The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-12


General Hancock, but he is badly wounded, !"
was the reply.
TELL General Hancock that I have wronged
him and my country" said Armistead with his
last breath
From the very nature of things Gettysburg
will be maintained as far as American Or Penn
sylvanian enterprise will permit in all its original
beauty and landscape features long after the
sites of battle equally as sanguinary will have
been forgotten. Within three hours ride south
OF Washington twenty battles of more or less
Importance occurred, mourning a loss of $50 900
lives and yet, owing to two Typographical transit
lions, it is next to impossbility for an officer
to designate his line of command, if the single
exception Of Fredericksburg is made. Scores of
brilliant officers fell in these engagements. Yet
for the most part to-day the identical spots are
unknown. Several generals who distinguished
themselves at Gettysburg succumbed to the hot
ter fire in The Wilderness and at Spottsylvania.
Prominent among them were Generals Wads-
worth, Sedgwick, Hays and Rice. Talking of
the death of Uncle John Sedgwick, the following
may not be out of the way
Some time ago party of veterans of the Sixth
Corps met at fredericksburg and concluded to
make pilgrimage to Alsop's field at Spottsyl-
vania, where General Sedgwick received his
mond, who has charge of the records at Spott
sylvania Courthouse, the party proceeded on
foot to the cross roads in Alsops field where the
old line of intrenchments was plainly discerned
on either side, trending away until they were
lost in the dense thickets. Through the foliage
300 yards off was seen the Spinder House, which
is supposed by many to have sheltered the sharp
shooter who did his work so well, and 1000
yards away stood the line of tall trees where I'M
mistakable evidence of crack rebel marksmen
six veterans stood solemnly around the little
mound, which had worn down from reSpecta-
BILE rifle pit to mere lump.
1.-The General was standing here" said one
breaking the silence, and standing reverentially
on spot close within the line of works.
oh you are mistaken" said another, The
was on the outside about here" and No. 2
rolled heavy stone over the intrenchments and
placed it tenderly where he believed il ought
to be.
Gentlemen, observed No. g. very intell-
gent looking man of about five and forty. s'you
are mistaken. | was a member of the New
York Light Battery and was sighting a gun
just about at this place. We had loaded and
the other side of the Po but our shots went
wild. Their sharpshooters We're making it lively
for the boys and we were all more or less nerv
GUS General Sedgwick came dom to the front
on horseback, attended by General McMahon. his
chief of staff. Uncle John bantered US for wine
ing. and said, Why, boys, they could not hit an
elephant at this distance At that moment
he fell. General Mcmahon was not aware
his chief had been hit, and made an observation
about an explosive bullet, when he turned and
lUuilu GtuEIdl SCtugNlCk Oh Tie gfOuuQ WITH q
bullet hole under his left eye, dead. The Gen
erals body was carried to Alsops house. and
was forwarded to Washington that night
No. thought every one before him was mis-
taken, and with No and No. would have
moved the stone to different spots, and yet no
doubt all six Of these men were present when
Sedg wick was shot Owing to the high pressure
of excitement at the time, to the proverbial
treachery of memory, and to the change in sur
roundings and circumstances, they were unable
to fix the exact spot
While the more prominent officers who died
on Gettysburg fields aud heights are remem
bered in lasting tokens at tho place where each
fell the lastspvts III ilio for such gallant officers