Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-30
PICK ETT'S CHARGE.
A Graphic Account of the Third
Days Fight at Gettysburg.


In the January number of the Century
are articles on the third days fight at
Gettysburg, by Gen. H. j. Hunt and E.
z, Alexander. From the latter's account
of Pickett's charge the following extract
is taken: sat exactly 1 O'clock by my
watch the two signal guns were heard in
quick succession. In another minute
every gun was at work. The enemy
were not slow in coming back at us, and
the grand roar of nearly the whole artil-
lery of both armies burst in on the
silence, almost as suddenly as the full
notes OF an organ could fill a church.
"The artillery of EwelPs corps, how
ever, took only small part, believe, in
this, as they were too far away around
the town. Some of them might have done
good service from positions between Hill
and Ewell, enfilading the batteries fight
ing us. The opportunity to do that was
the single advantage in our having the
exterior line to compensate for all its dis
advantages. But our line was so far ex-
tended that all OF it was not well studied.
and the officers OF each corps had no op.
pOrtunity to examine each others ground
for chances of cooperative work.
The enemy's position seemed to have
broken out with guns everywhere, and
from Round Top to Cemetery Hill was
blazing like volcano. The air seemed
fun of missiles from every direction. The
severity OF the fire may be illustrated bv
the casualties In my own battalion under
Maj. Huger.
'Before the cannonade opened had
made up my mind to give Pickett the
order to advance within fifteen or twenty
minutes after it began. But when |
looked at the fun development of the
enemy's batteries, and knew that his in.
fantry was generally protected from our
fire by stone walls and swels OF the
ground, | could not bring myself to give
the word. 1t seemed madness TO launch
infantry into that fire, with nearly
Ghree-quarters OF a mile TO 20 In the d.
day July sun. l let the fifteen minutes
pass, and twenty, and TWENTY-FIVE. hoping
vainy for something to turn up. Then
wrote to Pickett: If you are coming at
all YOU must come at once, or | cannot
give you proper support; but the enemy's
fire has not slackened at all; at least
eighteen guns are still firing from the
cemetery ITSELF Five minutes after send
ing that message the enemy's fire sud
denly began to slackeu, and the guns in
the cemetery limbered up and vacated
the position.
"We Coniederates often did such
things as that TO save our ammunition for
use against Infantry, but had never be-
fore seen the Federals withdraw their
guns simply TO save them up for the in
fantry fight. SO l said, If be does not
run fresh batteries in there IN five min
utes, this is our fight Hooked anXlously
with my glass, ard the five minutes
passed without siEn Of life on the de-
serted position, still swept by our fire,
and Uttered with dead men ard horses
and fragments of disabled carriages
Then l wrote Pickett. urgently: FOR
Gods sake, come quick. The eighteen
guns are gone; come quick, or my am
nunition won't let me support you prop
erly.'
81 afterwards heard from others what
took place with my first uote to Pickett.
"Pickett took it TO Longs,reet. Long
street read it, and said nothing. Pickett
said: General, shall i ADVANCED Long
street, knowing it had to be, but unwill-
ing to give the word, turned his face
away. Pickett saluted and said; Il am
going TO move forward, SIR galloped of
TO his division and Immediately put IL in
motion.
"LonRstreet, leaving bis staff came out
alone to where l was. IL was then about