The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-25
THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
LoNGsTREEr's RECENT ARTICLE REVIEWED
THE OLD FICTION OF give TO ONE

LoEGsrREET's RECENT ARTICLE REVIEWED.
THE OLD FICTION or ''FIvE TO ONE
REGULATIONS AND CORRECTIONS.
From the Cincinnati Commercial, Nov l2l
General James Longstreet has come TO the front
with his chapter Of the history of the battle Of Get
tysburg This contribution from SO respectable an
authority welcomed proper ana timely by oil ~
terested in the history OF the great battle, and 1t Ii
real disappointment 10 find 1t marred by the common
Southern weakness OF "hve to one. or his attack
upon General scklss, July 2, 1863 General Long
street says
Then was fairly commenced what l do not hesitate
pronounce the three hours lghting ever done
by any troops any battle field. l
am salts that my force, numbering hardly thir-
teen thousand men, encountered during that three
aud half hours OF bloody work, not less than SIXTY
i've thousand Of the fsdsras and yet their charge was
not checked nor their line broken until we ordered
them 10 withdraw
We have here precisely the tnreadbare 1--we one.
but the statements made q travesty on history,
and they throw discredt upon the General gener-
GUS and veritabe chronicler. His iorce did not en-
counter U6. 900 tederas. anything nike that num-
ber.
But first lot VI SEQ what his force really was He
says that Hoods and McLaws' divisions OF his own
corps numbered $4,000 men, but Wicox's Perry's and
Wrighrs brigades Of Andersons division, HIPS CORPS
attacked win tho Two DIVISIONS named They fought
a. aooy and pushed iorward inor nSs as gaany
over C,0OO men, 30 that the column Of attack really
numbered about 200 men, II Is matter Of his
tory that the faulty disposition OF the THIRD corps
Of the Union army, commanded by General Sickes,
gave Longssreet a marked advantage IN the outset
De Trobriand and Ward, outnumbered and over
whelmed Them. These brigades, then occupying
Top, were at nearly right angle true line Of
battle THIS gave Hpod position upon the right
Whole line about ons thousand yards" Then Gen
eral Longstreet, with Hood's and McLaws divisions
to ADVANCE upon "Cemetery Hill" no says. which is
entire mistake, as he was advancing upon Little
Round Top and the low ground between that and
Cemetery HILL He had US Indicated, about twenty
Thousand men. Whom did he encoonterY the lol-
loving troops were either July or partially en-.
gagged against him -rhrec divisions Of The Third
corps, two Of the Second corps, OF the Twelfth
corps and the equivalent OF one from Tho Fifth and
Sixth corps Seven divisions, aggregating not 10 ex-
coed 30,OU0 Not '.lve 10 one but sufficient 10
inct upon the thorough defeat that he suffered.
II Is hardly surprising sustain such
as he has maze General Longstrcet should appeal TO
the sensational nclions OF the excellent correspond
ent' Of the CINCINNATI Gazette and the graphic" en-
poy6 OF the New York World rather than TO the dry
detail OF Official record, easily obtainablc,
But the most impoglant statement IN General Long
Meadcs 81, O0O these our highest figures ana
the enemy's lowest" The morning repor.s OF the
Army OF the Potomac are on 1le IN the War De-
partment II is only necessary to refer to them
Tor tho real truth OF history have been told that
General Longstreet base his statement upon similar
official data from tho headquarters OF the Army OF
Northern VirginiaY Al least thlrtyeigh brgades vi
Confederate Infantry known 10 have taken active
part in the battle. They comprised over ITO regi-
ments and battalions, which are known to have
fought Two divisions OF the sixth corps OF the Army
OF the Potomac-over g. 900 mcn-were not called Into
action. So that that army actually engaged 10000 IN
fantry aud PROBABLY no more Now, one Confederate
regiment, ~ the certain knowledge OF the writer,
lost 227 prisoners 1874 killed and wounded and still
had men enough 10 keep an organization. That -
to say, alter losing All men they had some lett. ii
the Confederate regiments averaged no more than
400 men each, the army carried $4,000 infantry into
battle This probably Is about the TACT in the cuSe.
That lair criticism may be invited 10 arrive at the real
truth, append list Of Confederate brigades and
number OF regiments Robertson four regiments;
Pery's, four regiments; McGowan's. Two regiments;
Ramseur's, five regimentsi Jones'. five regiments;
Wrights, four regiments; ONeal's, five regiments
Stewards, i've regiments; Posey's, tour regiments;
Dole's, four regiments; Nichols, three regiments;
Mahone's, i've gmeuts; VERSIONS, four regiments;
Williams, tour regiments; Kemper's, i've regi-
mcnts; Daniels, five regiments; Davis, tour
regiments; Armis'eaa's. hye regiments; Wal
borough's four regiments; Garnett's, i've
regiments; Smiths lva), four regiments; Archcr's,
i've regiments; Kershaw's, i've regiments; Hays,
four regiments; Pettgrew's, four regiments; Ander-
sons i've regiments; Hokes', TOUR regiments;
Thomas. four regiments; Barkcsdae's, four reg.
iments; Gordon's Two regiments; Lanes, nye regi-
mcnts; Wohnrd's, i've regiments; Semmes', iour
regiments; Laws, hve regiments; Benuing's, tour
reginents Wilcox's i've regiments; scales' hye reg
iments.
Weared with the constant reteratop OF the idle
vapor Of "hvc TO one" and having personal know-
edge brigade at least In The Army OF the Poto
that never whipped by an equal number OF
to produce the Official figures when they presume TO
write history, ARMY OF POTOMAC.