Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-05-30
The Rebel Assault on the Len Centre Al GetiIs-
huru.

! The Japs nave already got theirs III Ol'040
ton.
The Rebel Assault on the Len Centre a GetiJs-
! burg.
Perhaps the most spirited passage IL zen
/ Devens- fine address at the reunion OF the
Army of the Potomac was the following,
describing the great assault and repulse OF
the third day Of the battle Of Gettysburg
Concentrating immense mass of artil-
/ lerv. not less than $50 guns, along his
/ frrnr the confederate commander strives
/ f-st To shake the morale Of the federal
! troops. whose frmness and courage he clear
/ ~ does not despise. II order that ms IN
/ tau.ry columns may more readily do tine de-
cisire work lie mad IN store for them. From
eighty runs posted upon Cemetery hill and
ridge. our batteries make stern reply, and
an artillery conflict OF unexampled Jury
rage from ridge 20 ridge and over the val
/ lev or death that lies between Shelterlng
/ Themselves as well as they can by such rude
| breastwark- a. they have from the terrific
storm Of shoe and shell which fills the AR
and with its tumult could wake the very
dead among whom their lines are drawn
were they sensible o. mortal sounds. our
] troops await the mumenrOus struggle which
/ j. coming for the mighty roar l. but the
overture and prelude 10 q migh1ier drama.
| For two hours the tempest continues.
Hunt. orr prudent chief of artillery. to
wards the end slackens his fire that the am
/ muuiti1u may NOT fail. when the infantry
attempt e. close he knows that be shall need
il all. and his wisdom is well rewarded after
wards Hancock. who commands the left
centre. his own corps being Immediately
under Gibb0u. knows that somewhere on
him the storm II TO break, and rides along
his whole line seeing that all is prepared,
and r1usiuc his men hy his ardent words and
magnetic presence u the hot work that Is
before them
And now there l. a m0mentary lull In the
fire of the confederate line all know II a. the
Iull which precede- the widest roar of the
tempest and that for few moments their
batteries cannot ire because their infantry
are moving. Out OF the wooded cresrs
which have shielded them on Seminary
Ridge. they are coming now IL number
nearly OF quite eighteen thousand men.
From the edge OF the wood Longstreet d.
reefs tie assault and anxiOGsly Lee watches
the result. Pickett S division, about 1900
or 5000 strong. Is the directing force. Upon
the rich- il j. supported by Wilcox ana
Perry from Hills corps. Upon the lett
Heth division Of Hill corps commanded
by pettirreW. forms q portion OF the as
SaUltiug lines. and Is strengthened hy two
brigade from pender division of the same
CORPS. on Pickett. however. the greatest
reliance j. placed Let him hu; reach our
line with adequate momentum and they feel
that the day Is theirs The men OF TINS
division have not vet fought IN the battle
and fee. that they have been kept for It's
very crisis they are resolved upon their
work for they know that the ewes Of both
armieS are upon them. NirEInians al;
alas thar the state So h0n1rea ID the mon
as L. be termed the mother ui IL PRESIDENTS
should send forth So gallant @ BODY ot her
sons IN the mad and wicked effort 10 destroy
il C1nsf icu0l- Iu the front a. they move
into the more open ground l. Pickett HIM
self. carefully ilruiug his lines, and almost
Immedatel they come under the ire OF our
batteries, Yet steadily they move through
the valley wiki courage that n good
cause should command the admiration OF
the world. There is no rushing or tumult.
Tor Ihey are old troops and know vel
the value OF discipline and that they
must keen their formations OF they Will be
driven as mob would be driven from the
front OF the army OF the Potomac. They
close ~ their ranks. too. a> the shot and
spherical case come plungIng through their
lines. for they have often looked before
upon the sight of blood. The lines of
Pet1iErew. more exposed 1y the open
character Of the ground. waver soon under
the terrific cann0nade.-i0r Hunt, ec0nomi- /
ca. q LITTLE while ago. is liberal enough
everywhere n0w.-and are broken on their
left while the right still cliucS firmly 70 the
directing force. Inc supporting columns I
fail 70 advance in season and with YiCOr, I
and plcketts division must DO the work f.
finally almost alone. If il may. Already il 4
Is within the musketry fire Of our troops.
but Yet they Withhold Ii. Many Of cur guns I
nave now exhausted their canister ana are I
drawn back % await the struggle Of the H. /
ianIry. but still the stout army lets Its 0p- /
ponents come. The Vermont brigade lst 1
corps, thrown forward upon ITS flank. j. the .
first u open. but the column still presses
on. Il encounters now the d corps. and I
a. il receives terrific FIRE from the divisions
OF Gibbou and Hays, II returns II with de-
perate energy. and rushing herceiy 0nwards
strikes with lis fullest force upon the front
of Nebb'- brigade. pressing back our line
from the stone wall which had covered 1t To-
the crest Immediately behind. where the
gallant W ebb. assisted hv Hall. soon re-
stores order. Already their battle dags are
on the low stone wall already Armisrsad,
troops forward to their last great struggle.
The hour for the army of the Potomac has
come Up now. men Of New England. and
show Yourselves in the field the same stout
defenders of the constitution and the
Union that vuur statesmen have ever
done IN the forum Up. men of the
middle states, upon whose soil this unholv
attempt to strike at the keystone of the
arch j. made Up, men Of the west. whose
fortunes have So long been cast with this
eastern army. that You may bear back be-
y0nd the mountains the tidInrs Of the great
victory won to-day On the Atlantic slope
| J. true men of the south few though Won /
are IN numbers. VINO fight in our ranks to-
day Hancock and 6i1b0n. wounded have
both fallen now. bat there Is no need for
anyone 10 echo the order Of the duke at
" aterloo. TO call or command. for now the
eft centre, a. if by a common impulse and
instinct throws itself upon the foe. The
point penetrated by the enemy Is covered by
some regiments. while Others change their |
rOnt 50 n 10 strike them on the flank I
There Is confusion organization j. TO some I
'xtent lost in both Drigades and regiments.
iut all understand what Is 10 be done. and Z
re res0lute. Il l. the stern confusion Of 1 .
he onset. and not the wretched ltumult of / ,
.Isaster. As the long wave OF IRE bursts
.pon their charging lines, the colors of our
egiments are advanced to meet the battle
ags Of the foe. Firmly on our men come,
Ulcers animating by their example. at least
7hen they cannot direct by their commands,
d we stand no longer on the defensive. but '
axe the offensive now. Before that deter {
lined front and concentrated fire. what
rave bur erring and misguided men could
% their men did Killed or MORALLY q
-ounded their brigadiers fall, their lines /
aver. yield. and break al last, and while 9
" wild, dis0rganized masses struggle to t
zach the confederate line from which they q
sued 50 proudly an hour before, the army q
the Potomac gathers up the prisoners by
lnlsarl. and thair hnttle nn.rs in shearas | {