Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-03-25
TWrLLTyG

A contributor 70 the Atlanta Intel
Hge1ccr, concludes his "reminiscences
Of the War, No. 8, " with The following
thrilling incident Of the battle Of Gettys-
burg:
When Gen. Longstreet advanced upon
the Federal left its first line was carried,
but the enemy being heavily reinforced,
rallied, and, IN turn, drove portion Of
the line lAuderson's brigade) from the
position, as wei as other brigades on our
right and left. Again we charged, and
again were driven back. This was "A crit
.caI moment for Us, nearly all Of our gen
eral officers were killed or wounded. Our
heavy line had crumblcd 10 a mere hand
ful, and the flower Of LOngstrects corps
lay welteriug in blood. Ne were slowly
retreating, leaving uauyOl our dead and
wounded in the hands Of the exultiug foe.
The hosts OF the enemy came on like the
mighty tides Of the ocean, and the loud
uaens u victory were already rising from
their naughty lips. The blue hills IN
. their rear were bristliBg with 1sy0nets,
% pouring torrents OF achievements
Gown their winding slope. Now, when
we should have been reinforced with 80
HJJ troops, Gen. Lee had not a man 10
send Us. Oficers broke their swords
HNffA VIC A|NAaf AM AAaAAAF IA hAAE AAANAl
weDt. Our dead and wounded c0mraGes
lay around Us by thousands, and il
seemed as If there was no band TO save
the shattered remnant from destruction.
But AID did not c0me-G mana solitary
MAJ threw himself before the -jugCeruaut
Of Federal power, and alone and un-
aided, sought % stay its onward pro-
Eres-. ! remember a. il it were but yes
'eriay, the Zouave cap and hon grey
neard OF the stranger None kuow
him, but al idoliZed hin lor his bravery.
He moved through the awful storm with
azts71ysl-pand hisupiHe1sWOra seemed
20 cay 70 tAs advancing foe, thus far
halt thou come aud no farther" he
ss!d nothing, but bis G9d-lte example
n@da a hero Of every ma VINO saw aim.
soldiers looked IN the face Of their ON
.ade ind b question came snultaue-
ously % their olackened lips; WHO Sc
lC?" Who IS beg" echoed right and
EFT far up and down the line. The enc
my came on ike e tornado, and the
proud hero stood enveloped in the smoke
q their musEots, lie "a lion at bay
Men forget 10 reload their pieces
0r conceal themselves behind the
rocks, but stood sJgpoGed with Won
ler. "NYh0 is be?" men groaned-
. who is he 2" officers repeated, until the
crv became strangely Wild and fearful.
" Gen. Leu s9ne b shouted, ana tne
word ran along the line ike an electric
lash. "Geu. Lee foyeveg.' rang loud
above The battles roar, and as "a man
our Gallant soldiers rushed like athunder-
bolt upon The asbOnlshed zoe, follow
Gen. Leel'' cried our wounded comrades,
Hz they lay upon the tIam2.ed earth and
tossed up their bloody caps. No body OF
men on the broad green earth could have
with-Jood the terrible impotu0sity Of this
onset. The Federal troops, though they
fought desperately, were compelled 10
give back, and at last 70 retreat in con
10 the hights, leaving their dead
and wounded IN our HANDS
But where was the stranger Alas!
The paths Of glory lead but 10 the
The var l. over now, and the
men whom we met that day as
enemies, We how meet as friends.
We would not detract one ray hOm the
crown OF military glory tbatadorns each
IF their heroes, but would do justice 10
Dur lamented dead and Il, by this i'm
sketch, 1 can add one flower to
.he chaplet Of a fallen hero,s fame, ] .
shall feel myself amply rewarded. And
,hat hero" who Is lie %" The answer
comes up from the graves Of Gettysburg
Paul, J. Semmes.