The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-07-29
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
GETTYSBURG.
C0mrade O'Brian Takes Issue With Gen. Sickles
and Says the Third Corps Was Attacked.

and Says the Third Corps was ATTACKED
To THE EDITOR: i read with more than
ordinary interest in a recent issue OF your paper
the able and interesting address delivered by
Gen Daniel T. Sicklcs on the Gettysburg battle
field July ?, in which he refers TO the move
monts of his corps on the % day Of July, 1868
i believe the Generals statements 10 be cor
rect eycept In one or two instances, and as
was an eyewitness 10 the attack on his right
flank may be pardoned for saying that he is IN
error when he says:
"Gen Meade states that at the beginning
Of the action, Troops from the Second Corps
were Immediately sent 10y Maj Gen. Hancock
20 cover the right flank of the Third Corps
This Is an error The right flank OF the Third
Corps needed no cover or support. 1t was not
attacked
Ii Is surprising that he should make such an
assertion. +" The right OF the Third Corps not
attacked" Bless your soul, General, what do
you cali an attack? Is itnot true that the right
flank of the Third Corps was attacked and
driven back in confusion and disOrderY il is.
Some OF the regiments fought well, but a ma
jority passed by the left flank OF the Second
Corps in a demCralizod condition. il was at
that time that Gen. Hancock ordered the LIST
MINI. and lIlth N. Y 10 charge They did so,
and the movement OF the enemy was checked
and he soon afterwards retired.
Further on in his address Gen. Sickles says
"Gen. Meade says In his report that he
found when he rode out TO the extreme left,
about in the afternoon, Maj Gen Siczles,
commanding the Third Corps Meade, p. 43,
@. r. had advanced, or rather was in the act
of advancing his corps some half a mile or
three-Quarters OF q mile IN front of the line OF
the Second Corps, on the prolongatiOn Of which
it was designed his corps should rest Gen.
Sickles did not advance and take any position
In front of the line Of the Second Corps
(Birney, p. aSl, O. r. Gen. Birney, in his
official report 10 Gen. Meade, states precisely
the position Of the advance line"
Now Gen. Meade is, TO use common ex-
preston, a little out OF the way in saying
that Gen Sickles was half a mile or three
quarters OF a mile in front Of the line of the
Second Corps" But Gen. Birney is way oil !"
In his statement Gen. Sicl1les was a good
quarter OF a mile beyond the left of the Second
Corps ] believe ] can safely call as witnesses
90 these facts every surviving member OF the
Second Division, Second Corps, who took part
IN that engagement, and if that is not sufficient
will leave il 10 the surviving members OF the
regiments composing Gen. Sickiess night flank
IN that battle.
Now, boys, am ] right OF wrong9 Did the
enemy attack You on that day and drive you
backg Is il not true that your fank was I'M
protected and that you were far in advance OF
the left Of the Second Corpse
am sure that Gen. Hancock would substan-
tiate my statement were be alive j know
that Col. Vim. C0lville, Of Red Wing, Mimi, 10
whom Hancock gave the order to charge viii
do SO. He was there aud was wounded in the
charge, as well as l6 other officers of my regi-
ment Whether the movement Of Gen. Sickles
was judcious is, in the opinion OF the writer,
fully answered by what soon afterwards trans
pired
lie was censuTed az the time; but, having
lost a limb in that battle, and in the absence OF
definite orders as to the position lac was TO Oe-
cupy, the general sentiment was that the error
should be overlooked No one doubts Gen
Sicklcse ability or courage. dc was brave
and daring officer and deserves great credit
but he is mistaken when he says his right flank
was not attacked az Gettysburg, and he Ger
tanly made a mistake when he failed TO halt
the right flank Of his corps when he reached
the left OF the Second Corps. i hardly think
this view Of the matter can be successfully as
sailed.-HEERY ID. 0'BRIAN, 18th Mimi, Easi
81 Louis Ill