Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-07-13


associate for all time the name of Scotland's
king with the great spirits Of the past. How
grand the exhibitions Of the same generous
impulses that character zs the victors upon
this memorable field. Ny fellow countrymen
of the north, il may be permitted to speak
for those whom represent, let me assure you
that, in the profoundest depths of their nat
ure, they reciprocate that generosity with all
the manliness and sincerity Of which brave
men are capable In token of that sincerity
they Join IN consecrating for annual patriotic
pilgrimage these historic heights which drank
such copious draughts of American blood,
poured so freely in discharge Of duty as each
conceived It; mecca for the north which so
grandly defended it, a mecca for the south,
which so bravely and persistently stormed it.
We join you in setting apart this land as
an enduring monument of peace, brother
hood and perpetual union. | repeat the
thought with additional emphasis, with sim
gleneSs of heart and of purpose, in the name
OF common country and of universal
human liberty, and by the blood of
our fallen brothers. we unite in the solemn
conservation of those battle-hallowed hills as
holy eternal pledge of fidelity to the life,
freedom and unity of this cherished repub
lie.
PICKETT'S FAMOUS CHARGE.
The sublime feature of Gettysburg has al
ways been conceded to be the almost match
less charge of Pickett's division of Long
streets corps. One of the best descriptions
OF this eliminating shock is furnished by Mr..
Halstead:
THE great, desperate, final charge came
at A. The reLels seemed to have gathered up
all their strength and desperation for one
fierce, lnvulsive effort that should sweep
over and wash out our obstinate resistance.
Iney swept } as DetOre-the flower or their
army to the front, victory staked upon the
issue. In some places they literally lifted
up and pushed back our lines ;but that terrible
position of ours Wherever they entered it,
enfilading fires from half a score of crests
swept away their columns like merest chaff.
Broken and hurled back, they easily fel into
our hands, and, on the centre and left the
last half hour brought more prisoners than
all the rest. So it was along the whole line;
but it was on the ID corps that the flower of
the rebel army was concentrated. 1t was
then that the heaviest shock beat upon and
shook, and even sometimes crumbled, our
lines. We had some shallow rife pits, with
barricades Of rails from the fences. The rebel
lines, stretching away miles to the le t, in
magnificent array, but strongest here
Picketts splendid division of Longstreet's
corps in front, the best of A. P. Hills veter-
ans in support-came steadily, and as it
seemed resistlessly, sweeping up. Our
skirmishers retired slowly from the Emmitts-
burg road, holding their ground tenaciously
till they reached this same Emmettsburg
road, then opened with a terrific crash.
From a hundred iron Threats, meantime,
their artillery had been laundering ON our
barrcades.
"Hancock was wounded; GiLbon succeeded
to the command!-approved soldier, and
ready for the crisis. As the tempest of fire
approached its height, he walked along the
line and renewed his orders to the men to
reserve their fire. The rebels-three lines
deep-came steadily up. They were in
point blank range. At last the order came.
From thrice 5000 guns there came sheet Of
smoky flame, a crash, a rush of leaden death.
came the second, resistless still. 1t
had been our supreme effort,
on the instant and we were not
equal to another. Up to the rifle pits
across them, over the barricades, the NOM
entum of their charge, the mere machine
strength of their combined action swept
them on. Our thin line could fight, but it
had not weight enough to oppose this NOM
entum. 1t was pushed behind the guns.
Right on came the rebels. They were upon
the guns, we're bayoneting the guunerS-
waving their flags above our pieces. But
they had penetrated to the fatal point. A
storm of grape and canister tore its way
from man to man, and marked its track
with corpses straight down their line. They
fire of the guns on the western slope Of
Cemetery hill; that exposure sealed their
fate. The line reeled back--disjOinted al
ready-in an instant in fragments. Our men
were just behind the guns. They leaped for
ward upon the disordered mass; Lut there
was little need for fighting now. A regi-
ment threw down its arms, and with colors
at its head, rushed over and surrendered.
All along the field smaller detachments did
the same Webb's brigade brought in 500,
taken in as little time as it requires to write
the simple sentence that tells it. Gibbons old
division took Is stands of colors.
"Over the fields the escaped fragments of
the charging line fell back-the battle there
was over. A single brigade, Harrow's (of
which the 18th Michigan was part came out
with 81 less officers 1893 less men, than it
took inl So the whole corps fought--so, TOO,
they fought further down the line. 1t was
fruitless sacrifice. They gathered up their
broken fragments, formed their lines and
slowly marched away. 1t was not rout-
it was bitter, crushing defeat. For once,
the army of the Potomac had won clean,
honest. acknowledged victory"