The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-11-30
The Battle at Gettysburg.
Gen'I Lonsstreets Narrative OF that Fatal
N Day.

Repulse Of ftCkeH-1he Charges
4gainst sod Pete" Conclus,ue!y an
sWered.
A. narrative of tie Pennsylvania cam
paign, from the beginning to the close, writ.
ten by Gen. James Longstreet, is published
in the Philadelphia Times. Gen. Long
street tells some things that have never been
told, and reviews the operations of 1863
from point of view that is in many respects
more advantageous than,is possible to any
other man now living, since no man now
living was SO prominently concerned in
them.
TIE FIGHT ON JULY 1St.
The encounter OH the 1st of July Gen.
Longstreet shows to have been wholly acci.
dental; and it was then that he believes
Lee committed al error i'll not either viSor.
ously prosecuting the temporary success, or
else man1uvring SO rs to compel Meade to
make tho attack. Gen. Longstreet contin-
ues as follows When overlook Gen. Lee
at o'clock that afternoon he said, to my
surprise, that he thought Of attacking Gen.
Meade upon the heights the next day
Gen. Lee was impressed s,with the idea that
by attacking the FctNFab he could whip
them in detail reminded him that if
the Fedcrals were there in the morning it
would be proof that they had their forces
well in hand, and that with Pickett in
Chambcrsburg, and Stuart out of reach, we
should be somewhat in detail. He, how
ever, did not seem to abandon the idea of
attack on the next day. He seemed under
subdued excitement, which occasionally
took possession of him when "the hunt was
o.l tl ,l l.
The sharp battle fought by Hill and Ewcll
on that day had given him taste Of vic
tory.
TIE PLAN OF ATTACK.
When | left Gen. Lee on tho night of
the 1st believe that he had made up his
mind to attack but was conlident that he
had not determined as to whcs the attack
should be made The assertion first made
by Gen. Pcndeton, and echoed by his con
iedcrates, that was ordered to open the
attack at sunrise is totally false. Gen. Leo
never i'll his life gave me orders to open I'm
attack at a specific hour He was perfectly
satisfied that when had my troops in po-
sition and was ordered to attack, no time
was lost. On the night of the 1st left
him without any orders at all On the
morning of the I'd went to Gen. Lee S
headquarters at daylight and renewed my
views against making all attack. He seemed
resolved, however, and we discussed the
probable. results We observed the position
of the Fedcrals and got geneaal idea of
the nature of the ground. About sunrise
Gen. Lee sent Col Vcnablc, Of his staff, to
Gen. Ewell's headquarters, ordering him to
mako reconnaissance of the ground in his
front, with the view of making the main
attack on his left. \ short time afterwards
he followed Col Vcnable in person. He
returned at about 8 o'clock and informed
me that it would not do to have Ewell upon
the attack. lie finally determined that
should make the main attack on the ex-
trcme right. 1t was fully II o'clock when
Gen Lee arrived at this conclusion and or
dercd the movement.
Our army was stretched in an clliptical
curve, reaching from tho front of Round
Top around Seminary Ridge, and envel6p-
eG Cs~e!fgy IogShts Sat vt Oh vl thH ff!ss thu
enemy occupied the high ground in front
OF US, being masscd ia curve of about two
miles, nearly concentric with the curve dcs.
crlbed by our forces. His line was about
l,4OO yards from ours. Any one will see
that the proposition for this inferior force
to assault and drive out the masses cf troops
upon the heights was very problcmatca
one. Ny orders from Gen Lee were "to
cnyelop the encmys left and begin the at
tack there, following up as near az possible
the direction OF the Emmcttsburs road
THE BATTLE OPENED
My corps occupied our right, with Hood
on the extreme right and McLaws next
Hills corps was next to mine, in front Of
the Federal centre, and Ewcll was ON our
division absent, numbered hardly 1I3 900
men. | realized that the fight was to be a
fearful one, but being assured that my flank
would be protected by the brigades Of vii
cox, Perry, Wright, Posey aud Malone
moving en- echeion, and that Ewell was to
cooperate by direct attack on the enemys
right, and Hill to threaten his centre and
attack if opportunity offered, and thus pre-
vent reiniorccmcnts from being launchrd
either against myself or Ewcl, it seemed
that we might possibly disl6dge the great
army in front Of us. At halfpast 3 O'Clock
the order was given Gen. Hood to advance
upon the enemy, and Rurrying>to the head
of McLaws division, moved with his line.
Then was fairly commenced what | do not
hesitate to pronounce the bost three hours
lighting ever done by any troops on any
battlefield Directly in front Of ne o,.u,,,