The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-11-02
LETTER FROM GEN. EARLY.
THE CHARGE OF HAYs's LOUISIANA BRIGADE
AT GETTYSBURG.

AT GETTYSBURG.
Gen. Jubal A. Early has written letter to
the Richmond Enquirer, contradicting por-
ton of the report of his speech before the
Southern Historical Society, referring to the
char ye of Hays's Louisiana Brigade at Get
tysburg. Here it is:
RICHMOND, Oct. 2S 1874.
To the Editor Of tie Enquirer:
In the notice of the proceedings of the
Southern Historical Society, contained in
your paper of this morning, find the follow
ing paragraph:
At the conclusion of Mr.. Hunters re-
marks, Gen. Early said that inasmuch as
Gettysburg had been alluded to, he would
mention little incident of the battle. During
a charge the Seventh Louisiana was hemmed
in ON all sides, and was compelled TO retreat,
but not before they had taken one hundred
prisoners and twenty guns. The man, said
he, who commanded that regiment. was Da-
wilson Bradflte Penn, Lieutenant Governor
of Louisiana"
The statement thus made is so fiagnntly in
accurate that l am compelled to trespass on
your space to correct it. l cannot permit
such a statement to be circulated on my
authority; and though the unprecedented re-
marks which did make were not intended
for publication, l will now give them as near
ly as can, in order that what did say may
be known.
After Mr. Hunter had taken his seat, I
asked the Society to pardon me for OBTAINING
it a moment, and said: The very eloquent and
Just alluson of our distinguished orator to the
charge OF Pickett's division at Gettysburg rem
dered it not inappropriate that before this
Historical Society, and in connection with
H. 1,,J-
Renaissance in regard to that battle. That
there was present on that occasion q brigade
of Louisanians (Hays'), who had followed
Gen. jackson in his immortal campaign in
the Valley, from whence they had swoop-
ed down with him upon the enemy
in the swamps of the Chickahominy,
had again followed him to the
rear of Popes army at second Manassas, to
Harper's Ferry and Sharpsburg, and then back
to Fredericksburg. That at Gettysburg the
brigade was q part of MY own division, and,
late on the evening before Pickett's division
made its celebrated charge, in conjunction
with North Carolina brigade, had charged
up Cemetery Hill, where the ascent was most
rugged and difficult, gone over the enemy's
works into the cemetery itself, and were fight
ing with the enemy's gunners for the possess
sion of their guns, when very large force
was brought against them, and the two brig
ades not being supported by the troops which
had been ordered to cooperate ON their right,
were forced to retire before the overwhelming
numbers brought against them but the Lou
isianians brought off from the heights 100
prisoners and four captured battle flags. That
among those gallant Louisanians was David
son Bradfnte Penn, in command of the 9TH
Louisiana Regiment, and number of his
comrades ON that occasion had united with
him in the late manly effort to assert the su-
premacy Of legitimate government i'll their own
State.
The facts about the charge are stated in Gen.
Lees report and my own report, both of which
were published in the Southern Magazine q
year or two ago; and the fact Of the entry of
the force making it into the cemetery and the
bringing up Of an additional force to retake the
works is substantiated by the testimony r.,
Gems. Hancock and Gibbon before the CD
gressional Committee ON the Conduct of IT,
War. No guns were brought off on that &C.
casion, though on the day before Qhe 1st) two
guns were captured in charge made by the
same brigade when they drove the enemy's
right wing through Gettysburg
will say that the reference to the foregoing
incident was made with no purpose to depre-
ciate the conduct of Picket's division the day
after, but in order to call the attention of the
persons present to fact that is not generally
known, and to pay q merited tribute to the
gallant LOUISIANA ans whose present sufferings
and wrongs awaken the sympathies not only
of the true people of the South, but of very
many even at the North.
Respectfully, j. A. EARLY.