The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1877-11-29

their position. Ihe force thrown up
on the point was 80 strong as to seize
our right, as it we're, in o wise.
TIE CHARGE UP CEMETERY RIDGE,
Still the battles on our main line
continued to progress. The situa-
tion was critical one. My corps
bad been fighting over an hour, hav-
ing encountered and driven back line
after line OF the enemy. In front of
them was q high and rugged ridge,
on its crest the bulk Of the army of
the Potomac, numbering six to one,
and securely resting behind strong
positions. My brave fellows never
hesitated, however. Their duty was
in front of thcm, and they met it.
They charged up the bill in splendid
style, sweeping everything before
them; dislodging the enemy in the
face cf whitening fire. When they
had fairly started up the second ridge
l discovered that they were suffering
terribly from fire that swept over
their right rnd left fianks. 1 also
found that my left flank was not pro
tected by the brigades that were to
move en- echelon with it. McLaw's
line was consequently spread out to
the left to protect.its flank from the
sweeping fire Of the large" bodies of
troops that were posted on Round
Top. These two movements of ex-
tension so drew my forces out that
found myself attacking Cemetery
Hill with single line of battle
against not less than $4,000 troops.
My two divisions at that time were
cnt down to eight or nine thousand
men. four thousand having been
killed or wounded. We felt ut every
step the heavy ST. oko Of fresh troops
the sturdy, regular blow that tells
Il soldier instantly that he has ell
countered reserves or rcinforcemeuts
We received no support at all, aud
there was no evidence Of cu-opera-
ton on any side. To u:go my men
forward under these circumstances
would have been madness, and |
withdrew them in good order to the
peach orchard that we had taken
from the Federals early in the after
noon: 1t may be mentioned here
as illustrative of the dauntless spirit
OF these men that when GSn. Hum
phreys, of Mississippi, WAS ordered
to withdraw his troops from the
charge he thought there were some
mistake, and retired to q captured
battery near the swale between the
two ridges, where he halted, and
when ordered to retire to the new
line q second time he did 50 under
protest. Our men had no thought
of retreat. They broke every line
they encountered. When the order
to withdraw was given courier was
sent to Gen. Lee informing him of
the result of the days work.
A MARVELLOUS ASSAULT.
Before "pursuing this narrative
further, | shall say word or two
concerning this assault. | am satis-
fed that my force, numbering hard
ly $4,000 men, encountered during
that three and half hours of bloody
work not less than G5,OGO of the
Federals, and yet their charges was
not checked nor their line broken
until we ordered them to withdraw.
[ found that night that 1850 ot my
men, more than one third Of their
total number had been left on the
field. History records no parallel
to the fight by these two divisions
on the 2d of July at Gettysburg.
EwELL's INACrIoN.
1t may be imagined that I was as
tonished at the fact that we received
no support after we had driven the
Federals from the peach orchard
and 1000 yards beyond. 1t General