The National tribune., 1885-06-04
FIGHTING THEM OVER,
What 0nr Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
ROUND TOP.
Shot from the soth Maine, Aimed at Comradc
Fisher.

10 THE EDITOR: nave Ecdu the aTIlcle OH
Round Top by Comrade j. w. Fisher, and 1T
seems to me that if my pen does not endeavor
to refate the statements that it contains the
very rocks of Round Top will cry out with in
dignation, and that our comrades IN the Ma
tional Cemetery at Gettysburg that fell under
the colors of the Goth Me- will rise from their
graves and affirm the truth.
The writer is aware that anything coming
from the pen of one who was only Corporal
in that battle VIII weigh but little when COM
pared with statements made by those whose
duty il was 10 command. Your correspondent
will only state what he knows TO be true IN
regard to the Goth Me, and also what he knows
from personal observation in regard TO the
action of the two regiments of Pa. Reserves
that came up behind Us after we had estab-
Gsiied the line there.
These statements would not be made had not
the writer referred to committed such an error
as he did when be claimed TO have taken
Round Top, and also when he said: at was
not long until the rebels discovered that re-
endorsements had arrived on the Union side
and retired for the night" The writer Of this
article will endeavor &c show that the mere act
of ascending Round Top was no feat at all.
The enemy had been so badly handled on Little
Round Top that he had retreated to the oppo-
site side of Great Round Top, near its base, and
made no opposition whatever TO the advance
upon that mountain. When the Pennsylvania
regiments scaled its sides the Goth Me. was
already at its summit in line of battle, with
skirmiSherS out
No member of the Goth Me- ever claimed that
there was any glory attached to that act. The
glory came when that regiment charged on the
18th and 47th Ala. over the boulders on
Little Round Top. Neither do they claim to
have done more than the other three regiments
of Viucents Brigade-the 44th \. Y, SD Pa.
and 10th Mich. For while we were contending
with the 18th and 18th Ala. they were fighting
Robertson's Texas Brigade, supported by two
or three regiments of Laws Alabama Brigade.
The Goth Me- happened TO be on the extreme
left of the Union lines at that great battle, and
to feel the shock of bold attempt to get on
the flank and in rear of our line and roll it up
as did Jackson's men at Charlottesville.
1t is unnecessary at this time to 60 over the
ground covered by the article of Maj. III. S.
Melcher i'll detail, but the writer will allude to
a few facts well known to history. Gen. q. X.
Warren, Chief Engineer Oh Gen. Meade's staff
at that battle, happened to arrive just as Hoods
Division had broken through the gap between
Sickles's left and Round Top, and he saw them
advancing upon that position. lis eye told
him at once that this movement must be check
mated or irretrievable disaster would result
Ordering the signal officer TO keep his flag flying
in token of possession" he put spurs to his
horse and dashed off for the required troops
1t also happened that the head of Sykes's col
umn was just passing out to reinforce Sickles,
with VincentS Brigade in the advance. This
brigade was the first he encountered and on
his own responsibility he ordered Vincent to
detach his brigade from the main column and
take position on Little Round Top. When
Vincents line was formed he held the extreme
left OF the Union line, aud the goth Me. was
on the left of that brigade At the moment
Vincent's men reached the summit of the hill
two brigades of Hoods Division. Longstreet's
Corps, reached its base, fastening for the same
position. The two brigadeS were Robertscn'S
Texans and Laws Alabamians The latter
consisted Of the 18th Ala, under Col. Oates:
47th Ala, under Col Bugler, and the 4th Ala.
The Nth and 4Sth Ala, belonging to this bril-
gade, had been detached and placed in support
of Robertsons Brigade. Laws Brigade out
fanked Vincent's left by nearly two regiments,
while Robertsons, joining Laws left, out
fanked VinceDt's right.
At the very onset the 18th and 47th Ala
swung around the left of Vincent's men, strik-
ing the Goth Me. Oh its left and rear. From
this moment the two Alabama regiments on
the one hand, and the goth Me-. under Col.
Joshua L. Chamberlain, on the other, entered
into desperate struggle independent of the
rest of the line of battle The 18th Ala, &C
cording TO Col. Oates's account, which will pres
emily be quoted, contained nearly 700 officers
and men. The 41th Ala. did not contain less
than 300, perhaps more. The Goth Me. on that
IUll-SdIl uuiiDtTCu Uul DIT IUc
time we reached the crest of Little Round Top
Capt w. G. Morril's company tB), numbering
about 80 men, was detached and deployed as
skirmishers. 1t was cut off from the regiment,
and did not take any part until the enemy was
Tepulsed, when, by timely volley poured into
the retreating foe, ii captured nearly 100 pris-
oners on the wing"
1t will be seen by these figures that $50 men
of the Doth Me. were confronted by at least
Thousand men of Laws Brigade in a desperate
attempt TO turn our left After the goth had
lost 81 killed and 81 wounded, Col Chamber
lain ordered 4 charge, and many OF the COM
pany officers leaped in front and led their men !;
among that numbe was President Melcher"
tthen First Lieutenant of the color company,
now Major Col Chamberlain advancing with
the colors. The moment we reached the rocks
behind which the enemy was stationed, many
of his men surrendered. Others fed to the
rear. some OF them being stopped by Capt. Nor
Tills men, as before mentioned. The retreat
ing rebels were pursued by some of our men,
and more prisoners were captured and brought
in. The number of prisoners captured at this
point was over 300, and 30 dead rebels were
found behind the rocks in our front. We will
quote from Col. 0atess account:
When the signal was given We ran like a
herd of wild cattle right through the line of
dismounted cavalrymen (Co. Il, of the 20th).
On the top OF the mout2ln (Round Top made
an attempt 10 Ealt ana reform The regiment,
but the men were helping the wounded and
disabled comrades, and scattered in the woods
and among the rocks, SO that it could not be
done. / was on foot, and in my ex-
ertions 70 reform my regiment on the top of
the mountain, l tainted and was carried back
to near the point from which our advance COM
menced lnear the opposite base of Round Top).
1t was now dark, and here we bivouacked for
the night. After all had got up ordered the
rolls of the companies to be called. When the
battle had commenced four hours previously
had the strongest and finest regiment in Hood s
Division. It's electives numbered 700 officers
and men. Now 90 answered TO roll-call, and
more than one-half Of my officers had been left
on the field"
As the rest of Hoods Division had been
handled as roughly as the two regiments re-
ferred to by the rest of our troops on Little
Round Top, the enemy was not in a condition
to resist All advance upon Round Top; neither
was he in position TO do so, as will be seen by
Col. Oates's account, an extract of which
copied from volume of Southern Historical
Papers, containing all article upon Round Top,
by Col. w. &. Oates, of Alabama, now in Con-
gress.
After the prisoners were sent to the rear a
staff officer came 10 Col. Chamberlain and said {:
Troopsare to be sent up on Round Top, and, as
you have repulsed the fanking movement of
the enemy. you can have the privilege of plant
ing your colors upon its summit"
A hint was as good a command to Col.
Chamberlain, and just as the shades of night
were settling down upon the battle-worn troops
Of the contending armies, the goth Ne. reached