The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-08-25
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Iuc gates upon the sOuln sioe afe opened
and the prisoners, in squads. Ierrhitfed to 60
ta the lake shore, where they can walk eight
rods upon the rocks, with the water not
more than five feet deep. Each In turn once
in four days visits the lake IL he chooses. ans,
good swimmers have an opportunity 10 test
their skill in aquatic exercises, taking care IL,
keep within the range Of the guards gun, nj
ways ut command, should any attesu,a 10
reach the opposite shore, three mites dis
tant
The island has garrison Of fur hundred
soldiers under the command Of Mainr Pear
SON, who has had charge Of the isiabl since
it became rendezvous for prisoness. Dir.
Woodbridge is the Surgeon, Mr. McCuue
Chaplain, and T.. 4. keefh, Steward
Generals Archer and Jones are tle only
rebel officers now on the island holding that
flank. General Jones is Virginiant Ia birth.
and was captured at the battle Of Gett5 5sbure
His brother is a merchant at ST. Paul Mime
sofa -
Colonel Humphrey, captured at Cham
pion's Station, Mississippi, owns three plan
fatiOns at Port Gibson, worth more than s.,
0O0, 600. Many others are men Of larger pro-
perty.
In the cells are nine men confined under
sentence Of death. Seven oi these are spies
and two deserters.
THE PINCH OF THE BATTLE AT GETTYs-
RuaG--HOw NEAR 1T CANE SO x1oy-
rEDERATE VICTORY.
The Baltimore american publishes an
account of 1.-The Pinch of the Battle" at
Gettysburg, which gives history of that
terrible assault on the centre by the
Confederates which came so near winning
the day The charge Of Pickett's divis-
ion is well described, and the description
shows that if the charge had been sup
ported, the day would have been ours.
The writer, Yankee soldier, who was
engaged in the fight on the heights. saws
After al hour and a half of such firing as
l have described, we could see, from where
we stood, the enemy moving up in three lines
from out of the woods They would come
out, marching by flank, till they reached the
desired gronnd, when they would face to the
front. Their second line was about Il hun
drcd yards in the rear OF the first, and on the
edge of the woods, across the valley, was Il
third line. 1t was splendid sight 10 see
them. No one loo ked at their uniforms or
no uniforms, their hats, or caps, or bare
heads. Everybody locked at the beautiful
way in which they arrayed themselves in OF
der of attack, regardless of the shot and shell
which we threw into their ranks. The sol
diers on our side again and again praised,
while they awaited the approach of the enc
my. Nor did they wait long When they
approached to within about two hundred
yards, part Of onr division, think it was
Halls brigade, opened fire, and we could see
men fall and others go to the rear. Still on
they came, crowdiny a little in front, but us
steady rs rocks. just then an officer rode
by and said the Vermont regiment on the
left was worrying the enemy. But they dld
not mind that either; on they came When
they got within a hundred yards, more of our
regiments opened fire; but il did not stop
them. Some regiments reserved their lire
till they got within fifty yards, and then the
enemy fell fast but still Oh they came, and
We could see their faces and hear their Off
GERS Ii was almost TOO much for human
nature to stand; and & portion of the second
brigade, which was behind the stone fence,
began to leave coyer-ISt because the enemy
was upon ii, but because ii seemed impossi-
BILE to stay.
The flags OF the enemy, which are small
red affairs, with Il white cross diagonal on
them, got up to the stone wall, and some
crossed the line OF rail fence, perhaps hun
dred or SO, led, as heard, by Gen. Armistcad.
They were able TO do this because, as l have
told YOU, the second brigade did not stand
up to the line of the stone wall and rail
fence, 81 that the division WIS bent back
ward in the centre, as it were, the ends Oh
the right and left standing fast; at least so il
seemed, for there was great deal OF smoke
and terrific noise to confuse ones power OF
calm observation.
This was the pinch, and the officers knew
it. Gen. Gibbon had just been hit, some one
said, and almost at the same time Gen. Han
cock was badly wounded, and both were
taken OH the field 10 the rear. But | recol-
lect seeing Gibbons aid Try to rally the men,
and do il maniully too. lie did a mans part
in steadyin. the line. So did Webb, who
was on foot in the midst of the men. En-
treaty, command, cXpostulation, encourage
ment, were employed. Webb was every
where. SO was Col. Smith, OF 4 Pennsylva-
MIA regiment. AT this time the enemy were
crowding over the stone fence near the
clnmps of trees, and their red flags were
waving, as it seemed to me, in triumph al
ready, though Hall was all right and his men
were steady on our left. Presently some one
near me said that the enemy were nassing
their men in front Of Webb, opposite the
clumps of trees, and we began to wish for
HalPs help. BY this time the officers had
stopped the falling back, and were driving
stranglers to the front, though we did not go
forward to the stone wall. yet, but all were
facing the enemy and firing heayily-not III
ranks, for every one seemed going II pretty
much on his own hook; but cheeriully, which
was good sign. We had wished iof Hall,
SO he came as wished, and his right marched
by the flank to our left and got mixed with
our men.
As the Sd brigade (Halps) came up by the
flank there was disposition, under the
heavy fire to which it was exposed, TO edge
away from the stone wall, but the officers
oyercame this, and soon 4 compact body ol
men was forlaed who delivered heavy and
lldirected fire upon the enemy as tles
came over the WI II and rail fence towards us
just then an officer, think it was the same
who had gone for Hall, Gibbons aid, came
over with some regiments from The Isl Driy
ade Harrow on our left, and from hlhi IL
was reported that the extreme right oil The
breaking badly and that men were running
to the rear. This greatly encouraged lis, and
we cheered and went to ourwhrk WIN VIII
At this time We were behind the crest "hici
was between us and the stone waii, WHEN
was little way down the hill towards iht
valley: and at the wall between fifty and
sixty wards from us, were the enemy, many
of them over the wall We now advanced
and could see, as We did SO, that The batth
was raging in front of the th,fd DIVISION.
We delivered steady fire from The crest; al
short range, which cleared ths VIII, 10 "hiti
We then rushed, flags waving and men shohl
in~ Officers on both sides were USING thei,
nistols the colorsergcant of the I'D Penn
sylyania went forward with his colors, th'
lance of which had been shot in two. The
soldiers followed him with rush; no one
wanted to straggle now. Other eolofs were
borne as well, the wall was gained amt
crossed, and the work Of taking prisoner
commenced Hundreds who threw down
their arms and rushed towards us were sem
to the rear. Here aud there there was