The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-09-27


brigade Of Hills corps little 70 the front Of
them on their right, and Hethis division,
commanded by PettigreW, also Of A. P. Hills
corps, on the left; Lane and Scales brigades
OF Penderss division formed . second line .
little to the left Of PettjgreSv, thu whole under
Longstreets direction. Since the counter at
tack by Slocum at CuIp's Hill had ceased at
noon, every man ON the field was awaiting
with almost breathlesS anxiety the next
signal gun, but for the space of two hours an
ominous silence rested over the scene. Then
two cannon shots from Eshleman's Washing
ton Q1a.) artillery, located near the Rogers
house, break the silence, and before the
smoke has cleared away 1SS guns had belched
forth their thunder upon the Union lines.
Fifteen minutes pass before an answer is
made, after which nothing can be heard but
the roar Of the cannon and the whizzing Of
the projectiles through the air. Then another
luI. Gen. Hunt, Meade's chief Of artillery,
has ordered the Union batteries to cease fir
ing. Pickett, misled by this into the belief
that the Union troops are getting short of
ammunition, gave his brigades the signal for
attack. With fierce yell, that rolled across
the ], 400 yards that lie between the two
ridges, Garnett's, Armistead's and Kemper's
brigades rose out of the short scrubby timber
that had partially concealed them, and, leav-
ing Wilcox in the rear, rushed down the slope
and across the plain to the Codori house.
Under the fire of Cowan's battery, First
New York Independent, and Cushing's Battery
A, Fourth q. s. artillery zone gun, the others
had been Elenced by cannonadel, they formed
new lines OF battle in hollow directly in
front of Webb's brigade Of the Second corps
nard's Vermont brigade of the First corps,
stationed on the left of Webb, opened with
an oblique fire upon the advancing column.
Pickett's men, separated from Wilcox, who
has borne further TO the Union left, are ex-
posed to the fire OF Stannard In the face of this
Armistead urges his men forward, never
hating to return STANDARDS fire. Soon the
Vfginians were met by destructive fire
from the divisions of Gibbon and Hays,
which was promptly returned, and the fight
at once became fierce and general. The
struggle is waged at close quarters; the Con-
federates throw themselves like solid body
upon the Union lines, and such is the impetus
given to the column that they plant Con-
federate flag within the breastworks. A
furious hand to hand conflict ensues; all regi-
mental organization is lost on both sides, each
man fighting by himself and for himself.
Armistead with $50 men pierces the line in
front OF Webb and rushes forward to attack
the batteries. The Union guns now re-
main silent for fear of killing their own men
as well as Pickett's. Gushing and Armistead
are killed Gen. Garnett is shot from his
horse within twenty five PAGES of the stone
wall, and Gen. kemper is carried of the Eeld
OF eighteen field officers and four generals,
Pickett and one lieutenant colonel alone re-
manned unframed The division is annihi-
lated. Out Of 4, 800 that have followed Pick
EFT scarcely 800 return, while twelve stands
of its colors remain in the hands of the vic
tors. On the right, Pickett's oblique move
ment at the Codoi house had caused a wide
gap between his line and Wilcox, and when
the latter tried to reach Pickett at the angle
be was met by such a fierce fire that he was
compelled to retreat. Scattered among the
bushes and rocks, unsupported either by
infantry or artillery with infantry on both
tanks and in front, artillery playing upon
them with grape and canister, it was almost
certain death to move either wav.
Pettigrew, too, had done his best to aid
Pickettfs division on the left, and there was
but a space of few hundred yards between
the right Of Archers brigade and the left of
Pickett, as they started. But they had
| further to go, and met with greater obstTlc-
tions. Four Of his brigades, however,
reached the stone wall in front, but were
driven back by terrible fire from Hays
| division, and they, too, were obliged to re-
| treat, leaving 1000 prisoners and fifteen
stands Of colors behind them.
Thus ended this brilliant but fated charge
and with it all the dazzling hopes that had
| led the army Of the south into Pennsylvania.
| Among the wounded in the Union ranks
| were Hancock, Warren, Gibbon, Hunt, STAN
| nard, Webb and many others, the brigades
| of Webb, Hall and Harrow, Of Gibbons di-
| vision, suffering terribly from the converg-
| ing artillery fire of the Confederate bat
/ terieS.
While these events were transpiring south
OF Gettysburg, brisk cavalry combat be