The Republican journal., 1882-03-09
Sketches of Army Life.
NUMBER TEN.
GETTYSBURG.

GETTYSBU RG.
At daylight on the morning of July I'd we re-
sumed our march, and in few hours halted
within supporting distance of the left flank of
our army, about mile to the right of Little
Round Top. The long forenoon passed away,
and to our surprise the enemy made no attack.
This was very fortunate for our army, as it en-
abled our men to strengthen our lines of fortiti-
cations, and they also obtained little rest, of
which they We're in great need. The rebels
We're also engaged in throwing up rude lines of
defenses, hurrying up reinforcements, and in
discussing the line of action they shoud pursue
for, to use General Lees own words in his
report of the battle, they unexpectedly found
themselves confronted by the Federal army"
The hour Of noon passed and the sun had
measured nearly one-half the distance across
the western sky before the assault was made.
Then suddenly a bolt of fire flies from the
the storm cloud, a hundred pieces of rebel artil-
lery open upon our left tiank-and under the
thick canopy of screaming, kissing, bursting
Shells Longstreet's corps was hurled upon the
troops of General Sckels. Instantly our con-
mandcrs discerncd the intention of General
Lee. 1t was to turn and crush our left flank as
he had done our right at Charlottesville. II
was terrible onslaught. The brave sons of
the South never displayed more gallant courage
than on that fatal afternoon of July 2d. But
brave Dan Sickcls and the old Third corps Were
equal to the emergency. and stood us immoya-
bic against the surging tides a. blocks of gran
ite. But new and appalling danger suddenly
threatened the Union army. Little Round Top
was the key to the entire position. Rebel bat
teries planted on that rock bluff could shell
any portion of our line at tn oir pleasure. For
some reason know not why. no infantry had
been placed to hold that all important position
A few batteries were there, but they had no
support Lee saw at Il glance that Little Round
Top the prize for which the two armies
We're contending, and with skillful audacity he
determined to wreSt it from his opponent. And
while the terrible charge was being made upon
the line of General Sickel>. Longstreet threw
out Il whole division, by extending his line to
his right for the purpose Of Seizng the coveted
prize. The danger was at once seen by our
officers. and our brigade was ordered forward
to hold the hill against the assault of the enemy.
In Il moment all was excitement. Every soldier
seemed to understand the situation. and to be
inspired by il danger. ''fuH Tx" "FuU 0n!''
By tie 5iqht dalk!7 "DOUBLE QUICK"'
MARCH" And away we went, under the
terrible artillery fire. 1t was moment of
thrilling interest Shells We're exploding on
every side. Sckel>' corps was envroped in
sheets of flame and looked like 4 vast WinroW
of fire. But 50 intense was the excitement that
we hardly noticed these surroundings. Up the
steep hillside we ran and reached the crest.
Ion the right by file into line, was the COM
| mand, and our regiment had assumed the po-
sition to which it had been assigned We Were
on the left of our brigade, and consequently on
the extreme left Of all our line of battle The
ground Sloped to our front and left, and was
SparSely covered with a growth of oak trees.
which We're too small to afford Us amy protec-
| ton. Shells We're crashing through the air
above our heads, making 80 much noise that
we could hardly hear the command, Of our Off
GERS. The air was filled with fragments of cN-
| plOdin@ shells and Splintrrs torn from m&ngrd
| trees But our men appeared to be as cool and
|
been forming line upon the parade ground in
camp. Our regiment mustered about three
| hundred and fifty men. Company b from
| Pi>cataqui> county, commanded by the gallant
Captain Morrill,. was ordered to drplol in OUT
| front as >kirmsherS. They boldly advanced
down the slope and disappeared from our view
| Ten minutes have passed Since wr formed the
| Il,
| some thirty or forty rods through the rocks
| and trees. but we have seen no indications OF
! the enemy. ''But Looh!" "Loohl" "Looh'" cN
claimed half Il hundred men in our regiment a
! the same moment. And no wonder, for righ
| in our front between us and our >kirmishcr,
whom they have probably captured. we see the
| lines of the enemy. They have paid no attcn
ton to the rest of the brigade stationed on oul
right. but they are rushing on. determined tc
! turn and crush the left Of our line. Colonr
Chamberlain with rare sagacty understood thu
movement they Were making. and bent bach
the left flank of our regiment until the lin,
formed almost right angle, with ;he color> II
the point. all these movements requiring
much less space Of time than ii requires for III,
| 70 write OF them.
How can describe the scenes that followed
Imagine if YOU can nine small companies OF in
fantry numbering perhaps three hundred men
in the form of Il right angle, on the extreme
flank of an army Of eighty thousand men. pu
there to hold the KEY Of the entire position
| against force at least ten times their number
and who are desperately determined TO >ucree,
! in the mission upon which they came. >tant
| firm We BOYS from Maine. for not once in cen
tury are men permitted to bear such reSponsi
bilities, for freedom and Justice, for God anc
| humanity rs are now placed upon you.
| Tie conflict opens. know not who gave the
first fire or which line received the first lead.
only know that the carnage began. Our regi
| mcnt was manled in fire and smoke. | Wisl
| that could picture with my pen the awful de-
tails Of that hour. How rapidly the cartridge,
were torn from the boxes and stuffed in the
smoking muzzles of the guns. How the >tee
rammers clashed and changed i'll the heated bar
reI>. How the mems hands and faces grew
| grim and black with burning powder. How
our little line baptized with fire. reeled to anc
| fro as il advanced or was pressed back. How
| our officers braYely encouraged the men TO nOlt
on and recklessly exposed themselves to the
enemy fire. \ terrible medley of cries, shouts
| cheers, groanS, prayers, curses bursting shells
whizzing rifle bullets and changing steel. AnC
| if that was all my heart would not be 50 sad anC
| heavy as write. But the enemy was pouring
terrible fire upon lis, his superior forces giving
! him great advantage. Ten TO one are fearful
odds where men are contrndng for great 4
| prize. The air seemed to be alive with lead
| The lines at times We're so near each other that
the hostile gun barrels almost touched each
other. As the contest continued the rebels
| grew desperate that so insignificant Il force
| should so long hold them in check. AT one time
| there was brief lull in the carnage and our
| shattered line was closed up. But soon the
| contest ragged again with renewed terceneSs.
| The rebels had been reinforced and We're now
determined to sweep our regiment from the
crest of Little Round Top.
Many of our companies have suffered fearful
ly. Look at company III for moment. Charley