Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-03-06
which hinged great issues. For
three days the great armies struggled

Tor supremacy, and now was reached
the final catastrophe. At one o'clock
on that day signal gun ushered in
the artillery fire, and one hundred
and fifty Confederate cannon opened
fire against about an equal number.
In the words of General Bryant,
'the noiae nearly drove one crazy"
The aim os the Confederate fire was
to break the northern lines and pre-
pair the way for Pickett's charge.
But the northern lines stood firm.
AT three O'Clock the firing ceased.
A terrible suspensive lull! And then,
"the rebels are coming!" White
lips repeated the cry, but it was not
the lispings of towards. A mile
away columns of rebels poured from
the woods-on they came, ragged as
Lazarus at Dives gate, but brave as
the hosts of Caesar, for they had
been triumphant, Half across the
plain the battle was begun by the
Unionists, and in a little while the
gray and the blue mingled in the
conflict of death. Unionists came
TO the Unionists, brigade Wed with
each other in leading charges
What havoc! Cushing's battery No.
4 of the United States Artillery, and
Browns battery, Rhode Island, on
his left were completely destroyed.
The horses were killed, the officers,
with the exception of one, were
struck with fragments Of shell, and
Gushing had but one serviceabe gun
left. Whe Pickett's advance came
very near the line, young Cushing,
MORALLY wounded in both thighs,
ran his last gun down to the fence
and cried, "Webb, / will give them
one more shotn He did 80, and
fell dead. Webb sent new batteries
to replace two disabled ones. Gener-
al Armistead crossed the stone wall
and reached the guns, and the bat.
terry was for few moments in his
and the Southern flag
floated triumphantly in the Union
lines. But Webb was very near,
and facing Armistead and encourag-
ing his men. He led the I'D Penn, !
sylvania against Pickett, and posted
a line of wounded in the rear with
orders to shoot all men who deserted. |
A party of the list Pennsylvania,
behind stone wall at the right, |
made very murderous fire at the
Hank, while party of the 69th Penn
Sylvania and the remainder of the
LIST made an energetic resistance at
he left from behind clump of !
,rees, near the spot where the South
arners had broken the Union line,
md where the Northern men were |
lighting with the Southern muskets
touching their breasts. AT this mo- /
nent two regiments conducted by (
Colonel Hall made splendid charge
md passed completelyacross Webb's
Inc to engage with the SOutheuers
n a hand to-hand conflict Ami
tead was MORALLY wounded near a
,annon which he had taken. 1t is
aid that when dying his last words,
which were addressed to ono of our
Ulcers, were, "I'ell Hancock | have
vronged him and have wronged my
country " Gibbon and Webb were
10Th wounded. Pickett was not on
y repulsed, but his grand column Of
ttack was cut to pieces-dead, dy-
ng, prisoners, were they who had
moved forward one hour before.
Pickett gathered his handful of men
nd retreated TO the hills of Mary
aud, with his superior Lee, who had
the defeat al a safe dis
ance.
Was ever a curtain Of Time rung
Town on a bloodier scene? Paous
.nds poured their life blood on the
cd But it oas the death kneIl 10
he Confederate hosts ard stopped
he progress of Lee into the north.
}ut for the brave men there that day
Who conquered him, that curtain
night have opened on still bloodier
lay. One cannot but reflect rs he
Jews the mighty issues there decid
d, that the people of the North
mould ever do loving reverence To
hose grand men who that day barred
heir breasts to death and that hom-
ge is due every soldier Of whatever
auk. Surely the debt Of honor we
I'VE the soldier of that day and hour
an never be paid
The scene before me was faith
ul realism. | was proud to have
pointed out in the midst of :he con
lict certain Wisconsin regiments
lelping to check the advance of
Pickett. The Iron Brigade led by !
4ibbon is we'll represented. | was
hown the spot where the brave
1airchild fell wounded, and where
fen'I Calls received his souvenir
# rebel wrath, in the early portion
# the fight. But | need not par
icularize, and have only referred
o some of the particulars of the