Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-07-28
NEW SERIES--V0L. 81, NO. 30.

] SITUATION was grave.
7 HANCOCK TO TIE RESCUE.
However, all was not yet lost. Mead
had again thought OF Hancock, and q
yesterday he sent him TO stop the rou
Oft the First and Eleventh corps, so Ia
day he orders him TO assume comman,
on the left. Once more he is in th
fight A half hour of daylight yet re
mains, but il is long enough to enabl
him TO rally some of our scattered
troops face them once more TO th,
front, gather reinforcements, drive bach
the enemy, and restore our broker
lines. AT Waterloo, Wellington petl
toned to God for "night or Bluoher.
AT Gettysburg, on this evening, W,
hid no Blucher TO pray for. Our whole
force was up; but, willie omitting tht
last part of the Englisbman's prayer
we had every reason TO adopt the first
portion. AS the fight was closing upon
the left OF our army, Ewell was strik,
ing terrific and successful blow on
the right. We reformed our division
on the Taneytown road, and after the
rough handling we had received had
some difficulty in getting things in
shape AS We were thus occupied,
away TO the right and rear we heard
the yells Of the Louisiana Tigers as
they rushed over our works at Culps
hill. This was the most anxious hour
of all in the great battle. We had been
driven on the left and on the right the
rebs had effected a lodgment in our
works, one Of our strongest positions,
and were, in fact, in our rear, without
any adequate force to oppose them
Another hour of daylight, and unless
some miracle had intervened we would
most likely have left Gettysburg with.
out waiting TO bid the inhabitants good
evening. But fortunately for us there
was no Joshua around Lees head.
quarters, so the sun went down on
almanac time, utterly regardless OF the
little troubles that we were trying TO
settle. Darkness fell upon the scene
and prevented the Johnnies from tax.
| ing further advantage Of their success,
giving us chance to repair our dis
asters.
Few of us slept during this night.
Our division went back and was put in
position on Cemetery Ridge by Gen.
eral Hancock, who all the night long
labored to strengthen this line. The
men gathered rocks and fence rails and
used them to erect a light breastwork
Had the necessary tools been distribu.
ted to the troops we could have en-
trenched this line and made it formid.
able, but we could not find a pick or
a shovel, and the works that we did
attempt were very light, scarcely suf.
ficient to stay musket ball. During
the whole night mounted officers gal.
loped to and fro, and troops were hur.
ried to important points. At the first
faint gray OF the morning of July Sd,
the fight resumed on CUPS hill, where
darkness had interrupted it the night
before, and from then until long after
dayGht Ssssae tRS cEERgw EHRgww wwas eat hesyyyu dRs Rs
trying to drive the Johnnies out of our
works, which they had slept in and
occupied without invitation the night
before. Culp's hill was about a mile
from where we lay, and we could hear
the cheers Of Geary's men, which came
to us on the morning air, mingled with
some rebel bullets, which had missed
the mark for which they were intend
cd and, almost spent went singing
over our heads. As the day advanced
sounds of the artillery mingled with
the musketry, and we knew that a
hard fight was in progress. The men
of our line almost held their breath
with anxiety. About . o'clock the
firing suddenly ceased. A tremendous
cheer went up, and a minute later
every man in the army knew that we
were again in possession OF Culp's hill.
Then came few hours OF peace, u
perfect calm. From Cemetery hill TO
Round Top not a movement had been
observed or q shot fired all the morning.
ON SEMINARY RIDGE.
About noon we could see considera-
BILE activity along Seminary Ridge.
Battery after battery appeared along
the edge OF the woods. Guns wore
unlimbered, placed in position and the
horses taken TO the rear. On our side,
officers sat around in groups, and
through field. glasses, anxiously watch
ed these movements in our front and
wondered what il all meant. Shortly
after o'clock, however, we knew all
about it. The headquarter wagons
had Just come up and General Gibbons
had invited Hancock and staff to par
take of some lunch. The bread that
was banded around--if it ever was
eaten-was consumed without butter,
for as the orderly was passing the lat.
ter article to the gentlemen, a shell
from Seminary Ridge cut him in two
Instantly the air WIS filled with burst
ing shells the batteries that we had
been watching for the last two hours
going into position in our front did moi
open singly or spasmodically. The
whole hundred and twenty guns,
which now began to play upon us
seemed to be discharged simultane.
ously, as though by electricity. And
then for nearly two hours .he storm
of death went ON. have read many
accounts of this artillery duel, but the
most graphic description by the most
able writers fai. far short of the reality,
No tongue or pom can find language
strong enough TO convey an idea OF itt
awfulness. Streams of screaming pro
jectles poured through the hot air,
falling and bursting everywhere. Men
and horses were torn limb from limb
caissons exploded one after another in
rapid succession, blowing the gunnert
to pieces No spot within our lines
was free from this frightul iron rain
The infantry Rugged close TO the
earth and sought every slight shelter
that our light earthworks afforded. II
was literally a storm Of shot and shell
that the Oldest soldier there-thosc
who had taken part in almost every
battle of the war--hAd not yet wit
messed. That awful rushing sound Ct
the flying missiles, which causes the
frmcst hearts to quail, is everywhere
At this tumultuous moment we wit
ness a deed of heroism such as we are
apt TO attribute only to the nights ol
oiden time Hancock, mounted ant
accompanied by his staff, Maj. Mitchell
{ Capt. Harry Bingham, Capt lsaat
: Parker and Capt. Il. P. Bronson, will
the corps flag flying in the hands Of .
: brave Irishman, Private James Wells
of the Sixth New York Cavalry, start
cd at the right OF the line, whore i
joins the Tanoytown road, and slowly
J rode along the terrible crest TO the OK
treme left of his position, while sho
, and shell roared and crashed arounG