Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1889-04-25
BEBDAN'S At LITTLE ROUND TOP

L
what they call it?",
This was the first introduction we ha
to Little Round Top on the morning of th
Sd of July, 1868. Before the day was owe
some of us were better acquainted with i
When We first came in view of the hi
there was no force, either Federal or Cor
federate, on it, save an occasional vidett
of the former. We had been resting but
short time, when an orderly from Gelers
Sickle's headquarter rode up to Lieut.. Co
Treppe, commanding our First Berdan reg
iment, and in few minutes we knew tina
a detail of one hundred of us was ordere
to make reconnaissance on Little Roun,
Top to see what the enemy was up tC
General Berdan took charge of the move
ment himself, and as soon as we were i,
line he merely said, Come on now,' an,
moved off, we following him past the rhir,
and Fourth Maine, who sent detail o
ore hundred and fifty men after us as ,
support.
"Open ranks; rout step,' was the orde
given. and with leisurely but persistent
stride we climbed ridge after ridge, through
wealthy field, verdant woods, and owe
rocks and stones, brambles and briars, unit
we reached a ridge from which we saw
dimly through the mornings mists a mas:
of gray beyond what seemed yellow val
ley curtaiued by woods.
This we knew was the Confederate
army ready to advance upon that portion
of our lines least prepared to offer adequate
resistance. At our right, on the ridge we
occupied, was long low tenement occu-
pied by two families, an Irish and a col
ored one, as l afterwards learned As we
entered the woods we dropped off in skir-
mish groups left in 'front.'
Il was the only sergeant on the extreme
right and was next to Gen. Berdan, when
he turned in his saddle and said
"Sergeant, guide the right of the lipe.'
81 mentally patted myself on the back
saying GOOD boy You'll have a soft job
These boys Oh the left will run into the
rebel pick cts and have a racket Pm all
right and 1 felt so good would have liked
to hold meeting and put resolution of
thanks to the General.
1t was rot long before l had reason to
believe that l had been congratulating my
self prematurely. We had moved about
one-third of mile through the woods, on
rolling ground. when, as 1 reached an ele-
walton and looked toward our lines, 1 was
astonisbed to see line of
rebel skirmishers swinging around Us.
They were now nearly even with our line
and going in the opposite direction. l
called Captain Merthier, who sent word to
Gen. Berdan, who come up. The Captain
aid to him:
General, how do you like the looks of
that?'
"' Assemble on the right ordered the
General. Double quick he yelled as a
supplement. The boys came running in
and as soon as they were all up he called
)ut:
"' Now then boys, give them -
Il have every reason to believe that they
yot it with all the skill and ability we
we're able to use. did not see a man of
hat skirmish line escape. The fact was
hat it was necessary that one of those
ines should be obliterated, and we pre-
erred that it should be theirs. Close be.
lind their line rode the officer in command,
he Colonel of the Tenth Alabama He
md taking the course. of events very coolly,
when he and his horse both went down at
he first volley. Behind him were sup.
,orters in echelop; but they too melted
way. Behind them again were columns
# companies, and into these cur one hun
red Sharps rifles poured continuous hail
# death, under which the columns soon
eeled and broke, flying back to the woods
q dire confusion.
Our men were now wild over their sue
ess, and seeming possessed of the idea that
hey could annihilate the whole Confeder-
te army, they rushed across the corner of
leared ground after the enemy's shattered |
Olumns, as if an army was at their backs. |
We followed the enemy into the thicket |
rom thirty to forty rods when something |
1t seemed as if the jaws of hell |
7ere opened in our faces, and a binding |
olley was poured upon US before which |
wenty of our one hundred brave fellows |
rent down at once.
"Our supports, the gallant men from |
1aine, came up even with our line. 1t |
7as rare thing in the history of our regi-
lent that any troops supporting us were
BILE to do this. Four of the brave fellows
I'll so close to my cover, big tree, that 1
ould touch all four without leaving nv
helter. We were now down to our work
,r all we knew. Men and officers were
arefully covered. and we fired with all
1e speed we could, bearing in mind the
# repeated injunctions of the officers
Jake every shot COUNT
II was entirely contented with my shell
II, and as I pegged away with becoming
all idea that might get a
ole knocked in my own hide seemed TO
ave left my mind, when I was brought
ack to realizing sense of my danger 1
as taking particularly careful aim at an
kposed rebel head, when suddenly dis
,vered that l had been knocked heels
yer tincupw My first impulse was to
el around to find out whereabouts / was
illed; but as / could find nothing but a
mp that was growing rapidly on the back
my head, where l had hit it on a stone,
swore comfortably and picked up my
fe, when / discovered the cause of my
somersault. A rebel bullet
I'D knocked the hammer off my gun and
nocked me over at the same time. l ran
lck to tree behind which lay one of our
ounded men, and gave him my useless
he for crutch and took his, with which
again went to work.
The enemy in front of us must have
zen in great force, because their firing,
lough informal, was continuous and al
" ed US nc time to leave our shelters
y tree regarded as a special Gibraltar.
was, in fact, two trees, which forked
bout four feet above the ground. and in
lis fork 1 had piled some large stones,
hich left loophole under them, which
I'd proven perfectly satisfactory, except
hen it let the bullet through that disa-
ed my rifle. was too busy to pay
uch attention to what was going on
,ound me, but after while 1 could not
elp taking notice that our fire was slack
ling, and on looking around I saw that