The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-05-05
A Thrilling Incident.


A contributor to the Atlanta Tntelligen-
Ger concludes his +" "Reminiscences of the
War; No. 2 with the following incident of
the battle of Gettysburg:
When Gen. LOngstreet advanced upon the
Federals left its frat line was, carried; the
enemy being heavily reinforced, rallied, and
in turn drove our position Of the line TAN
derson's Brigade) from the position, as we'll
as other brlgades on our right and left
Again we charged, and were driven back.
This was critical moment for tfs; nearly
all of our general officers were killed or
wounded. Our heavy line had erumhled TO
mere handful, and the flower of Long
street corps lay weltering IN blood We
were slowly retreating, leaving many Of the
dead and wounded In the hands of the ez-
ulting foe The hosts Of the enemy came
on like the mighty tides Of the ocean, and
the loud peals OF victory were already rising
from their naughty lips. The blue hills in
their rear We're bristling with their bayonets
and pouring torrents of reinforcements
down their winding slope
Now when we should have been REIN
forced with 10000 troops Gen. Lee had
not a man to send u.s. Officers broke their,
swords on the rocks, and many Of the men.
wept Our dead and wounded men lay
around US by thousands, and it seemed as If
there was no hand to save the shattered
remnant from destruction. But aid did.
come; a Inan-a solitary man threw him
self before the juggernaut of the Federal
power, and al0ne and unaided, sought stay
its downward progress. / remember. asifl
it were but yesterday, the Zouave cap and
the irongrey- beard Of the stranger. NOn6
knew him, but all idOlized him for his bray
cry. he moved through the awful storm
with a steady step, and his uplifted sword
seemed to say to the advancing foe thns-
far shaltthOu come and ne farther" Hs
said nothing, but his godlike example made
a hero of every man who saw him. SOL
diers looked in the face Of their comrades
and the question came simultaneously to
their blackened lips, - who is he ? and il
was echoed right and left, far np and down
the line. The enemy came on like a torna-
do, and the proud hero stood ehveloped in
the .sn50le Of their muskets, ike lion at
bay Men forgot 20 reload their pieces or
to conceal themselves behind the rocks, but
stood sbupefed with wonder. VINO I5
he 2" men eroaned officers repeated, until
tie cry became strangely wild and feaEfgls
tGeneral lee some one shouted, and the
word ran along the line like an electric
flash. General Lee loreyerl' rang above
| the battis's roar, and as one man our gal
liant soldiers rushed ike afthunderb0lt upon
| the astOnished foe. {" Follow General Lee
cried orr wounded comrades as they lay on
| the trampIed earth and tossed Up their CORY
caps No body Of men on the broad green
| earth could have witbstood the terrible lm-
petuesity Of this onset. The Federal troops
! though they fought desperately were COM
/ pelIed to give back, and at last to retreat ~
/ confusion to their heights, leaving their
! dead and wounded IN our bands.
,fs-,t ,gbeye was the stranger2 Alas The
natbs of glory lead but to the grave The
/ tvsT q over now. and the brave men Whom
We met that day. as deadly enemies, We nosg
1,oet al friends. We would not detraet
one raw from the crown Of military glory
/ fkat adSrns each Of their heroes, bat would
! do Justice to our lanented dead and i, oy
/ this iInpeFfect sketch, can ado ore newer
] =, tt,a-lrhaolAt of q fallen herO,s fame. 4
slau feel myself amply rewarded. And
/ that hero VINO is be The answer
coraes up from the graves Of Getsysearg--s
/ General PAUL J. SEafsIEs