Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-03-24
From the Richmond ENQUIRER.
PET TIGREWs BRIGADE All GETTYSBURG.
Mastiae ffam= sthe different Eeg

| From the Richmond EDoujrer
PET TIGREW's BRIGADE AT GETTYSRURG.
Msstiae4 tha different Esai
: 'bting proudly ii PfssFsEsbdB ts!IV "
gard 9 e tbe part a afsn y Il i hs SSs burg
Jhas been persise 5t1y misrepreseuted in OF thu
pleading daily pap - and hasniueh these false and
unjust statene1ts are Likely To- be into
history OF this war; truth and justice demand that the
facts should appear they Having seen com
municatOn In possession of Msfor BBkef ltfom Capt
4 Il G.Youpg, AID dc Camp TO the late Gen Pettigrew
Written at ihe irstanL OF men and eers oil the
Brigade which, by plain and torcibie statement OF
facts renders nugatory the injurious reflection cast up.
on the Brigade, ard also pays worthy tribute 10 the
! memory of the noble desd stherefore
\ R solved That Me Baker be requested to furnish
copy oftbe communication to him; together with his
letter to Capt. 4nun g. for publication. -. .sa-. d.
IL Resotndy That hi his instance, in3 evargs case
EBhfre the henOr m the eae of ibe Brigade has ben
coneT ped, Capt Louis d. YOas has manifested sub
yep and also displayed such marked galantrs Oh the
Fseds as has WOO for hm the highest esteem aud apk
Eafenr Of the ,enure eYmmaLd, and Specially the
taI Ks OF the men and tigers due him for the admira
BILE manner 10 which he has acquitt hims IN mat
ter where their honor vas so nearly ncernei, p
\ hut committee OF three be appointed by The clair.
man, with DstruelOrsstG hApH the hUYe nal1d papers
published in. the Rchmopd Euguircr anu North Caro-
FhfaFsPeFs aud also IN IamFtletie @~.ss;:; ..
ii .ea5 xl,so - 4 IRxAANpis eBRIG4p2c.rarf g.
pr Aear-Qfapga ~ PCT ! susts VA, .}2.9.e
Y - II
l., My Dear Sir The Ulcers and men OF this brigade,
through me beg your hands an act OF friendship
which 10 che Low alVe bnt yoQrsJf can well prr-
form namely Ito RIite. ior pgbcaen ouot OF
He PET ghleh lls Ss"f 9' y " le ba'ie q Gs'4S
d If9br: genera had iy bis port be5.od All dqGbl;
would have iprpked hist Dry those battles N VII 81
ustie Toqd have 9een dor, not oqIy u his iaade,
but 70 all others pndtr hS c6Umaud but, ui19Ftu,
natey for US and fer his county. be id rot live 10
write his report and there is no one let Of our brigade
Who; than yourself fq more ofar25jais supply this
tpy9 ior sople tine rs at lie ::
stance Or n1hy Of TIE Officers, 70 wte 10 yo9 to this
tct Lut the Change q CAMP. and The nyerpo4i1iol
81 many 2t4ef ips2pvennces have from me TO tune
prtYeptfd thf execution 9 ny pqrposf n the rdent
ducInG the ertqncogA aud u4just accounts Of the pa tile
of the 81 ofJuy, Wfich appeared 10 the Rchmold pa
pers shortly after be- reveal from Gel yspurg, has
prompted pe to adde's hs5 fstsFo yQp without fur
- Shall these III arous accc Units 60 10 de void I'M.
cohtradicted Shat thy De permitted 10 be incorpo-
rated into II" history the yar5Ythcut protest.
The part which you bore IL the battles Of the Ist and
you were much Identified with these ttea as any
one who was engaged in them You Reenot only an
eeW witness Of and participant in those hatles, but
your means q e lqg e upon ~
dipae officer who was present, and Be beg that in vim
dieaon Of tie Brigade you will consent to put your
testimony upon the record. - -...,.:: ..+,.f O..
Believe me, my dear cir,
:. Very tFq7y, your friend,
10t Fl, 81 ctaFsstoD s G.. ' s.'
...,. ...., os1pE Rlf|lb4s, Feb, %, 1s64.
Major ". ksR ,' go - ..' y ), -
MyDeaf sir-Regretipg ny delay IN replying TO
your letter, chefrpy comply with the request Of the
HOfcers and men Of the Brigade 10 turpis al account
Of the part taken by the lameptsd Gen Petgrew and
hs Brigade in the battles Of GettysbnIg. To make
tie account ineligible wiz I've frequently TO reFar
to general incidents connt cted with OCCURRENCES Of the
three days fight. -: .St =. .~.....e.. fe,f.z. ->s.
The arrival of the advance efAeade' ssarmy:ft Get
t5sburg having been Iepprted,s Hei hs4 Division was
sent from the vicinity Of GasAtoan 10 reeenaoire his
posilen.zs On approaching. the teEn the enemy was
found strongly posted the bills las rC Rt.3 lhe lead
ing bEgades, Arrhers and DayislsI were immediately
advanced apd after a short, bat hot engagement in
which these two brigades Suffered severely new dg
position for attack made in the following manner
On the right of the road, line of battle was formed Of
the brgades of Brokenbrough, PettigreW and Archer
while Davis brigade was operate on the lett At this
time, two DECISIONS Of Wes corr arrived by road
from the left and it seems to have been determined
that they should engage the epemy aud cause him to
change 'front.' when we would .be advanced to take hm
in the flank This plan was only partially successful Tor
the number Of the enemy enabled him to oppose EWes
divisions and Davis brigade with strong force, audi I
tan the same time, his front to U.s. Ordered to at
tack, PettgreWs brigade, numbering about 1000, ad-
yanced in perfect align nett oyer an open field and
found the enemy strongly posted in three lines On the
crest and slopes of bill, partly wooded end eparty
covered with growing wheat, which served to conceal
the infantry from distant view AS 5000 as our Ter
ward movement was commenced, the enemy opened
upon line very severe bee from several pa terss,
but it continued steady advance, until in closs
it delivered deadly fire. The three lines were soon
driven into one but this made most obstinate resis
lance, and the fight carried on at forty to twenty
yards interval Opposite to our left wing, composed
of the goth and 18th regiments n. q. Troops, the
FedC tal forces fought lesperatt lactipg so heavy
loss that too few left for successful bayonet
Charge but men pressed on prrslsteny until the
enemy was driven back to his intreqchens. just out
side Of the town, and from which he was quickly
driyen BY Pender's fue division. No troops could
have fought better than did Pettigrews brigade this
day, and will testify, on the experience of many bard
fought battles, that saw any fight so weI lis
conduct was the admiration of all who witnessed the
engagement; and it was the generally expressed dpn-
On that no briga lie had done more ELECTIVE SERVICE, or
Nsn, greater fnae for itself, than this bad Inc
prisoners themselves testified that hey patiye
to the soil upon which they we're fighting had fought
with unusual Determination but there was no With
lie standing such an attack. The brigade WAS more sot
AZ ehgased than any hat participated ID the ts agd
more Of the enemy were killed aud Ro1ncd a rQpt Ct
tit than on any other part 6 the hel1, 9pcl ipIfkq
achievements could Of course, be accomplished only ct
Great sacrifice and the loss in killed and Wpundcd
amounted to from 900 to 100, including number
of our best and brayest officers Ih5 26th Regiment
alone lest SAG out Of abouL 800 men, and the 1th
regiment about $50 out Of $50. The fye Geld officers
pfesent with these two regiments were Killed or WOUND
ed Ia the midst Of the engagement. aj9r General
IIeth having been wounded, General Pettigrew WAS
called to The command OF the division, and Colonel
Marshall Of The 52d regiment to thlt OF the brigade.
l. On the ID of July the division rested until tie after
noon, when it was ordered 10 the support Of Ander-