St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-26
Ptckett,s Charge at gettysburg.

hio duuitOlS. f1lbcI UliC ScuCIdl udS
some too hours were spent in happy social
intercourse.
Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg.
Yesterday morning, while the majority of
the veterans were taking an excursion to
Minnetonka number of old soldiers gath
cred in the shade under the amphitheatre
and entertained each other by reciting the
deeds of daring which they had witnessed in
the late war After nearly all had utilized
the time allotted to them an old veteran,
wearing Pennsylvania badge, spoke.
"Boys," said he, 81 went through the war,
and the bravest thing ever saw was the last
charge of the rebels at Gettysburg"
sTellus about it," chorused number of
veterans.
The old man took a few puffs of his cigar,
blew cloud of smoke into the air, and
watched it form into rings. He gazed at
his story.
ut was the last day of the great battle,
and both commanders seemed to be waiting
for the other to make move. Nothing de-
cisive had yet been accomplished and there
was feeling among the officers and men
that the crisis was near. The result of a
great battle depended upon the next move,
and the fate of nation hinged upon the
result.
sWe were stationed just over the brow of
the hill to support battalion which was on
the top. The boys were lying around in easy
positions, waiting for something to be done.
While in this position we heard great cheer
ing in the rebel lines and looked over the
hill to see what was up.
''Boys, saw sight that 1 will never see
again and one that was never witnessed on
this earth before. Not far from the bottom
of the hill was grove of trees, and in this
the rebel host was resting. You could catch
the CLINT of their steel as the rays of the sun
played upon it,and now and then the familiar
uniform of the gray could be seen through an
opening.
After a short time band struck up, and
then the cheering increased. Then the
noble columns commenced filing out of the
grove, With the steady tramp of old soldiers
they moved out to the inspiring time of
and dressed upon the plain in front. Col
umn after column wheeled out and formed
until the line reached further than the eye
could see. 1t was line of brave men, and
their crown was the bayonet.
''Coolly as if On dress parade, the officers
formed and dressed their lines. 1t was
parade, but death was to be master of cere-
fon Int
was music that sent the hot blood at fever
heat through the veins. Officers moved up
and down the line, and addressed their men
in stirring tones.
1.-THE cheering suddenly ceased, and the
silence of Sabbath morning fell upon the
field. The birds commenced singing, and
the sun broke forth from the clouds and
PLAYED back and forth upon the bayonets of
the rebels. l looked at the peaceful scene
and thought how soon it would be changed.
l lived lifetime in those few moments l
thought of the old homestead, of the grey
haired mother, and above all of wife and
two babes that had left at home.
ssIt was only the calm before the breaking
of the storm, and in few moments their
battery opened on the center of our line. 1t
seemed as if the forces of the internal re-
gions had been turned lose, and tons of shot
and shell were rained down upon our lines
Then came the old rebel yell, and the rebel
column moved forward.
There were heroes in that line-they were
all heroes. Steadily that line moved forward,
and when the rebel battery ceased playing
on us we could still see it moving in with
the steady tramp Of veterans. The crisis we
had been watching had come.
siOur batteries opened in the line, and
moved down men. But their places were
filed, and still the line came on. Our infan-
try opened on them, and the field was covered
with gray-coated dead. Time and again that
line swept up almost to our intrenchments,
and time and again it was hurled back. But
flesh and blood could not stand the rain of
bullets. and finally cheer from our center
announced that the charge had been broken
s'Tbe rebel host did not win. They moved
back sulienly, and if the order had been
given that column would have charged again
But none came, and it fell back to its post
The crisis was passed, the battle was won,
and nation was saved.
"Some of our boys swung their hats int
the air, but hadn't the heart to do it. Isaw
that line form and move forward, and know
no body of men would have gone through
that charge unless they were honest in their
convictions. felt pride as an American
in that charge, and while l was glad we had
won / had not the heart TO gloat over the de-
feat of such a body of men. Yes, it was
parade to death"
The old man smoked in silence for few
moments, and gazed into vacancy with
moistened eyes. Then he spoke again:
'sPoor boys, they were wrong, but many
southern home was made desolate in that
charge. But war is dangerous game, and
death is the common lot of all.''