions. Now they move for
ward with steady, measured tread they ad-
vaoce upon tho foe. Their banners float de-
family in the breeze as onward in beautiful
order they press across the plain. have
never seen since the war began land l have
been III all the great fights Of this army
troops enter fight in such splendid order us
did this splendid division of Pickctt's. Now
Pettigrew's command emerge. from the
woods upon Pickett's left, and sweep down
the slope of the hill to the valley beneath,
and some two or three hundred yards in rear
of Pickett. / saw by the wavering of this
line as they entered the conflict that they
wanted the tirmness of nerve and steadiness Of
tread which so characterized Pickett's men,
and felt that these men would not, could not
stand the tremendous ordeal to which they
would be soon subjected. These were mostly
raw troops, which had been recently brought
from the South, and who had perhaps, never
been under trc-who certainly had never been
in any very severe lght-and trembled for
their conduct. Just as Pickett was getting
we'll under the enemy's fire our batteries