Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-04-05
From the Raleigh Sentinel.
pettIgre.v,s Old Brigade.

| Deen called 10 an article IN the SentHet, Ill
which I find the following extract from the
"Life and Campaigns of General Robert
Z. Lee" by Mr. McCabe
"Still the line pressed Un, winning the adlnira-
ton Of its foes by the aGnltcencC CT Its adj
vance. Suddenly when the crest Was almost
reached, the hill blazed with the fire OF the fede-
raj infantry aid PettGrews division, in spite OF
the Efforts Of its ealaHt commander to rally it,
broke in dismay and fed from tho field, leaving
two thousand prisoners and fifteen standards in
the Lands Of the Union army.
/ The triumph was nearly won, and
was a. brief "a it WAS glorious The enemy raj
! lied on their second line and poured whitening
fire into the captured works now held by the Nir-
giniaus. CHANGING around to look for his supports
Pickett found that he was alone, that Pettigrew
men had fed and left him to his fate. His gr&n
charge had been III vain.
1t is greatly to lie regretted that Gen. Lee
has fallen into the hands of so misinformed
a biographer. All Of us know Gen. Lee,
Our hearts swell with pride at the mention
of his name-a name second to none on
the roll of fame. We loved him in the
army. His bland smile cheered every heart
his noble bearing ncrved every arm. It
was my fortune to have q personal inter
view with him but once, and then under
orders. | approached his tent with some
degree OF trepidatiOn, but his genial smile
and calm bearing at once treasured me. He
received me more like Il father would have
done son, than the Commander Chief
Of one of the grandcst armies the world ever
saw, would an unknown soldier. / met
with none of the difficulties that / did III
obtaining an interview with post COM
mander in North Caroline. l passed no
guards, and Saw not half the indications of
military ranI, and Importance that sur
rounded that camp. He gave me his hand,
offered me seat, and the interview ended,
he thanked me for my prompt compliance
with his request. [ left him, feeling that |
had been in the presence OF one truly good
and great, and wishing that the petty post
commander might be taught the same les
son | had learned, q sense Of my httIenes6,
an idea of true greatness. God bless the
old hero, May Heaven s choicest blessings
inHs every rest on him and his
But to Gen. Lees bio@raphcr: | know
not who MIR. Jas ID. McCabe. Jr.. of yir-
giniu is II may be that he is one Of those
who won honorS on hard fought fields. 1t
may b2 he took notes Il convenient distance
III the rear. or received his information
from one who did OF this [ know moth
ing, but ] do assert there was no bad con-
duct on the part of Petti9rews's brigade in
the third days charge at Gettysburg.
1t was MY fortune to be an humble mem
Der of Pettigrcw's Brigade, and to advance
with it IN that fatal charge. [ am the only
field officer OF that old Brigade, save the
gallant Mai. Jones, Of the 10th, who after
wards iell in the Wilderness, whose fortune
it was ever again to meet the enemy on the
field OF battle. IN the first days fight, the
18th and 2GtIl had suffered heavily. Col.
Leaventhrope. of the 18th, painfully woun-
ded, and afterwards taken prisoner, the
gallant and accomplished Major Ross fell
while leading the regiment. The loss III
+ % DI,tI bad ,aa1, baayiap still for
there the Gallant, promising and beloved
Burgwyn poured out his LIES blood, and
his Lieutenant Colonel, Lane, fell wounded
and bleeding by his side The 47th and
52nd. on the right of the Brigade. had not
lost so heavily. though the loss in the 47th
was about l2j killed, wounded and mis-
sing,-among the killed the gallant and
amiable Capt Iredel peace to Lis ashes
He died as the brave ever wish to die, be
loved By all his comrades, and in the faith
ful discharge of his duty. twas after this
bloody, but glorious encounter of the first
day, that, late in the evening of the second,
the Brigade was ordered to the right where
Longstreet had been hotly engaged from 4
O'Clock. Night closed the action.
On the morning of the third, we were
aroused to a sense Of orr situation, and no
man, who viewed the ground, but felt that,
1c0uld be. blood must flow and gallant
spirits take their final flight At first it
was ordered that Pickett should advance,
by Heth's Division, then COM
manded by PettigreW, but afterwards this
was changed, and Heths Divis-
ion moved to the left, and on line with
Pickett. And here, [ think, we find the
ground on which are based all the charges
Of bad conduct on the part of Pettigrews
Brigade. PickettS men advanced. expect
ing to be supported by Pettigrew, but the
support did not reach them in time, and
they very naturally censured Pettigrews
men for the failure. Whether any one was
to blame or not, | am not able to say, but
certain am / that Petti9rew's Brigade was
not, for, at the very moment Pickett
claims to have had, and lid have, a portion
Of the enemy's works, and was looking to
the rear for Pettigrew S troops, those troops
,reTe on line ruth him, battling as hard and
Oreasting as bravely that storm of death as
the bravest in Pickett's command ; and as
they looked anxiously to the rear for sup
port from Pettigrew, SO did Pettigrew's
Brigade look in vain for it's support and
as Pickett failed, finding ''his grand charge
had been III vain, for the want of support
SO did Pettigrew, Z" glancing around, find
that his grand charge had been in vain,
for the same reason. Pettigrew'S Brigade
was 40 more responsible for tho failure of
Pickett's charge than was Gen. Rodes, who
was still further to the left and under or
lers not to fire gun.
At | o'clock, the signal guns were heard,
and, fer nearly two hours, [ never listened
to 50 terrific Il cannonade. That ended,
the order was given by the gallant Mar
shall,-1tIas that it should have been the
last he ever gave.--to advance, and, with
steady tramp, the Division advanced, the
order being 'fguide right" with Archer's
Tennessee Brigade on the right and rest
ing on Picketts left, then Pettigrew' S Brig
ade, then Davis Mississippi Brigade, and
then q Virginia Brigade, whose commander
[ do not remember, but whose command
united with Archer's Brigade
under General Walker. We advanced, re-
ceived their fire, and still advanced. [
never saw men behave more calamity, nor
do | believe men ever did. [ speak not for
the whole Division, though I hope all did
their duty. That Archer's Brigade kept on
a line with Pickett, [ am quite sure, and
that Pcttlgrew's Brigade was on a line with
Archers, l know. That Pickett, and posi-
hi aNEfIn r,E L I