The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-04-27


angles and killed one man and broke the arm
Off second. The Federal guns were short Q
ammunition on the start, and throughout thu
cannonade the fire was slower and more regu
lar than the Con federates. Thomas alone hao
four caissons hit and blown up, and some O
batteries lost half their horses and fourth o.
their men
tse PrcKETT's ADVANCE.
As ifbY mutual consent the firing on both
sides began to slacken, and in ten minutes
more every gun was silent. Then Federal
regiments sprang from cover, and in mo-
ment Cemetery Ridge was again dotted with
blue. Lee was going to assault.
1t is close upon o'clock. when long line OF
Confederate skirm ishers moves out OF the
wsods beyond the Emmettsburg road Not
fall in rear is Pickett's division of Virginians
in double-line of battle, flags ripping and bay
onets cleaning. Kemper, Garnett, Armistead
Wilcox and Pettigrew are there, and Heths
division protects the left flank. Look careful
ly now, for never again on this Continent will
such an advance be seen. 1t is the third day
ofthe fiercest battle in our history. Lee has
assaulted the right-the left-the center. The
mettle of every man has been tried, and there
is not coward among them. This is the last
assault, and it will be made on the Federal
left center, where Hancock is watching and
waiting. Here comes the skirmish line, creep
ing nearer and nearer and undulating like a
serpent. Behind them are the solid columns
OF MISUNDERSTANDING out of the woods are
the best brigades in Lees army-a column of
assault $4,000 strong There is deep silence
rs hundred thousand pairs of eyes look at
the picture. Every line in that column is per-
fectly dressed-every officer at his post. They
do not come with the rush of Hood or the
frenzy of Ewell. 1t is march! march march,
with a steady step and front of cleaning
steel. Even an enemy waiting with loaded
musket can cheer such bravery-such firm dis
cipline.
PETTIGREw's REPULsE.
1t has been officially asserted that many of
the men in Pettigrew's command had never
before seen a battle, but had they been veter-
ans of hundred fights they must have been
broken by their terrible reception at the hands
of the Federals. Their assault was aimed at
Hays. He had 1000 men down behind the
stone walls in his front, and on his right bat
terry fully provided with grape shot and CAMS
ter. STEADY, men-steadyl" was the COM
mand all along Hays front, and scarcely a
at I'D ~
within pistol-shot. Then the battery opened
with canister and the infantry poured in their
volleys, and in ten minutes hardly Confeder
ate was left on his feet. At such close range
the canister wiped out men by the dozen, and
1t seemed as falmost every bullet found lily
ing Target. When the smoke lifts Pettigrew
has tallen, and with him three-fifths OF his COM
officers. Companies are wiped out
regiments reduced one-half, and those not in
retreat are lying fiat down to escape the bull
lets. But Woodruff, whose battery has rem
dered victory So decisive, is MORALLY wounded,
and the dusty road and trodden fields are
drinking the blood of many Federal hero.
ARMIsTEAD's RUSH
The advance of Armistead first struck
against the First Corps, but obllqued to es-
cape the fire and struck Gibbons division
Here was also stone-wall, and here Gibbons
had thrown two regiments out in advance of
his main line. The rush of the Confederates
met with feeble fire, and they surged over
the defenses and sent the Federals flying up
the hill. For moment it seemed as if the
main line would be swept back but the firm
ness of two or three regiments allayed the pan
ic and prevented the disaster. Armistead
pressed on, encouraged by what he had accom-
plished, and although the fire efmusketry was
terribly hot, his rush was not checked until
blue and gray were fighting breast to breast
with the bayonet. For quarter of an hour
he chung there, unable to advance and deter
mined not to retreat, but reinforcement came
to the Federals and the assaulting column was
broken and pushed back.
ALL ALONG THE LINE.
1t is the same with Kemper-with Garrett
with every column of assault In their first
rush they swarm over Federal breast works,
capture rife-plts and leap through the flames
to bayonet gunners, but when the rebound
comes they are swept away. Six, eight and
ten men return to Seminary Ridge to repre-
sent company. A hundred return to repre-.
sent regiment. Out of brigades scarcely
full regiment can be found. Pettigrew, Arm
istead, Kemper and Garnet are dead or
officers are among every heap
Of dead-regiments with scarcely captain
left. The picture of Is. 900 men marching for
ward with waving flags and steady step had
been framed in blood and yelled with death.
Lee had played his last card, and lost.
THE FOURTH DAY.
AS the grand assault was beaten back every
soldier realized that the battle of Gettysburg
had ended. Lee had done his best, and MANY
looked for a speedy retreat At shutdown
word was passed along the lines that the re-
treat had begun, and certainly but few expect
ed to see more than his rear-guard when the
morrow came. But Lee was there and in DO
'ition. He had not sent off a man or a wagon
md he was defantly waiting for Meade to at
Jack him in turn. 1t was only when night
came and he found that he was not to be at
5acked that he gave the orders for a leisurely
retreat
LEES SITUATION.
In leaving Virginia to INVADE the North the
Confederate commander could not burden the
march with too many wagon trains The great
point was to carry a supply of ammunition,
and this point was carefully seen to- There
was more or less fighting from the Potomac to
Gettysburg, aud something of an inroad had
been made on the supplies before the first DAYS
fight. Considerable ammunition was los, on
The road, more captured by Federal cavalry,
and at the end of the third days fight there
was not enough ammunition IN the Confeder-
ate army to take it through six hours Of fight
ing. In the retreat to the Potomac many
;aissons contained only two or three round
shot, and thousands of the infantry had no
more than five to eight cartridges left.
To this must be added the want of rations.
The Federal cavalry had sadly demoralized
The wagon trains, and made many captures.
and when night fell on the fourth day of Get
tysburg, not one Confederate in ten had even
, cracker in his haversack. Lee could wait M
longer. He must fall back for food and am
munition.
WHAT HE GAINED,
Lee had counted on great battle. and it
had come to pass but IL was ho+.l =; =.