Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-06-11
PICKETT's CHARGE.
A Participants Description Of
what Will Live i'm History as
n Great Event

Capt. r. H. Owens in Philadelphia Times.
The command came along the line,
-"Front, forward and the column re
sumed its direction straight down upon
the centre of the enemy's position. The
destruction of life in the ranks of that
advancing host was fearful beyond pre-
cedent, officers going down by dozens
and the men by scores and fifties. kem-
per has gone dowr terribly mangled,
but Garnett still lowered unhurt, and
rode mp and down the front line, saying
in strong, calm voice: Easter, men
faster Close mp and step out faster, but
don't double quick"
The stone fence was carried without
q struggle, the infantry and the Skin
msh line swept away before the division
like trash before the broom. Two-thirds
of the distance was behind and one
hundred cannon in the rear were dumb
and did not reply to the holly worked
guns in their front. We were now four
hundred yards from the foot of Cemetery
Hill, when away to the right, nearly
half q mile, then appeared in the open
field line of men at right angles, with
our own, long, dark mass, dressed in
blue, and coming down at "double
quick upon the unprotected right flank
of Pickett's men, with their muskets
"upon the right shoulder shift" their
battle flags dancing and tluttering in
the breeze created by their own rapid
motion, aud their FURNISHED bayonets
glistening above their heads like forest
twlgs covered with sheets of sparkling
ice when shaken bv a blast. Garnett
galloped along the line saying: Easter
men fasterw and the front line broke
forward into double quick, when Gar
nett called out: STEADY, men. steady
Don't double quick. Save your wind
and your ammunition for the final
charge" and then went down among the
dead, and his clarion voice was no more
heard above the roar of battle The en-,
envy were now seen strengthening their
lines where the blow was expected &c
strike by hurrying up reserves from the
right and left, the columns from Oppo.
site directions passing each other double
along our front like the fingers of q
man's two hau>is locking together. The
distance had again shortened and Off
GERS in the enemy's line could be distin
guished by their uniforms from the pri
Yates. Then was heard behind tina
heavy thud of mutiled tread of armet
men that roar and rush of tramplins
feet as Armisteads column from tn,
rear closed up behind the front line ant
he (the last brigadier) took command
stepped out in front with his hat up
lifted on the point of his sword and lee
the division, now four ranks deep. rap
idly and grandly across that valley o
death, covered with clover as soft as ;
Turkish carpet,
There it was again and again! 4
sound filling the air above, below
around us, like the blast through the TO,
of a dry cedar or the whirring SOUND
made by the sudden flight of a flock 0
quail 1t was grape canister, and tin
column broke forward into a double
quick and rushed toward the stone wal
where forty cannon were belching fortl
grape and canister twice and three
minute, A hundred yards from tn
stone wall the thanking party on tn
right, coming down on heavy run
halted suddenly within fifty yards au
poured a, deadly storm of musket ball