Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-02-10

aerson's division. Heth's division
WAS supported by Lane and Scales
brigade of Pender's division, com
manded by Gen. Trimble.
| A sentiment that is common t,
men and even stronger in the sol
dier iustities the opinion that they
who have periled their lives in
praiseworthy and hazardous un
dertakings may with propriety in
sist upon recognition of their ser.
vices and, sharing in this opinion,
we who faced what plainly appear
ed on Cemetery Hill to be almost
certain death remember with pride
and gratitude that in the most de-
structive shock of battle Heth's
division acquitted itself in worthy
manner. With our four brigades
in the front rank and with a greater
number engaged and with a greater
loss of those engaged than any
other division, we do claim, it seems
10 me with reason. that the memor-
able charge can with more propriety
be denominated Heth's Or Petit
CREWS, rather than Pickett's, who
had but two brigades in front.
True it is, Gen. Pickett commanded
and his brigades acquitted them
selves most gallantly, yet the fact
remains that in the generally ac-
cepted variations of that charge the
history of that division acting as
eOnspicuously as any other, and
that it eXceiled all others in the
number of its men, is either obscure
ly mentioned or totally ignored.
These lines are not prompted by a
spirit of fault-finding, but rather
as inasmuch as the writer and his
associates have borne a part in a
struggle that promises to become
historical, he deems it a laudable
desire which seeks to place in the
story of that contest material facts
that might otherwise be forgotten or
overlooked. 4 sos
Again, some who have written
about Gettysburg have placed
Heth's division in support of Pick
ett, and others have attributed the
failure of that assault to the Waver-
ing of the supporting line. In view
of these divers descriptions / shall
feel amply repaid if shall succeed
in making clear the point that
Heth's division no more supported
Pickett than Pickett's 5 supported
Heth. 1t is my belief that Heth's
division was not assignedto support
any command. l have before me
a map of the battle-t field of the third
day, prepared by Col. Batchelder.
1t places the assaulting troops pre-
cisely as have indicated. By II
o'clock, or perhaps little earlier,
those who were destined to attempt
the capture of Cemetery Hill were
in line and were in full view of the
federal stronghold ready to obey
the command to advance. All
seemed to appreciate the danger of
the impending carnage. We could
distinctly see the formidable line
of artillery, distant about one
Thousand yards. 1t was more than
evident that all realized the great
danger of the perilous task set before
us. ...... .F
Our suspense was intense, con-
tinuing from about 10 a. m. to /
p. m., when the signal, two guns of
the Washington artillery, was given.
Our artillery, consisting as reported
by Col. E. P Alexander, command
ing the artillery of one hundred and
forty pieces in and about our centre
and sixty pieces. on Our. right and
left, making i'm all two hundred
pieces, then opened and was prompt
~ responded to by what seemed an
equal number from the federaIs. 1t
as though the solid ground |
was being shaken to its foundation. |
The sultry air .thickened with. the |
rushing smoke from the cann0ns'
Amid the inceSSant BOOM
ing of artillery the sharp sound of
small arms could be distinguished
The barns and dwell
ing houses between the two armies |
were made the targets OF the sharp |
shooters and the artillery Of both,
each side fearing lest the other |
should find shelter behind their !
walls; some were distigured by the !
loss OF chimneys, some were blazing |
while others were pierced by shot |
and shell from cellar to garrett.
"Grim-visaged war" had never.
before assumed a more hide0us face.
The skirnishers and sharpshoOterS |
were put in these fields and some !
near the house. It.seemeu az though |
the demons of demolition were turn
ed loose, but no imagination can
conceive of the maghi-
tude of this artillery duel. 1t sur
passed the ordinary battery fire as
the earthquake or some convuisiOn
of nature surpasSes the Inuttering
of an ordinary thunderstorm. AS
if to heighten the terror and dis
NAV, out from the devoted farm
house rushed old men, women and
children. 1t was unaccountable
that they had been neglected by
the cOntending armies, but that
they had remained at all after the
lighting of the two days previous
was still more singular. This is a
clear fact. | was witness to the
flight of some of them and
Capt. Harris, commander of the
of Heth's division,
told me that he was forced to order
some of the occupants to fly for
shelter, and in one house little
stranger was shortly to make his
appearance, to be baptized in
Storm of shot and shell, the like
If which had never before been wit
messed on this continent.
The artillery fire was kept up
about an hour when our batteries
ceased and there seemed to be, as if
~ mutual consent, a pretty general
especially on the part of
The federals. In this interval of
quiet the order was
,iven to advance and the charging
column promptly responded. In
IN instant we reached the crest OF
he ridge upon which we had form
I'd and we were then in full view
md range of the batteries on Gem
terry Hill. After "a part of Heth's
liyision emerged from a small
woods no part of the column was
as from this point Gene
cry Hill is entirely open. The
round over which we; were march
ng was little unduIating, but no.
where sufficiently abrupt to afford
he slightest shelter. Before we
ould reach the enemy we had to
ross the Emmitsburg road, which
O me appeared to be lane, that is
O say, we had to cross two fences,
ne on either side of the road. This
oad-bed was, perhaps, some two T,
eet below the level of the ground
nd afforded protection to one ly- :
ng down. ..
AS TO THE YELL.