The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-08-01
rurther Rebel Accounts Oh inc
Rattle of Gettysburg.

EfnGtxe Oh Ntedty
THE GREAT ARTILLERY DUEL.-haIls
next morning-Friday, the II. lInnr
lions were made for n general atttch atoa,s
the enemy's whole line, while iorce We
70 hn concentrated against his center, WIZ,
W ,;o,,, Of retakiusr the nights captured ana
ahan5oned the day before by Wright b'.
Can I,ongstrees massed a large number OF
Iong-rauge guns-fifty five in numoer-
,non the crest of q slight eminence just III
srnnt of Perry g and Wilcox's brigades, and
= little to the left of the nights upon which
thew were to open. Lieut. Gen. Hiti mass.
o,I some sixty guns along the hill IN fron1
Of Posev,s aud Mahone's brigades, and al
most immediately in front of the hignts.,
Az twelve O. clock, the signal gun was hrsu
and the cannonading commenced. me nle
of our guns WAS concentrated upon the ehe-
mv,s line on the nights, stormed on the DAY
before by Wright's brigade Our hre GREW
:, most terrific one from the enemy 8 p:'..
ter;es. posted along the nights from pom.
near Cemetery Hill to the point IN tne'I
line opposite to the position OF "i,eoM
have never yet heard such treine, ,l,o M
tillery firing. The enemy mus! p" 5d;t;o,,
over one hundred guns, which, IN ao9lt .I'
10 opr one hundred and fifteen, iiiaue 'ie
air hideous with most discordant NOISE,
The very earth shook beneath our iee., stiio
the hills and rocks seemed 10 rec, nv
drunken man. For one hour ahu L. Id
this most terrific fire was coh.ih lt, ~,
ing which time the shrieki,s ol snes; Wy ~.
nrash of falling timber, the fragments OF
- 1ying through the air, shattered from
~ ,i;ifs Nv solid shot, the heavy mutter-
49, frnn the valley between the opposing
nr,,,ios the SMASH of bursting shrapnel and
the fierce neighing of wounded arsliiery
horses. made a picture terriply Sfai,u anu
sublime, but which my pen utterly iaiis 10
describe.
riscs clouds obscure its brightness as II
10Th IN look upon the scene, to witness such
;nhumapity, but from which no people are
exemrt who ever left a history or benented
tho human race. The conflict began ere
Tubal Cain first worked in brass, and Will
continue till higher virtue than man has
ever reached shall govern events. Soon
tho a;y;sior, leaves the main road-makes
a detour to the right-winds over hill and
through wood. toward the right OF our line
of hattie. The morning is now wearing
away-at times a cannon shot breaks the
uuiet and shell comes screaming through
the air-now and then the sklrmlshers
break forth, varying from the sharP, QUICK
crack of q single rife, to perfect volieys.-
Hour after hour thus passes, and the battle
is not vet begun. Our troops are taking
nosition-Eweli is on the left, Hill holds
the center, and Longstreet on the right.
Long lines of men are moving across yon-
der fields, or marching through that piece
of wood Batteries of artillery occupy this
hillock and that mound; while along the
low range of hills just back of Gettysburg,
at intervals, are batteries unlimbered and
ready for action. Toward the left body
of cavalry are slowly moving. 1t is now
nearly noon-the clouds break away-the
air is warm and sultry. The signal flags
are waving fast intelligence along our lines;
presently the shrill sound of a Whitworth
4 Gil batteries
open from this point and that. The enemy
reply with vigor The fire on either side
RAPIDLY increases; dense columns of smoke
hang over the beautiful valley. and, rising
upward, slowly float away.
The order comes to advance
That flag which waved amid the wild tenn
pest of battle at Gaines Mill, Frazer's Farm
and Manassas, never rose more proudly:
Kemper with as gallant men as ever trod
beneath that flag, leads the right; Garnett,
with his heroes, brings up the left; and the
veteran Armistea6, with his brave troops,
moves forward in support. The distance
is more than half a mile. AS they advance
the enemy fire with great rapidity; shell
and solid shot give place to grape and can
lister; the very earth quivers beneath the
heavy rear; wide gaps are made in this re-
giment and that brigade; yet they quickly
closed up and move steadily onward. That
flag goes down. See how quickly it again
mounts upward, borne by some gallant
man, who feels keenly the honor of his old
Commonwealth, in this hour which is the
test of her manhood. The line moves on
ward, straight onward-cannons roaring,
grape and canister plunging and ploughins
through the ranks-builets whizzing as
thick as hailstoneS in winter and men fall
ing as leaves fall, when shaken by the
blasts of autumn. In q double quick, and
with a shout, which raises above the roar
of battle, they charge. Now they pour in
yolleys Of musketry-theyr reach the works
the contest RACES with intense fury-men
fight almost hand to hand-the red cross
and gridiron wave deflantly in close prox-
imity-the enemy are slowly yielding-a
Federal officer dashes in front ofhis shrink
ing columns, and, with flashing sword
urges them to stand. General Pickett see
ing the splendid valor of his troops, moves
among them as if counting death by his OWL
daring intrepidity. The noble Garnet il
dead, Armistead wounded, and the brave
Kemper, with hat in hand, still cheering
on his men, falls from his horse into TIT
ranks of the enemy. His men rush forward
to rescue their General, and he is borne
mortaily wounded from the field. Wher'
is the gallant Williams? The Firstis there
but his clear voice is no longer heard-h'
has fallen lifeless, and there goes his hors
now riderless. There stand the decimatet
ranks of the Third; and Mayo, though
struck stands firm with his faithful men
animating them to yet more daring deeds
but CallOott, the Christian soldier, VIII
stood unmoyed amid this carnival of dealt
has fought his last battle; no sound shall
awake him to glory again, till the sum
mons of the Great Judge, announcing t
him the reward Of the faithful soldier, VIII
has fought the good fight Patterson, Ote.
and Terry, who but moment since stoot
at the head of their respective regiments
are wounded. The brave Hunton, hero o
Leesburg, most worthy successor Of the no
BILE Garnett, Stewart and Cant, lies wound
ed. Darlington, his gallant regiment shat
tered, stands firmly, Haunting deiiantly hi
colors in the very face of the enemy. Allel
and Ellis killed. Hodges, too, has fallen
and the modest, chivalrous Edmunds lie
numbered with the noble dead; Aylet
wounded, and Magruder has gone down il
the shock Of battle. The fight goes on
but few are left, and theshrinking columns
of the enemy gain confidence from tn
heavy reiniorcements ordered TO their sup
port. They, too, are moving in large fore
on the right flank. This division, small a
,:tl, 10 TN Oh.