The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-02-03
The Story Of the Battle of Gettys'
burg Retold.

burg RetOld.
Swinton in his work published in 1866,
entitled 1.-The Army of the Potomac" al
though intending, doubtless, to render full
justice to every one who made part OF
that army fails in many instances even to
name officers high in rank and renowned
for daring deeds, who either fell on their
country's altar or vet live, wearing the
proud wreath accorded them by the hands
of those who knew where to place it.
My attention at this time will be given
more particularly to the battle of Gettys-
burg, in which ! took an humble part !;
and although | may fall short Of the forci-
Bile and graphic style in which Mr. Swim
toms pen has done its work, yet | shall at
least recall to the memory of many persons
still living some of the exciting scenes of
that terrible and decisive conflict.
As early as the morning of the 2d day
of July, both armies, with perhaps a corps
on the Union side, and a division on the
Southern side, had arrived at Gettysburg,
and there is little doubt as to the feeling
Of confidence entertained among the Con-
tederates as to the coming contest. They
expected signal victory, and from that
forward to hold everything in their own
hand
II is we'll known to any one at all tamll-
lar with the history of that battle that Gen
eral Sickles was ordered to place his COM
mand on the left of General Hancock, on
the same general line, which would draw
it along the prolongation of Cemetery
Ridge, toward the Round Top. The
ground in front of this position being con-
SiI Ivy danraccaI ftapora1 SioIy Inc took
the responsibility OF advancing his line
several hundred yards in order to occupy
high ground between the one he had been
ordered to take and the Emmettsburg
road
This movement of his no doubt had
much to do with subsequent results. About
tour O'Clock in the afternoon, Longstreet,
under cover Of il powerful artillery fire,
commenced the attack--an attack the most
fearful and impetuous l ever witnessed.
The weight OF his movement fell chiefly
upon that portion of Sickless corps which
stretched back from the Peach Orchard to
the Round Top-that is, upon the brig
AIDES of DE Trobriand and Ward
The brigade of General de Trobriand,
to which | was attached as adjutant gen.
eral, was at that time made up of the
Third and Fifth Michigan, the Tenth Penn
sylvania, the Fortieth New York and the
Seventeenth Maine That of General
Ward was composed of the One Hundred
and Twenty y-Fourth New York, and some
other regiments that cannot exactly re-
call At the time of the opening of the
attack, General de Trobriand, surrounded
by his staff and with his brigade in re-
,;tI
much patience as is usual with a brave
French soldier, full of enthusiasm, with
his enemies i'll sight. He sat upon his
horSe-the faithful Chasseur-and fixed
his eyes upon the coming foe with COM
manding and most imperturbable air.
While thus eagerly waiting for orders
to advance, an aide from General Birney
rode and ordered a forward movement,
and directed that regiment OF the brig
ade be sent double quick to prolong the
line on the left, so as to fill in the inter-
yening gap to the foot Of Round Top, for
the occupation of which both forces were
now engaged in deadly struggle. Cen
eral dc Trobriand designated the Fortieth
New York for this duty, and ordered me
to conduct 1t to its assigned position, and,
~
proceeded The air was filled with smoke
and the interchanging fires of artillery and
musketrv The shouts of both armies
were almost deatening, but | succeeded
il: placing the regiment where it was or
dered, and decided to remain with it.
The enemy had us at disadvantage.
They were on higher ground, and We're
pouring terrific fire into our front, and
nothing but the fact that "Greek had met
Greek saved Us from ruinous and over
whelmng disaster. | trust in God may
never again be called to look upon such
scenes as ! there beheld. and that the tu-
ture of our country may never be again
c!ouded by fratricidal war-the most hor-
rible Of all wars.
Colonel Thomas W. Eagan, the COM
mander of the regiment, one of the brav-
est men | ever knew, was charging with
his command when a bail from the enemy
pierced the heart OF his brave little mare,
which sank under him and gave up her
life for her country as devotedly as the
best soldier slain il the engagement.
Brave as her rider was, and aroused by
the danger around him, he had yet time,
as he aiterward told me, to drop tear on
the expiring animal that had borne him
so many hundreds of miles and through SO
many perls; but that now, tlecked with
foam and with glazing eye, could only
look dimly upon him tor the last time and
sink into death.
Major Warner of the same regiment
was borne past me for dead, but was only
terrible wounded and atterWard recover
ed. HIS horse came dashing by few
moments alterward, and my own having
been disabled from wounds and rendered
unfit for use, | caught and mounted him.
Colonel A. V. IL. Ellis, Of the One Hun
dred and Twenty fourth New York, one
of the most chiyalrous spirits that ever
breathed, had received his mortal wound.
He was riding at the head of his regiment
waving his sword in the air and shouting
to his men (his orange blossoms, as he
called them, the regiment having been
raised in Orange County, N. 1.,) when Il
bullet struck him in the forehead. He
was borne to the rear and died in few
moments Major Cromwell, also of that
repjment was killed almost at the same
instant.
The adutant of the regiment was kill
ed by shot through the heart as it was
moving off the field. He had fought brave
ly tor hours, and it seemed hard that one
SO young and hopeful should be thus
stricken down by a chance shot after nav
ing faced the thickest of the fight unharm-
ed. But such is the fate of war, and there
are perhaps thousands of similar instances
known only to the few who happen to be
present at their occurrence.
1t happened that | was within few
feet OF General Sickles when he received
the wound by which he lost his leg. When
our command tell back after being re-
lleved by General Sykes, fastened to
find General de Trobriand, and seeing a
knot Of officers near the brick house into
which General Sickles was SO soon to be
taken, rode up to see if he ODE Iro-
briand) was among them. The knot of
officers proved to be General Sickles and
his staff | saluted him and was just ask
ing for General de Trobriand when ter
rifle explosion seemed to shake the very
earth. This was instantly followed by
another equally stunning, and the horses
all began to jump.
AS General Sickles attempted to dis
mount he seemed to lose strength, and