The Hillsborough recorder., 1875-09-15


fsha we beg that, IN viadicaiion ofth,
brigade. you will consent toput your fes-
timony upon there a4t tiss
Beiieyc me. nay ,lparsir, a ia az II
Very truly, your friend, j
w. J. BAKER.
I ONTuE n ArIDAN. Febuary IOth. 1854.
5fAtbs W.iJaBAKER: Y'
-MyDedarsr- Regrriting iiny delay III
replying oyour letter. cl,ferfully com
i ply with the request ~ the "oiIicers and
men Of the Brigade. 10 furnish anaccount
\ of The part taken by the lamented General
4 Peitigrew, aud Ills Brigade, IN tile battles
OF Gettysburg. To.niake the account in
teliigible, ] will have frequently TO refer
togeneIal incidents connected with oc-
currei.ces Of NE three days fight
The arrival oflhc advance Of Meade's
army at Gettysburg having been reported,
Hetli's Division was sent from The vicinity
of Cashtown. to recoriidoitre his position
On approaching The town tile enemy was
found strongly lostei on tl,ehillsin frpnt.
The Lending Briga,ies, Archer'sand Davis
we're immediately advanced; aud, after a
short, but hot, engagement. IN which
these Isrigades suffered severely. anew
disposition for attack was made in The FOL
lowing inanner: On the right Of the rond
/ line Of battle was fo!,ne.l Of tl,e Brigales
\ . y
Of Brmkeilboougl,, Pelligrew and Archer,
while Dasis's Brigade was cooperate on
the leG AZ this time twp Divisions of
Ewell's Corps arrived by a,road from the
left; aud II seems 90 have been detrrmi.
ned. that they should engage the enemy
aud cause him to change front, when we
would be-advapeed 70 take him " the
flank. This plan was only partially sue
cessful. for the number. Of the enemy en-.
al,led him to uppdse Ewelrs Division
and Davis Brigade with a strong force,
and to retain ut the same time his front to
Us, Ordered to attack. Pettigrew.'s Brigade,
numbering about 3,ng0. advanced inper~
feet alignnent over an open field, aud
found the enemy strongly posted in three
lines, on the crest and SLOPES of hill.
partly wooded and partly covered with
growing wheat, which served to conceal
the enemy from distant view. As soon az
our forward movement was commenced,
the enemy opened upon our line avery
severe fire from several batteries, but IL
continued steady advance. until, In close
range. It delivered deadly fire. Tile three
lines were sonn driven into oiIe, htI.
this made m.st obstinate resistance, and
the fight was for some time carriedon ut
40 and ~ yards interval. Opposite TO our
LETT wing, composed Of the 18th and lita
N. q. Troops, the Federal troops fought
desperately, inllicting 40 heavy q loss tliat
too few were left fora successful bayonet
charge; but our men pressed ON persisiently
until tile enemy wins driven back to mis-
entrenchments just outside % the town,
and from which he was as quickly driven
or Pemdrr's fine Division.
No otpops could have fought hetier than
did Peitigrew's brigade un this day, and
L
I will testify on the experience "f many
hard fought battles. tia. never saw any
fight 30 well. Its conduct was the AL.
miration fall WIN witnessed the engage.
ment, aud II was the generally expressed
eplninii that no Brigade liai done more
effective services or won greater fame for
itself than this had. The prisoners them.
selves testified that they, native soil upon
which they were fighting, had fought with
unusual determination, but that there was
no withstanding such an attack. This
Brigade was more holly engaged than any
that participated IN the first days fight,
and more Of The enemy were killed aud
wounded In froht OF Il than Oh any other
part % tile field. such marked achieve
ments could, of course, Le accomplished
only at great sacrifice. aud the I,~s III
killed aud wounded nlnounled TO 1000 Or
100, including nn'nhcr - our bravcsi
aud bestoliirers. The .0th regiment alone
lost so out Of about 800 men, aud the lllh
regiment about 80 out % SO. The Ave
field officers present: with these two regi-
mcnts wer killed IL wounded.
In the midst Of the engagement Nator
General Heth hwirg becn wounded,
General peltisrcw WIS called 70 The CONS
maud n the pfyisi6n. aud Gcsonel Mar
sIniI. II the 5sd regimeht, 10 that cf the
brigade.
on lie ~ n July, THE Division rested
until theallerln,pu. when Il was ordered
10 the support of sn,ielson's. The orlct
was promptly oeryed, but sc srrtTe'l loo
late.
Orthe morning ~ tiic std July, rtncral
pctligrrw, commanding Hrthls Divisloll,
was inslrilrtc,ttU report 10 Gtuenh Long.
street, ~ho directed him 20 fofni ID the
nar 81 Pickctt's Diyiribii, and support his
advance upon Cemetery Hiil. which
woulGbb couimencctf as soor asthe ilre
frm our artillery sbbulfhhvc driven the
eistu,y fpIml.is CUTS nist prcpaicJ the
Wy fOfatuck. Amr r presume that !,
was ii,conscgutnce o. this hsring been
the lfst plan settled on. That the srfontcu-
reiort was circulated, that Heth's Divi-
- sa +. - = .....5..tt u. :