Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-06-22

the ranks had fallen. Finally they retreated,
when ordered TO do so, with their faces to the
enemy, and they fought for the roadway back
to the heights
FIGHTING IN RETREAT.
When the retreat was determined upon,
Capt Halls Second Maine battery was in
structed to hold IA knoll on Seminary Ridge
fifteen minutes He had to face infantry
and artillery fire TO do so, and SO impetuous
were the enemy that they came on with bare
bayonets But yet Hall did not yield. With
grape and canister he raked their lines I'M
til the dead bodies of the fallen became ram
parts behind which tho living found shelter.
Finally, there was not time to load; the Con
federateS came on with clubbcd mliskets and
the Maine men beat them back with stones
and gun hammers, even with their fists.
-Four out of the six guns were saved and
dragged Off from the very clutches of the
enemy back to Cemetery Hill. At this mo-
ment scenes equally stirring were being
enacted on the right of the line along tho
Carlisle road north of the town. There a
new danger was to I've met when Ewell's
corps, coming in from toward York
and Harrisburg, struck the flank of the line
on the western ridges. Barlow's and Schim-
melpfenng's divisions of Towards Eleventh
corps had moved out across a wide plain, in
full view of the hills held by the enemy, and
glance told the weak points in the position
before the men could form for battle. Tho
Confederate brigades of Hoke, Hays and
Gordon, crossing Rock creek, were taking
Towards right division, under Gen. Francis
c. Barlow, in the flank. Barlow fell at tho
front and became a prisoner to Gordon. On
Barlow's extreme right was planted Battery
| Il.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Wilkeson, a boy of 10.
Wilkeson had left school in Europe to come
and serve his country, and he enlisted as a
| private, but won commission at Fredericks-
burg few months before this cam.
paign. The knoll where Wilkeson stood was
the only height sweeping the plain, and the
banks of Rock creek skirling it, and the
enemy must pass him in order to get in rear
| of the First corps which was Just now
making the last desperate stand on Seminary
Ridge as described above. Oak Ridge was
now covered with Confederate cannon and
Oak Hill was occupied by heavy battery.
Gen. Lee had come up from Chambersburg,
and from the seminary cupola he could see the
situation at a glance. The knoll on Rock
creek must be gained and he ordered the
batteries of Oak Ridge, no loss than thirty
Din guns lullcu upon ilDNdIl > llno anu par
ticuarly upon the battery at the knoll
Wilkeson, to inspire his men, kept in the
saddle and soon had leg severed by u shell
Twisting tourniquet by means of his belt
he stopped the flow of blood, and with hi-
own hand and a common knife he completed
the amputation of the leg. Water wa,
brought to him to drink but one of the mer
at the guns ran to the spot and begged for O
swallow, and Wikeson handed him the can
teen, saying: 81 can watl" In his terrible
situation he thought more of having his gun,
served than of saving himself. Finally, tn,
knoll had to be yielded and Wilkeson crawlec
back mile to the alnshouse, and there
alone he died during the night, as brave
victim as the annals Of our wars put upor
record.
Retreat along the whole Union line now