Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-05-25

from which we have heretofore printed, Ma.
jor Magnnis has the following graphic ac-
count OF the battle Of Gettysburg, which
will be read with especial interest by Yer
monters
AT last, from the crown Of timber on the
OPP osite heights, emerged the attacking force
commanded by Pickett, Pc,tigrew and others,
and under the direction of Lee. Our people
breathed easier, like men who had been set
up as unresisting marks for thunderbolts,
and who welcomed the more deadly grapple
OF the infantry where blows could hc given
a. well as endured.
Over the ridge, line after line came forth,
and closed up into heavy order Of battle,
lnassed and directed upon our centre. Soon
ne fields were covered by the column which
| was 10 make the mos. famous assault since
The final charge of the Old Guard at Water.
loo. The blood-red Southern battle crosses
| waved in countless number above the steel
capped hosts cloud of skrmishers cover.
ed their advancing trout, aud their angry
cannon still Numbered over their heads to
GEAR their way 10 the very heart Of the
Union.
hciOss the fields Of two days fighting,
over the bodies Of the dead and dying, clos
| ing the gaps made by our cannon shot, paw
ing no heed to the sharpshootcrs, but raising
the color3 that 60 down, clboS to elbow 10
unorokcn line, right gaautly they come on,
Striking our advanced posts they roll them
back to our main positiUn-,he nead of the
gentle slope, over which it seems they NAV
march unopposed. Suddenly from the
ground arises the Union line, and as the
word fire !" rings down lis ranks, a crash
ing volley is poured into the advancing
columns and men fall in swaths as if death
had swept them with his scylhe wild
yell answers this defiance, and rush TO
the onset is made by the whole body of AT
lacking troops With one uuccGsing roll the
deadly muskctry browns other sounds and
the dull thui of desultorY cannon can scarce
be heard beating time TO the rising music of
the battle. The charging lines forget their
hdycnets and are s,uug 20 replying to our
IRE. Their momentum Is chcckc but the
column still moves on.
Pcttlgrew's division, which had farthest to
come aud over the most exposed ground be-
gins TO waver under the heavier fire which ii
is obliged to face. Pickett's advance is still
pretty well protected by the nature of The
ground, but gap between himself aud vii.
COX leaves his Right TO Crumble under an
oblque fire from Stannard's Vcrmon,crs and
the dlrec, reply of the two bii-ales of Glib
bons division directly in front. These fl luks
crowd In toward Picketts centre, protected
by the formation OF the ground, and give
momentum to the wedge shaped mass. which
headed by Armsteld, moves up o hollow to,
wards Webbs brigade a. the anglo Of tho
line This had also been the point If con-
centration OF the artillery fre. Here were
the dead men and dsmantled guns of
Browns Rhode Island battery, aud here
Cushing, holding with one hand his torn
out vials, fired with the other the last gun
Of tue Fourth United States and fell beneath
lis smoking cannon. The other two hrigades
OF Gibbon, their front relieved, began a
voluntary r!Gve.n.nt to the right 10
sid their overcrOwdcd comrades. So
THIS becomes general point Of conveyance
for both sides. All without orders for the
, struggle assumes the shape of a melee, ard
general direction is impossible except such as
federal and confederate generals car give by
. voice and gesture. Gibbon and Hancock
, both fall among their men. Armsteai, sword
/ 10 hand, leads on his brave suldcrs. With d
rush his following gain the broken batteries
and the nag of Virginia regiment is planted
. on the hot but silent guns. The great wave
of the rebellion has reached high water mark
and trembles, whether its crest shall break
r in fire upon the North or sweep back bear
iug upon the rtiiux the wreck OF the confed-
: eracy.
{ Now Tor the oounter.enarge. It is headed
4, by the corps headquarters guard aud some
! broken companies. HALLS and IIarruws
men join in Officer and private fight
I, together, and courage is commander.
Men and colors are trampled under foot
as they fall beneath the fire OF the confedcl.
ates who come up to hold whi, they have
Won. \ rush and the guns axe recovered.
The Tag OF Virginia goes down and the
stripes and stars wave over the battery. A
little below the great mass Of the advance
with some sort of an alignment has made u
| deadly al I.
4 Tor some minutes. Now STANDARDS brigade
swings down like q gale on the flank of the
rebels. Those in the vortex see the move
ment through the smoke and with renewed
ardor push down in front with cheers and
volleys. The magnificent column has bros-
en- into struggling groups. 1t requires more
courage to run than to fight. Every battle
nag is still the centre Of rally. The blue
jackets still bear down. The masses 20 TO
pieces. The whole field can see that the
bloody tale is told, and the cheers of victory
ring from Roundtop to the Ilrht,