Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-04-27
VOLUME XIV. NO. 3,
A THRILLING INciDFNr

Ger concludes his "Reminiscences ofthaWar
No. q" with tho following incident Of the
battle Of Gettysburg:
"When General IIongstrect advanced up.
on the Federal left, its first line was carried.
But the enemy being heavily reinforced,
rallied, and in turn droYe our position of the
line (Anderson's br;gade) from the posi-
ton, as well as other brgadcs OIL our right
and left. Again we charged and again
were driven back. This WAS critical mo-
ment for us nearly all Of our general Off
GERS were killed or wounded. Our heavy
line had crumbled TO n moro handful, and
the flower of Longstrect's corps lay weltcr-
ing in blood. We were slowly retrealus
leaving many of our dead and wounded in
the hands Of the exulling foe. The hosts
OF tho enemy. camo on like tho mighty
tides Of the ocean, AMI the pcans'of victory
were already.rising from their naughty lines.
The blue hills in their rear were bristling
with bayoncts, and pouring torrents Of
reinforcements down their winding slopes.
Now, when, we should have been reinorc--
ed with 10000 troops, General Lee had
not man TO send U.s. Officers broke their
swords upon the rocks, and many of them
wept. Our dead ard wounded comrades
lay around us by thousands, and it seemed
as If there was 10 hand to save tho shatter.
ed remnant from destruction. But aid did
not come-a man-a solitary inan threw
himself before tho juggcrnaut Of Federal
power, aud alone and unaidcJ, sought to
stay its onward progress. I remember, as
if it were but yesterday, the zouave cap
and iron gray beard oflho stranger. None
know him, Iut all idolized him for lis bray-
cry. He moved through the awful storm
with steady step, and his untitled sword
seemed to say to the advancing foe "lLus
far shalt though come and no farther."-
fle said nothing, but his godlilc example
made hero Of every man who saw him.
Soldiers looked in the face of their COM
radcs, and the question came simultaneous
y to their backeucd lips, "lNho is he2"
echoed right and left, far up and down the
line. The enemy came on like tornado,
9 and tho proud hero stood enveloped in The
smoke, Of their muskcts like lion at bay.
Men forgot 10 reload their pieces or conceal
themselves behind tho rocks, but stood stv-
| pified witl, wonder. "Who is he 2" men
/, groaned-"Whe is lo 2" officers repeated
until the cry became fearful. "Gcreral
Lee, some one shouted, and The word ran
along the line like an electric flash. "Gen.
| eral Lee, forever !" rang loud above" tho
! battles roar, and rs ono man our gallant
soldiers rushed like a thunder bolt upon
tho aston:shcd foe; "slollow General Lee!'
cried our wounded comrades, as they lay
upon:the :trampled earth and tossed up their
bloody E:caPs: No body -;of men on tho
;, broad green earth could have pitLstoodthe
terrible impetuosity of this onset. The
Federal troops, though they fought desper-
ately, were compelled to give back, and at
lastto retreat in confusion to the heights,
leaving their dead and wounded in our
hands -.-,,z' %. t.,n
But where was tho stranger 2 "AIas!
The paths Of glory lcad.b to the grave"
Tho war is over now, and the; brave men
whom VIC met that day as deadly enemies
we now meet rs friends. We would not
detract neray from the military glory chat
adores each Of their heroes, but would DO
justice to our lamented dead; and il, BY this
imperfect sketch, can add one flower to
the chap1et of a fallen, heross' fame, I shall
!. feel myself amply rewarded. {Ana that he.
:, ro-"wiio. is he7" The answers scamessup
from the, graves of e Getlyst taarg Gen: Paul
4 J. semmes. K. ~: : : ~
IN laea--Trae and. Beantyul.--I can
not believe That The earth ismsn'a abiding
:. place: 1T cannot be that oyr life is.cast up
Eby the occean ofeternity to float Upon it's
waves sandEsink ":ipto anotaiiugness. Else,
:,EHhy.is II tkat, The. glorious aspirations