The National tribune., 1883-11-01
GETTYSBURG REVISITED.

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GETTYSBURG REVISITED.
Representatives OF Massachusetts, Regiments Loeat-
ing the Memorial Tablets.
Special Correspondence National Tribune.
GETTYSBURG October q.
One hundred and twenty nine veterans, rep
resenting every one of the twenty-four Massa-
chasettes regiments that engaged in the bat
tie of Gettysburg arrived here on Wednes-
day last, and were met at the depot by drum
corps, Corporal j. Kelly Post No. 9, Grand
Army of the Republic, and a delegation from
the town councils The purpose of the excur-
sion was to locate different points on the field
occupied by Massachusetts troops, and to assist
in disposing of the State appropriation for that
work. After breakfast on Thursday, the dele
gates mostly in groups, representing the diff
ferent regimentaI or battery organizations,
betook themselves to tho portions of the battle
grounds in which they were more directly iu-
terested and where Colonel Bachelor would
in turn confer with them as TO the appropriate
places in which to locate the tablet memorials
He rode over the great field, accompanied by a
flag bearer, in order to more easily designate
his movements to the scattered groups. Among
the historic places visited were the following:
The old red barn, memorable in the first days
battle, and in which, as against Alabama troops,
the Twelfth and Thirteenth Massachusetts, in
fantry gallantly did their share in the struggle.
It was with the representatives of these two
regiments that Colonel Bachelor drove ont
first on the Mumasburg turnpike, northerly
from the town. They fought under the la
.mented Reynolds and were in Robinson's di-
vision. The ground slopes to the left; as then,
the broken stone wall behind which the
Twelfth stood, and the road that opened along
the ridge to the Chambersburg turnpike,
remain. From this old stone wall every
thing looks natural" say the boys, who
pointed out the open field over which the rebel
1versons brigade advanced, and on which our
troops charged him, capturing three of his
regiments. The field is still the same in aspect.
Although houses have been erected and vine-
yards planted in the vicinity, it took but a
moment for the veterans of the two regiments
to recognize the familiar places where they
fought, and where they marked the ground for
the tablets that viii enable the historian and
future visitor to note the scene of their heroic
part in the great strife.
THE OLD BRICK HOUSE.
The locating party, in going out the Emmets-
burg road, soon came TO the brick house SO
familiar TO the boys of the Fifteenth regiment,
around which the troops of Longstreet surged
on the third day. There was no difficulty in
marking the place, which lay along the frail
breastworks Of rails and it was only necessary
to leave ground for the Eighty y-second New
York volunteers between the left of the Fif-
teenth and the brick house. The spot where
General Ward fell was pointed out, and the
veterans were unanimous that the place should
have a monument. On the same road the po-
sition of Carrs brigade, in which the First,
Eleventh, and Sixteenth Massachusetts, in
fantry fought, the former being deployed as skir-
mishers TO the left OF the road, and the esrect-
i've locations were marked for the memorials.
The little white cottage remains standing, but a
new house, recently erected changes the view
for the Eleventh comrades, IS it stands on their
| line of battle; nevertheless, the field is open
aud clear as on that July day. 1t was here, at
the close of the second days battle, that Gen.
eral Humphreys changed front to the rear.
But he knew his men In such a hazardous ma
neuver engaging rebel Barksdale on his left,
and Perry's and two other brigades on his
right. The great loss sustained by his staff in
dieated the severity of she bloody melee-three
of his staff being killed, while his horse, bleed
ing from seven wounds, was struck by a shell,
| the animal in his death agony springing into
the air, violently throwing his rider, but, for
tunately, without serious injury. The old log
house at the apple orchard, where the Sixteenth
located their memorial, is now boarded over.
The slope down which the members of the
regiment assisted in hauling the guns of Turn
bull'e battery was not forgotten.
WHERE GALLANT WORK WAS DONE.
Down the hill towards Round Top is the
place which, two years ago, was marked for the
Fifth Massachusetts, battery, the position haY-
ing been indicated by Captain Lall, as delegate
of his organization and in which duty he was
assisted by Colonel Bachelder. 1t should be
noted that here was done some gallant work.
Captain Phillips, fearing the loss of his last
remaining gun, fell to with his officers and
men and hauled it off by hand. The position
Of the Ninth Massachusetts battery on the LETT
Of the Fifth was also easily determined, and
| the line along which they retired with the
| prolongs" by the reeoii of their guns was
pointed out, together with the angle OF Che
| stone wall where the battery was fought with
such desperation, losing nearly seventy horses
/ three officers in killed and wounded, and a
| large number of men. Along the road our
/ course brought Us to the renowned wheat field,
| which the colonel calls the whirlpool of the
/ battle" Here were five successive lines OF
battle of our troops formed, but ali to be event
/ ually driven out. on the bloody second day
The Eighteenth, Twenty second, Twenty
eighth, and Thirty-second Massachusetts in.
woods beyond. Some discussion now arose
/ among the delegates as to the Second Massa-
chusetts sharpshooters, which were attached to
| the Twenty-seeond however, a position was
assigned, and probably tablet will mark theii
| place. The place of the Third battery in the
/ sYail was next pointed out. The party then
drove to the famous rocky ravine, the DeviIS
/ Den, known as such among the traditions o.
| the people long before the war. A CHASTITY
| spectacle it presented July A, 1853, to the sol
diers who went there after the enemy changed
their front. From the den the party contin
ued on driveway made by the Memorial As
| sociatlon up the ravine between Round Tol
and Little Round Top The stone-wal defense
connecting the two hills remains. 1t wa
among the rugged boulders of Round Top thai
| the Ninth, Eighteenth, and Twenty -seeonG
regiments remained on the third day, and the
place OF the former was marked.
WHERE GENERAL WEED WAS KILLED.
The party then visited the spot where Gen
eral Weed, of the Fifth Corps, was killed neal
| the summit of little Round Top. DESCENDING
| its western slope, we come to the open field
where General Eustis, Harvard professor
arrived with his brigade on the night of the
I'd, 1t having the Seventh, Tenth, and Thirty
seventh Massachusetts infantry, and we mov,
| along by the stone wall that marks the line o
battle on the third day, where was located ths
spot for the Thirty-second Massachusetts, tab
| let. MeGiiVray's brigade of reserve artillery
was In the open fed not far away, and ths
| Twenty eighth being part of its support thl
location was determined The route is nov
taken toward the town, and the positions o
the Nineteenth and Twentieth infantry on tht
| third day are located and marked. 1t was a
| this point that these two regiments, with th,
Fifteenth moved to the assistance of Webb
| brigade, hard pressed by the inpetuosity O
| iixric