The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-11-15

would or could not misconstrue my motives.
said no more, however. but turned away,
The most of the morning was consumed in
waiting for Pickett's men and getting into
position. The plan of assault was as fol-
lows: Our artillery was to be massed in a
wood from which Pickett was to charge, and
it was to pour continuous fire upon the
cemetery Under cover of this fire and sup
ported byit Pickett was to charge.
Our artillery was in charge of Gen. E. P.
Alexander, brave and gifted officer. Col.
Walton was my chief of artillery, but Alex
ander being at the head of the column, and
being first in position, aud being besides an
officer Of unusual promptness, sagacity and
intelligence, was given charge OF the artil-
lcry. The arrangements were completed
about one O'Clock. General Alexander had
arranged that battery of seven l1-pound
| howitzers, with fresh horses and full cais-
sons, were to charge with Pickett, at the
head of his line, but General Pendlcton,
from whom the guns had been borrowed,
recalled them just before the charge was
made, and thus deranged this wise plan.
Never was so depressed as upon thai day.
felt that my men were to be sacrificed,
and chat should have to order them to
make hopeless charge. had instructed
| Gen. Alexander, being unwilling to trust
myself with the entire responsibility, to
carefully observe the effect Of the fire upon
the enemy, and when it began to tell to no.
tify Pickett to begin the assault. l was so
much impressed with the hopclessness Of
the charge that wrote the following note
| to General Alexander: 'sIf the artillery fire
does not have the effect to drive off the enc
my or greatly demoralize him, so as to make
our efforts pretty certain, l would prefer
that you should not advise Gen. Pickett to
make the charge. ] shall rely great deal
on your judgment to determine the matter,
and shall expect you to let Pickett know.
when the moment Offers -
PICKETT's CHARGE.
To my note the general replied as follows:
81 will only be able to judge the effect of
cur fire upon the enemy by his return fire,
for his infantry is but little exposed to view,
and the smoke will obscure the whole field.
If, as infer from your note, there is an al
tentative to this attack, it should be careful
ly considered before opening our fire, for it
will take all the artillery ammunition we
have left to test this one thoroughly, and il
the result is unfavorable we will have none
left for another effort, and even il this is en-
tirely successful it can only be SO at a very
bloody COST still desired to save my
men, and felt that if the artillery did not
produce the desired effect would be justi-
fed in holding Pickett off. wrote this note
to Col. Walton at exactly 1.30 P. NJ: ssLet
the batteries open. Order great precision in
firing. II the batteries at the peach orchard
cannot be used against the point we intend
attacking let them open on the enemy at
Rocky Hill.' The cannonading which OPEN
ed along both lines was grand. In a few
moments a courier brought note to Gener-
al Pickett, who was standing near nae, from
Alexander, which, after reading, he handed
to me. 1t was as follows: IF you are COM
ing at all you must come at once, or can
not give you support; but the enemy's fire
has not slackened at all; at least, eighteen
guns are still firing from the cemetery it
self'' ia
AfterI had read the note, Pickett said to
me General, shall 1 advancc?'' My feel
ings had so overcome me that I would not
speak for fear OF betraying my want Of con-.
idence to him. bowed affirmation and
turned to mount my horse. Pickett immc-
diately said, II shall lead my division for,
ward, sir.' spurred my horse to the wood
where Alexander was stationed with artil-
| lery. When reached him he told ne of
the disappearance of the seven guns which
| were to have led the charge with Pickett,
| and that his ammunition was so low that he
could not properly support the charge. at
once ordered him to stop Pickett until the
Ammunition had been replehished. He in
| formed me that he had no ammunition with
which to replensIl. 1 then saw that there
was no help forit, and that Pickett must
| dubduCC uiluEl tIiS OIuCIS. liz oWCpU pdSU
our artillery in splendid style, and the men
marched steadily and compactly down the
slope. As they started up the ridge over
one hundred canton from the breastworks
Of the fcderals hurled rain Of canister,
grape and shell down upon them; still they
pressed OH until half way up the slope, when
the crest of the hill was lit with a solid sheet
/ of flame rs the masses OF infantry rose an9
fired. When the smoke cleared away Pick
4 ett's division was gone. Nearly two-thirds
of his men lay dead on the field and the,sur-
vivors were sullenly retreating down the
hill. Mortal man could not have stood that
fire. In half an hour the contested field
was cleared and the. battle OF Gettysburg
was over. it,., ,,yf..alr....a. fas
| When this charge failed it was expected
the enemy would throw his whole force on
the shattered Confederate ranks to crush
them, but the army was soon in compact
shape and faced once more towards Virgin
ia. Gen. Longstreet gives an extensive re-
view Of the campaign, and furnishes inter-
Il estipg documentary proof in support of his
positions, forming altogether a. most inter
estiag and fascinating page of history. In
this connection he says: gln H.,
81 may mention here that it has been alb.
surdly said that Gen. Lee ordered me to pul
Hoods and McLaws' divisions in support Of
Pickett's assault, Gen. Lee never ordered
any such thing. This is directly at issue
with Col. Walter 81. Taylor, who was Gen
Lees adjutant general, and whose paper or
the battle of Gettysburg has been published
heretofore.l After our troops were all ar
ranged for assault Gen. Lee rode with mt
+ twice over the lines to see that everything
was arranged according to his wishes. Ell
was told that we had been more particular
in giving the orders than ever before tina
the commanders had been sent for. and tn,
point of attack had been carefully designa
ted, and that the commanders had been di
rectcd to communicate to their subordinates
and through them to every soldier in tn,
/ I command, the work that was before them
. 4 = = y e Al