The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1877-12-04


masses Of troors upon the heights was
very problematical one. My orders
from Gen. Lee were go envelop thc
cncmy's left and begin the attack there,
following ,lp as near as possible the di-
rcctiou Of the Emmettshurg road"
THE BATTLE OPENED.
NV corps occupied our right, with
Hood on The extreme right and McLars
uext. Hills corps was next to mn', II
ircnt Of the Federal centre, and E%e!l
was On onr cytr,me left. My cIpS.
with Pickcu's division absent, NUMBERED
hardly 1900 men. | realized that
the Esht was 10 be f. arful orc. bHt
being assured that my flank would be,
protected by the brigadcs Of Wilcox,
Perry, Wright, ,'Posoy and Malone II ov-
ing en- echo'on, and that Ewell was to
cooperate hy direct attack on the
enemy's right, and Hill to threaten his
centre and attack, if opportunity offered
and thus prevent reiu!orccments from
being launched either against myself or
Ewcli, i, seemed that VIC might poss'-
Lly dislodge tic great army in front Of
US. At half pas, 3 o'clock the order
Was given Gen Hood t" advance nl'on
the encmy. and hurrying to the bead OF
NcI.aw's division, | moved with IN
line. Then was fairly commenced what
! 90 not hesitate to pronounc" the brsi
three hours Gghtins ever d'no hy any
,roops on tie battlefield. Directly IN
front Of u>, occupying the peach orchard
Oh ii, ce of elevated ground that Gen.
Lee desired NE to take hold for his ar
iillcry. was the third corps Of FoderaIS,
commanded by Gen. Sicsles. My men
charged with great spirit and di~IodGcd
,he Fed4raIs from the peach orchard
with but little delay, though they Tough
stubbornly We were then on the
crest Of Seminary Ridge. The artillery
was brought forward aud put into posi-
tion at tic peach orchard. The lniau-
try swept down the slope, and soon
reached the narshy ground lha, lay be-
tween Seminary and Cemetery Ridges,
fighting their way over every foot Of
ground aud against overwhelming ODDS.
At every step we found that reinforce
meuts were pouring into the Fed rails
from every side. Nothing could stop
my men, hcwcvrr, and they commenced
their heroic charge up tie side Of Gem.
e,ery Ridge. Our attack was to pro-
sres. in the general direction of Em-
met,sburg roa,i, but the Federal troops,
as they were forced from point to point,
availing themselves Of the stone fences
and boulhers near the mountains as raj
lying points, So annoyed our right flank
that Gen. Hoods division was obliged
to make a partial change Of front, so as
to relieve itself Of !hi' Ealing flank IRE.
! This drew Gcn. Mclaws lit,!c further
To the right than Grn. Lee Md antIcIpi
ted. 50 that the defensive advantages at
the ground enabled the Fedefa's to de-
! lay cur purposes until they conli occu'
py little Kound Top, which they jnst
then discovered to be the key To Their
! position. The force thrown upon this
point was 50 strong as to seize our
right, as it were, in wise.
CHARGE Up CEMETERY HILL
/ Srill the battle on oar main line con
,inue1 to progress. The situation was
a critical one My c,r;s had been
Egh,ing over an hour, having eucoun-
tered and driven hack line after line OF
/ the amy Of the cncmY. IN trout o!
them was high anil rugged ridge, on
is crest tie bulk Of the Army OF the
Potomac, numbering six In ore, and
securely resting hehind strong positions,
Nv brave fellows never hcstated how
ever. Their duty was in front Of them
and they nat it. They charged up the
hill in splendid style, sweeping e'cry'
taios before them. ds!odin- the enemy
in the lace Of a wi,hcring fire. When
they had faiily started UP the second
ridge | discovered that they wcr" sUi-
ftring terribly from a Ere that Swci'
over Their right and left faD&s. ! asa
found that n9 LEFT G1rk was not Pro-
,cct. d by tn hrigaacs that wcrc to move
en- ecIi,lon With il. Mcl.aws' line was
consequently spread cut 10 the leit 10
protect it, flank. aud Hoods lin" wn>
extended to- the ririr to project is fats
from the sweeping fire # the inr@c
bodies Of troop, that Were posted "u
Round Top. These two movements OF
extension 80 drew ny forces out HAT
found myself attacking Cemetery iii''
with single line of battle against not
less than $4,000 troops.
Ny two divisions at that time were
cut down to eight or ninc Thousand
men, four thousand having been killed
or wounded We felt a, every step lh'
heavy stroke offrcsh tro"rs-thc stn'dy
regular blow that tells a soldier instant
IL that lie las encountered reserves OF
rcinfrrccmcnts. We received 10 sup
port at all. and there vas no evidence
rf CO operation on any side. To urge
my mrn forward unGcr these circum'
stances would have been madness, ana
7 withdrew them in good order TO th,
peach orchard that We had taken from
the FcGcr;,ls early in the afternoon. j
may bc mentioned here as illustrative oi
the dauutl'ss spirit OF lhcs" men tha
VIXEN ten. Humphreys, Of Mississippi
WAS ordered to withdraw hi, men from