The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-07-04
Paul ]. Eermes

| "A contributor 10 the Atlanta Yn.elli,a.
Ger concludes bis "Reminiscences Of u,
War-No. j2.sRith. the following thriIlin.
incident ofIthe battle of Gettysburg:
I When General ,Lonestreet advanced a.
Ion the Federal LEO, its first line was carrie
the enemy being heavily reinforced, 10
Ilied. and intarn drove our portion Of i
/ line lAnderson's brigade) from the position
az well as other brigades on our right aud
left. Again we charged, and again were
driven back This was critical moment
for MS. Nearly all Of our general ofIissss
were killed or wounded. Our heavy line
had crumbled to q mere handful, and the
flower Of Longstreet's corps lay welterinp
! in blood. We were slowly retreating. lsay.
ing many of our dead and wounded in the
hands Of exulting foe.s The hosts ofthe
enemy came on like the mighty tides of the
ocean, and the loud peals of victory were
already rising from their naughty Inns,
The blue hills in their rear were bfistiing
with their bayonets and pouring torrents
Of reinforcements down their winding slope.
Now, when we should have been reinforced
with 10000 troops, Gen. Lee. had not
man to send us. Officers broke their swords
On the rocks. and many Of the men wept,
Our deadand wounded comrades lay around
US by thousands. and it seemed as if there
was no hand to save the shattered rem.
inant from distraction. But aid did come
Ia mana solitary man, threw himself be.
fore the Juggernaut of Federal power. and
alone and unaided. sought to stay its on.
ward progress. remember. as lit were
hut yesterday, the Z5uaye cap and iron grey
beard Of the stranger. None knew him,
but all idolized him for his bravery. He
moved through the awful step, and his sup.
lifted sword seemed to say to the adyan-
eng foe, "thus far shalt thou come, and no
farther" Hesaid nothing, but hiapod ike
example made a hero Of every man who
saw him. Soldiers hooked insthe faces iof
their comrades. and the question came sim
ultaneously to their hlackened fps, aWho
is he?" "Who is be?" echoed right aud left
far mp and down the line. The enemy
came on like tornado. and the proud herb
stood enveloped in the smoke Of their mus
k ''s1 like Ia lion at hay. Men forgot to
reload their pieces. or conceal themselves
behind sths rocks, but stood Supplied with
wonder.
Who ishe? Men groaned 4aW llo isher'
officers fepeated--unti the CRY. became
strangely wild and fearful. General Lee"
some one shouted and the word raj, along
the line like an electric fash. sG General Les
forever" ran aloud above the battles roar
and as one man our gallant soldiers rushed
like thunderbolt upon the astonished
foe. -
"Follow General Lee!' cried our woun- ]
ded comrades, as they lay upon The tram
pied earth, and tossed up their bloody caps.
No body Of men on the broad green earth
could have withstood the terrible impetu.
osity Of this onset. The Federal troops, !,
though they fought desperately, we're com.
PEELED 10 give back, ard at lsst7to retreat
in confusion to their heights, leaving their
dead and wounded in our hands. 81
But where was the stranger? Alas athe
paths of glory lead but TO the grave The
war is over how, and the brave men whom
we met that day as deadly enemies we now
meet a. friends. Wewould not iktrast one
ray from the crown ofmilitary glory that 81
adorns each Of their heroes, bit would do g
Justice to our lanehted dead: and it. BY s
his imperfect sketch. can add one Anwer B
% the chaplet Of a fallen hero's fame shall &
EEL myself amply rev arded. And that he.
ro-"Who is he? The answer comes up i
rom the graves Of Gettysburg General
Paul j. Semmes. p sifAs