Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-25


column, and as 1T advanced the men steadily
closed up the wide rents made along the line in
nuLured places at every discharge or the
IL ff fp q.g ns
at The column as it came within view, rose up
within fifty yards, fired volley into its front,
back as fast as they could reload. The column
moved on at quick step with shouldered arms
and the fire OF the skirmlsh line was not re-
turned Half ,rN way y oyer the field an order ran
promptly obeyed, and the direction was
changed forty five degrees from the front to the
ef ea Men LOO looSing away, ar of toward the
there were crumbllng and melting RAPIDLY
away. General Pickett sent hts brother. Major
onat,ss rckett, gallopipg swiftly to rally, il
- mess they support US On the left my divl-
sion WILL DE cut to pieces" Major Pickett and
o,her oiilcers rode among the breaking battal-
IONS ana Valniy attempted to restore order, but
hundreds and thousands of fugltives from the
Iront could be seen fleeing from the neld ana
went rushing pell-mell toward the rear like
stored upon the LETT, and Plckett's support
there was gone excepting some brave Tenne5-
seeans ana North Carollnians, who never wav-
eIed In the storm, but closing up By the side OF
Picketts virgnians, went 81 Tar, fought as
long. Died as freely and fell as thick as Pick
stt5 men.
Front, forward" ana the column resumed its
direction straight down upon the center of the
eremys position. Some men now looking to the
right saw That the troops there had entirely
disappeared, but how or when they LETT was moi,
known. The enemy In front, Occupying an ele-
waited position, and watching closely every
right gave way first, then the left broke 1p and
fled the field, but the massive center, composed
OF General Pickett's veterans of iron nerve.
Wounded IN scores OF battles, were coming
sternly On" Guns hitherto employed In firing
at the troops on the right and LETT sent shower
OF shells after the fleeing fugitiyes, and then
trained upon the center, where the storm burst
sent. a concentrated fire OF shot and shell
In through, and around the heroic column,
The destruction of life In the ranks of that ad.
officers going down by dozens and the men by
scores and ffties Kemper had gone down
terribly mangled, but Garrett still lowered
''''aaf;. .aGs rode up and dowa TIE front line,
saying In a S oui faster yer men, men!
faster; Close up anu 1 aDproa s aHs
the Emmittsbnrg road, where line OF inia...
stationed behind stone fence, was pouring In
q heayy tire OF muSketry. A scattering fire was
opened along the front Of the division upon
the line and called out, Cease firing" and
bis command was promptly obayed, SHOW
Ing the wonderful discipline OF the men, who
reloaded their guns, shouldered arms, and kept
on without slackening their pace, which was
still "quick STEP"
The stone fence was carried without d strug-
gle, the infantry and the skirmlsh line swept
away before the division like trash before the
broom. Two.thirdS Of the distance was behfad.
and the 100 cannon in the rear were dumb and
did not reply to the hotly worked guns in our
'front.'. We were, now 400 yards from the foot of
Cemetery Hill, when away Off to the right
nearly half mile, there appeared in the open
held 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'5 men, with their muSkets
upon the right shoulder SHIFT" their battle
created by their own rapid motion, and their
FURNISHED bay0nets gitstening ABOVE their
heads like forest twigs covered with sheets of
sparkling ice when shaken by blast Garnett
gailoped along the line. saying, Faster, men!
faster" and the front line broke forward into
DOUBLE quick. wnen Garrett called out
Steady, men! steady! Don't double quick
Save your wind and your ammunition for the
1nal Charge" and then went down among the
dead and his clarion voice was no more heard
above the roar OF battle. The enemy were now
was expected to strike by hurry1ng up reserves
from the right and left, the columns from oppo-
site directions passing each other double along
our 'front.' IKE the fingers OF a mans two hands
locking together The distance had again short
ened, and officers In the enemy's lines could be
distinguished by their uniforms from the pri-
Yates Then was heard behind that heavy
thud OF muffied tread OF armed men, that
roar and rush OF trampling feet as Arn1stead's
column from the rear closed up behind the
front line he the last brigadler)tO0k command,
the point OF his sword, and led the division,
now four ranks deep, rapidly and grandly
across the valley of death, covered with clover
as soft as Turkish carpet
There 1t was again! and again!-a sound FILL
Ing the air above, below, around US, like the
blast through the top OF dry cedar or the
WhiIr1Dg sound made BY the sudden fight OF
q flock Of quail. 1t was grape and canister,
and the column broke forward Into a double
quick, and rushed toward the stone WALL where
iorty cannon were belching forth grape and
Cr full md fhrp rv,fr
yards from the stone wall the thanking party
on the right, coming down ON heavy rum
matted suddenly within SO Yards, and poured a
men. double quicking across their front.
and under this terrible cross fire the men
reeled and staggered between falling COM
the CENTER eTowans ISe a0Ma
into confusion. But all knew the purpose
to carry the heights In front, aud the
rushed toward the stone wall, while a few nun
dred men, without orders, faced to the right
and fought the thanking party there, although
fifty to one, and for time held them at bay.
Muskets were seen crossed as some men fired
to the right and others to the front, and the
nght1hg was terrinc-far beyond all other ex-
perience even OF Pickett's men, who for once
raised no cheer, while the welk1n rang around
them with the Union triple huzza." The old
veterans saw the fearful odds against Them.
ana other hosts gathering darker and deeper
still.
The time was too precious, too serious, for a
cheer; they buckled down to the heavy task In
silence, and fought with feeling like despair
The enemy were falling back in front, while
officers were seen among their breaking lines
striving to maintain their ground. Pickett's
men We're within few feet of the stone wall
when the artillery delivered their last fire from
guns shotted TO the muZZle. A blazs fifty feet
long went through the charging, surg1ng host
with gaping rent to the rear, but the survt-
vors mounted the wall, then over and onward,
rushed up the hill close after the gunners, who
waved their hammers In the face OF Pickett's
men, and sent up cheer after cheer as they
felt admiration for the gallant charge. on
swept the column over ground covered
with dead and dying men, where the EARN
seemed TO be on fire, the smoke dense and
suflocating, the sun shut out, flames
blazing on every eide, friend could hardly
be distinguished from foe, but the diyl3-
lon, In the shape Of an inverted V, with the
point hattened, pushed forward, fighting fall.
Ing, and melting away, till half way up the
hill they were met by powerful body OF fresh
troops charging down upon them, ard this
remnant OF about thousand men was hurled
back out into the clover field. Brave Armistead
was down among the enemy's guns, MORALLY
wounded, but was last seen leaning upon one
elbow, slashing at the gunnerS to prevent them
from firing at h1s retreating men. Out In front
Of the breaStWorkS the men showed DISPOSE
ton TO reform for another charge and an off,
Ger looking at the frowning heights, with blood
trickling down the side of his face, inquired of
another: "What shall we do?r The answer
was: III We get re-eDforcements soon we can
take that hill yet" But no re-enforcements
came, none were In sight. and about a thnraand