Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-09-03

great suffering from thrst. But there
was no help for it Il had to be endured.
While waiting for the expected signal, we
saw Generals Lee, Longsireet aud Pic.
kett riding up and down the line, and
occasionally approaching the crest OF
hill 70 take a look at the enemys posi-.
tion. II was then whispered among us
that Longstreet disappeared of the pro.
posed charge, and had earnestly protes.
ted against it. His protest was heard,
but overruled by the council Of war.
At ! p. m. single shot was fred from
o Confederate gun, and in two minutes
afterwards another 1t was the precon-
certed signal, and on hearing the first
gun every man threw himself fat on the
ground in obedience to orders. The
echoes of the sound Of the second gun
had not died away when all the Confed-
crate artillery at that part of the field
opened fire upon Cemetery Heights with
a salvo the like Of which had never been
in America till then. The Federal bat.
teries must have been surprised, or else
greatly damaged by it, for II was several
minutes before they replied to il. Yet
when they did reply, their FIRE was very
effective and deadly, aud seemed to be
fully equal to that of the Coufederates.
| am not going to attempt to describe
that duel, so to speak, between the Fed
eral aud Confederate artillery, each com.
posed on this occasion, OF more than
hundred guns. To do SO would be to
fail | confess that my pen is unequal
to it, and | do not believe that any pen
could convey an adequate conception OF
it. rThe smoke from the Confederate
batteries, although they we're bat little
ways from me, soon obscured them from
my sight. This smoke was lit up by red,
angry flashes Of fame as the successive
discharges left the muzzles Of the guns.
The firing was so rapid and continuous
that the report of single gurf could not
be distinguished Over the space inter
vening between the infantry and artillery
frequently passed some mounted officer
and his stal-notably once General Lee,
and several times Generals Ilongstreet
and Pickett. The Federal batteries were
returning the Confederate FIRE with great
vigor, and when General Lee passed over
the ground il was being swept with
deadly hail Of every missile known to the
nomenclature of artillerista. His ap-
pearanee at place of such imminent
danger both thrilled and horrifed the
line, and the men shouted to him to 20
away to shelter. Always regardless of
himself when duty called, but mindful of
the lives of others, he had but one atten.
dsnt with him. When the men yelled to
him to 20 away, he took off his hat 10
acknowledgment Of tier afechonate so.
licitude, and then rode on without quick
ening the pace Of his noble gray.
Major James E. Dsariug, chief of ar.
tillery of Pickett's Division, had boasted
that the flag Of bis battalion should not
on that day touch the grouud Accom-.
panied by his Hag.bearer, he galloped in
cesssntly from one end Of the line of
guns to the other, cheering the cannon.
iers by his presence, and giving them di.
rections where to direct their fire. While
gslloping along the line at full speed,
little in advance of the color-bearer, a
round shot struck and killed the horse of
the latter, and threw him to the ground
Major Dearing turned and saw his Asg
falling, but so quick was he that before
it had actually reached the ground be
seized it from the standard-bearer, and
throughout the remainder OF the battle
carried it himself This gallant act
performed in full view OF the line of bat
tie, was greeted with such a Confederate
yell as not even the Internal roar Of the
guns could drown. General Pickett
while tarrying unnecessarily long, IS
some Of his staff thought, at point
where the death missiles came thickest,
was urged by a captain of his staff to
move to some other portion Of the Geld
where the danger was not so great and
operations could be equally as well d.
rected The Captain said to him. Gen
ersl, don't believe that even fly could
live here two minutes" Strange to say.
although throughout the artillery com
bat and the subsequent charge General
Pickett most recklessly exposed him.
self, yet neither be nor any member Of
his staff was struck. The General after
ward said to me that on the day after the
battle he felt that he would have no right
to resent the iusslt il some one should
accuse him OF cowardice. because be was
not among the killed. wounded or cap.
iured For" said he, when men hear
that almost my entire division perished,
and that | escaped harm, they will be
10th to believe that did my duty" The
charge was never brought against him.