Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1877-08-28

off the clover heads by Que sides.
The fire was so terrific that when
man sang out 'wounded - the ans
bulance corps would not 90 to his
relief. 70 have taken any one to
the rear while that firing was in
progress would have been almost
certain death. At last the Federal
batteries began to slacken their
fire. and not long afterward
they ceased entirely. Soon the Con-
fcderate guns ceased firing, too. and
then all knew that the supreme mos
ment had come. Each surviving
commandant Of company sprang to
his feet and ordered his men into
line. All who could got into line,
but there were many dead and wound
ed and supstrickcn poor fellows left
upon the ground.
The order to go forward was given
and obeyed with alaCrity and cheer
fulnesS, for we believed then that the
battle was practically over, and that
we had nothing to do but to march
unoppoSed to Cemetery Heights and
occupy them. The ascent to the
crest of the hill. which had hitherto
concealed US from the enemy's view,
was made speedily and in good order.
while making the ascent it was seen
that the supports to our right and
left TANKS we're not coming forward,
as we had been told they would -
Mounted officers were seen dashing
frantically up and down the line, ap,
parently endeavoring to get them to
move forward, but we could see that
they would not move. Their failure
to support us was discouraging, but it
did not dishearten us. Some of our
men cursed them for being towards
but still our charge was kept up, and
no man fell out. Soon we were past
the crest of the hill and out of sight
of them. Before us stood Cemetery
Heights, of which we could get an
occasional glimpse through riffs in
the cloud of powder smoke which
enveloped them. We could not see
whether or not there were troops
there to defend them against us.
Somewhat further on, perhaps
hundred and 60 yards beyond the
crest of the hill We had inst passed,
a post and-rail fence, some five feet
in height. was encountered. This
fence was qnickly mounted, and at a
little distance beyond it my regiment.
and l supposed the whole line of bat
tie, was halted for the purpose of
rectifying the alignment. From the
time the charge began up to this mo
ment not shot had been fired at us,
nor had we beer able TO see, because
OF the density Of the smoke which
hung over the battle-fic like a pail
that there was any enemy in front Of
us. But directly aftrrward. just : S
the line started forward again, a shot,
fired from somewhere to our left.
struck the centre company of my
regiment, and, enfilading its right
wing as it did, killed and wounded
large number Of men and officers.
The smoke now lifted from our
front, and there right before US,
scarcely 200 yards away, stood Gene,
terry Heights in awful grandeur. At
their base was double line of Fed
ernl infantry and several pieces of
artillery posted behind stone walls,
and to the right and left of them
both artillery and infantry supports
were hurried up. We fully realized
that Pickett's three little brigades,
already greatly reduced by heavy
casualties, was making, alone and
without possibility of succor, a des>
perate charge against the whole pow>
er of the Federal army.