New-York tribune., 1867-06-21


FIGHTING IN THE ZENITH.
Whilethi main battle, involving twO-thirds of both
armies had for its object the possession of ScblcsS
false line, an episodcal combat had taken place upon
the scythe-handle itself more limited but more
furious. When. at the beginning Of the fight; the
Texan line oyerlapped the left of Sickess and burst
the DEVILS Dem there were no Union soldiers
on either of the Round Tops, only group OF signal
men and Gen. Warren, the Chief Engineer, on the
Smaller Knob. The Rebel column looked mp amazed.
No troops peared over TO oppose them. Lonely and
frightened the little bunch of sgnalmen flung their
mysterious messages through the blue air. But the
natural gTimness OF the gnarled mountain seemed
fortress dismantled, it arose, piled high
with natural masonres, and on its granite ram
parts oaks Of hundred years s,orH waved igsd
tulips IA they blow to and fro its deserted profile
Its Hanks wild ravnes. like the lars OF satyrs
and gOblins Before this northern hill the tangle-
haired Texans shrank an instant, looking up through
powdery counteDances. Then, with yell. they
moved up among the bOwldeTs and quaIrles, threw
their sharpshoOters into shelves OF outcroppng shale
and hollow ThOmbOds of gneiss and green stone, ana
at the crest of Little Round Top their artillery, far
behind, hailed showers of shell and ball
1t was terrific instant. With the Round Tops
a handle a man one-armed and one-fOoted; tine de-
sructiOn Of the whole army was positive. Already
the signal flags were folded the signal-men were
"Stay@ cried Warren "you are tho army now.
Wave yOur flags, as if they stood in line OF BATTLE
aud you ten were ten thousand"
tent teleuaphers-and raised n cheer out OF their
forlOrnness that was like dying comedians laugh.
For moment the Texans waycrcd; they closed
up column and advanced more SLOWLY anticipating
a desperate defense.
Just then music burst through one of the gorges
and the tread of men came In from the rear. Iney
wore blue uniforms. They were marching 10 the
peach orchard to reinforce Birney. Warren galoped
down. his dark Indian face almost blOOdlesS "
must have brigade" he said " take the response
bility of detachng yOu. Gen. Vincent! Out yOnder
we may be Tepulscd here we should be destroyed.
The brigade OF Vincent faced left and ran up the
hill with will The plain, morass, gorge, ana tur-
ther w0Odsdc as they looked over was tull Oh ad-
Yancing, deplOying flanking columns OF gray.
huzza they flung over their bristling bayonets as
they boldly advanced down the decyity, and sim
ultaneOus yolleys poured upward ana doWnWaId.
HaZlit, the gunner, came also at arren command
His battery would not bulge on the rOck-strewn
hight. The horses could not keep their balance up
the almost vertical places, with the dead Weght OF
30-pOunders below them. Pioneers Win iIenzled
blows cyclcd the oak trees; they charged the b0WId
eTs and blew them to pieces they made ROADWAY
as speedily as n housewife sweeps star; linen 70
every gun lines Ofmen put eirslnews and shoulders
Lever and shovel cleared the path. flying battery
il screamed from its cyTc the line Of battle-iags
waved like the piniOns of its young. warren was
away for rcCnfOrccments. Vincent shouted, ann
mcnl We must hold fast here though We all perish
"Aycl ayem came IN the niche between the yOlleys.
Now the strong mountain WOancd TO see the bl0od
they split down his face. He grew into volcano,
palpitating. smoking. running over with fire. Great
seams of blaze Zig-2aggCd down his cheeks. Ills eyes
were shot through with shells Into tho oakcn tanges
of his hair men climbed like battle-panthers aH9
morially shot IN their peTches leapcd out Win yen
steadily, deadly. murderously the Texans column
after column. wound mp the lrdges. vincent aininu-
milton was falling His men robbed the GartHugg-
boxes of Eeir slain comrades. They rolled the DoWld
ers down. aud halfway 10 the base stabbed anu par
ried with cold steel. side swords were crossed.
Heads opened TO scabbard-cuts. The deWhsh thngs
that were done halfway 60 Heaven on that SCARED
knob will haunt il thousand years. The hot battery
quaked over all through its natural granite emDf'c
surcs. Line after line driven back, new COLUMNS OF
yelling sayages lcapcd upward.
Men OF Name Micligauders, New-Yorkers, Penn
sylyanians hurled them back From series OF
charges the enemy's attack resolved into yolleying
rest lying upon their faces. cry ran through the
Union line almost paintiyo in It's poverty:
"1hc ammunition is out"
Then said young chamberlain OF Maine Ooy-
"Mcnl our only hope is in the steel; charge with
mcw -.
black birds gold-daggcrcd, upon files ot corn, the
lumbprmcn and watermcn of Name Whlstled doWl
the prccipccs the Rebel lines were swallowed as IL
the ground had opened into the gOrges behind thc
Devils Den, and Round Top was saved 10 tho Union,
OF which it became the Keystone indeed on thls de-
standing now ON Round Top who can revive all
the strong or beautiful episodes that were written on
the scorchCd parchment of tins landscape the tehdtI
ncsses, the atrocities, the ioIgVenesSeS the i4nell
agonics. the crying on deaf men 10 help ana Dhhd
men TO have mercy. A hundred ana ntty thOnSana
fghting men represent the population oi the
greatest city Set this city are loosen the lalls ana
dcns of IT, make cnds howl IN 70 flames Tor lust, or
tly i'm despair. send charity and heTosm upon DOid
and noble cTTauds, and you have supcTncal battle;
What noble hearts ceased TO beat az uetlysnuIg a.5
got no fame; what awful crimes were committed ana
got no iniamy Dropped into the century ana the
republic. the good and the evil that tel thai day
but ~ the pOsOnS and the sweets that Ipoh III
the purple apple.
Instances: these
As Weed took post on yincents left, and was
strengthening his line and directing ms reglmehta
commanders ball came out of the woods across the
morass and stretched him gasping under The OAK
trees His arllerist Hazlitt FASTENED TO hiS side
Bending above Weed he said, almost IN tears
General! Friend. you Will live for the brigade
for mo!D
a yollcy like "A knife-bhdc swept over the rocks.
The commander of the battery fell upon the body
of his General. and they died almost II each o'e4s
Jimmy Dunn Of Battery b. United States Regular
ARTILLERY. Law bleeding 10 death upon the rocks. lie
cried ptcously to one of his comrades for water,
For the love of God, John! give me drink.
The comrades Cantcen was empty jimmy,
have ne drop of water, and u 20 to the br3ok tEe
battery will lose man. we can Daieiy hO'' d"
now ,r;n.l
the wounded cannoncer, can 90 without IHe
drink But turn me over" .
The burnt hands set the soldier on his side:
"N Now 20 Johnny Never give up the battery
When thry formed new line of battle across the
peak the artilleriSt WAS dead where ne Hau lulcI
but the battery was saved. As Chamberlalnes col
umn dashed down the Hank side of the hill, scaling
the rocks turning the ho lows leaping Ike tlgcrs,
with n sweaty face and smiled as he heard their
hulza at the bottom of the glen over the morass
came his Bird of Paradise, straightwinglng with re-
morseless beak. lie fell III his blood on the mountain
side he had redeemed.
The gallant ORourke, full Of the flush OF tho
instant tumbed also into the shadow OF n bowlder,
shot To death in the grim smile of victory. There
was no outcropping stone on Little Round Top that
was not tombstone Wearing their frown OF wrath,
the faces of the slain turned up bltngy. The green
ncorns were wet with bloody dew. 1t looked like n
bivouac of death in the upper air, and the signal
a. I,,t ,g,vng iil,e the blood red wings of souls