The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1875-08-14
VOL. xxi, NO. rs.
General Picnc,rs Charge ~ Gciiys.
burg.

llc baltIe OI tcltysuUfRi htncful Ice
having been unsuccessful In his cilorti
to dislOdge the Federal right and lef
wings from their commanding posi-
tions, resolved to make determinet
rush with strong column ut Cemetery
Hill, which formed the center of the
enemy's position. II this point wcr,
taken, their line would he pierced. the
army would follow, Lee we''ld he
rooted on this commanding ground,
directly between the two Fedora
wings, upon which their own guns
might he turned, and the defeat oI
General Meade must certainly follow
The orders were given and the column
prepared for the assault. Mr. John
f,sten Cooke thus describes the mem
orable action that followed:
"For the hard work ut hand, Pick
etts division of Virginia troops, which
had Just arrived and We're fresh, was
selected. These were to be supported
by Heth's division of North Carolina
troops, under General Pettigrew, who
was to move on Pickett's left, and "A
brigade of Hill's, under General Will
cox, was to cover the right cf the adj
vancing column and protect it from Il
flank attack.
The advance of the charging column
was preceded by Il tremendous artillery
fire, directed from Seminary Ridge at
lhe enemy's left and center. This be-
gan about an hour past uoon, and the
amount of thunder thus unloosed will
be understood from the statement that
Lee employed one hundred and forty
five pieces, and the enemy replied with
eighty+in all two hundred and twen-
ty-hve guns-all discharging at the
same time. For nearly two hours this
hurly-burly continued.
While this artillery duel was in
progress the charging column was be-
ing formed on the west of Seminary
Ridge, opposite the Federal center on
Cemetery Hill. Pickett drew up his
line with Kcmper's and Garnetts
brgades in front and Armstead's brig
AIDE in rear. The brigade under Gen
eral Wilcox took position on the right,
and on the left was placed the division
under Pettigrew, which was to partici-
pate in the charge. The force number
ed between twelve and fifteen thous-
and; but, rs will be seen, nearly in the
beginning of the action Pickett was
left alone, and thus his force of about
five thousand was all that went for
ward to pierce the center of the FEEDER
al army.
The opposing ridges at this point are
about one mile asunder, and across
this space Pickett moved at the word,
his line advancing slowly, and perfect
| ly "dressed,n with its red battle-ilags
/ d.; al g,rnShinn Ia ri in,r from,
the gun barrels and bayonets. The
two armies were silent, concentrating
their whole attention upon this slow
and OminOus advance of men who
seemed in no haste and resolved to al
low nothing to arrest them. When
the column had reached point about
midway between the opposing heights
the Federal artillery suddenly opened
u furious fire upon them, which in
flcted considerable loss. This, how
ever, had no effect upon the troops,
who continued to advance slowly in
the same excellent order, without eX-
hibiting any desire to return the fire.
1t was impossible to witness this
steady and well ordered march under
heavy fire without feeling admiration
for the soldiership of the troops who
made it. When shell tore gaps in the
ranks the men quietly closed up, and
the hostile front advanced in the same
ominous silence toward the slope where
the real struggle, all felt, would soon
begin.
They were within few hundred
yards of the hill when suddenly rap
id cannon fire thundered OH their
right, and shell and canister from fifty
pieces of artillery swept the Southern
line, enlilading it, and for an instant
throwing the right into some disorder.
This disappeared at once, however.
The column closed up and continued
to advance unmoved toward the
height.
AT last the moment came. The
steady "cOmmon time" step had be-
come "quick time" this had changed
to "double quick !" then the column
rushed headlong at the enemy's breast
works on the slope of the hill. AS
they did so, the real thunder began.
A fearful musketry fire burst forth and
struck them in the face, and this hur-
ricane scattered the raw troops of Pet
tigrew as leaves are scattered by a
wind. That whole portion of the line
gave way in disorder and fled from the
field, which was strewed with their
dead; and, as Wilcox had not moved
so as to keep up, the Virginians under
Pickett were left alone to breast the
tempest which had now burst upon
them in all its fury.
They returned the fire from the
breastworks in their front with a
heavy volley, and then, with loud
/ II. laahnI NJ tho nnnn,utS work
which they reached, stormed and took
possession of it at the point of the bayo-
net. Their loss, however, was fright
full. General Garnett was killed Gen
eral Armistead fell, mortally wounded,
as he leaped on the breastworks, cheer
ing and waving his hat General
Kemper was shot and disabled, and
the ranks of the Virginians were thin
ned to handful. The men did not,
however, pause. g,
The enemy had partially retreated
from their first line of breastworks to
second and stronger one, about sixty
yards beyond, and near the crest and
here the Federal reserve, as Northern
writers state, was drawn up flour
deep" This line, bristling with bayo-
nets and cannon, the Virginians now
charged, in the desperate attempt to
storm it with the bayonet and pierce,
In decisive manner, the center of the
Federal army. But the work was too
great for their powers. AS they made
their brave rush they were met by u
concentrated fire full in their faces,
and on both flanks at the same mo-
ment.
This fire did not so much cause them
to lose heart, as literally hurl them
back. Before it the whole charging
column seemed to melt and disappear.
The bravest saw now that further fight
ing was useless-that the works in their
| front could not be stormed-and, with
the frightful fire of the enemy still
tearing their lines to pieces, the poor
remnants of the brave division retreat
ed from the hill. AS they fell back,
sullen, like bulldogs from whom their
prey has been snatched just as it was
| in their grasp, the enemy pursued
them with a destructive fire both OF
cannon and musketry, which moved
down large numbers, il large numbers,
indeed, can be said to have been left.
The command had been nearly anni-
| hilated. Three Generals, fourteen field
| officers, and three-fOurths of the men
were dead, wounded or prisoners. The
Virginians had done all that could be
done by soldiers. They had advanced
undismayed into the focus of fire un-
surpassed, perhaps, in the annals of
war; had fought bayonet to bayonet;
had left the ground strewed with their
dead; and the small remnant who sur
vived were now sullenly retiring, un-
subdued; and, If repulsed, not "whip-
| nod ~