The National tribune., 1889-05-23
ROUND TOP.
What Corps Saved that Strategic POInti

ROUND TOP.
What Corps Saved that Strategic Pointi
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In Col. Thos
Rafferty's excellent article on the second days
battle at Gettysburg, published Feb. g 1888, in
your paper, he says that through the prompt
and vigorous action of Gen. Warren the Round
Top was saved, or words to that effect.
In view Of this widespread historical error,
and of the fact that il is now proposed to erect
monument on Round Top to establish this
error for future ages, feel called upon to say
what ] have hesitsted to say for 90 years,
through my high regard for Gen. Warren, hav
ing served under his command in the Fifth
Corps for more than one year. Ask your read
ere not TO all rise at once when l say that
know, or have known thousand men that
had more to do With the saving of Little Round
Top at the battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863,
than did Gen. q. K. Warren. Furthermore, l
do not know that Gen. Warren ever laid claim
TO this great honor In the reports on the con-
duct Of the war he only tells what he saw and
did, and FOR one think he told the truth so far
as he remembered at the time he testified as to
what he saw out across the Emmttsburg road
in front and to the left of the Peach Orchard.
What does it signify If Gems. Sickles. Birney
and Humphrey and half of the Third Corps
had seen the same sights from two to four honrs
before, as they say they did? What does it sig
nifty if WaTrens request for division TO be
sent to Round Top goes in SO late that it only
brings up the Third Division of the Fifth Corps
Just as the battle there is closed and the posi-
ton is saved? What does it signify if Warren
stands Just behind the crest of Little Round
Top at the north for 20 minutes or more and
does not know that Yincent's Brigade is bleed
ing, dying and hard pressed in front of and at
the other end of the hill until Col. Rice, then
in command of Nincent's Brigade, calls upon
him TO assist in getting mp to his support the
last regiment of Weeds Brigade, the I40th N.
Y, which is just passing in plain sight, and but
a few rods away.
As evidence of this statement I refer your
readers to an article by Adj't Farley, of the
10th n. Y, published in THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE of May 3, 1883, in which he says that
Barnes's Division had preceded us, and as
they 1.-THE 10th n. VI approached the hill
meaning Round Topl the riie-balls coming
over the hill, began TO whistle through the
air high above us, and in the woods to
our left, on the hillside, we saw the Sur
geons at work over the wounded, and that /
think our regiment was the rear one of the
brigade, and that the leading regiments of our
brigade were just passing over that slightly
elevated ground north of Little Round Top,
when down its slope, on our left, accompanied
by single mounted officer and an Orderly,
rode Gen. q. K. Warren, our former brigade
head of the regiment, where was riding with
the Colonel. He called out TO 0'Rourke, be-
ginning to speak while still some eight or ten
rods from Us, that he wanted Us to come up there
lie was evidently greatly excited, and spoke in
his usual impulsive style. 0'Rourke answered:
Gen. Weed is ahead, and expects me to fol-
low him.
Never mind that said Warren; bring
your regiment up here, and will take the re-
sponsibility.
Without hesitation 0'Rourke turned to the
left and followed the officers who had been
riding with Warren, while Warren himself rode
rapidly down the stony hill, whether in the d.
rection from which he had just come or to
Oyertake the rest of our brigade, l cannot say !;
but evidently to find and order up more troops"
Now the writer happens to know that this
mounted officer was Col. Rice, of the 44th NY,
then in command Of Yincent's Brigade VIM
cent having been previously wounded and
carried off the field.
As further proof upon this subject I quote
from letter written by Gen. Warren to .tdj't
Farley, of the 10th n. Y, under date of July
l3. 1872, which letter is published in Farley's
NATIONAL TRIBUNE article of May 8, 1883,
from which l have quoted. A part of this letter
was also published in the March, 1887, Century.
Warren says: " did not see Yincent's Brigade
come up, but suppose it was about this time
they did referring to the time the 140th came
upl, and coming up behind me through the
woods, and taking post TO the left, their proper
place, did not see them.'
II the reader viii compare the above quota
ton with my article published in THE Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE under date of May 6, 1886,
they viii see that we do not disagree.
In reference to the division that came to
Round Top by Gen. Warren s request, mentioned
above, viii state that at least 80 minutes be-
fore Gen. Longstreet's Confederate troops
moved upon our position IN line of battle, Gen.
Sykes, commanding the Fifth Corps, was at the
Peach Orchard waiting for orders from Meade
to move his corps to onr left flank if Meade
thought best. At about that time, 80 minutes
before the COnfederates advanced Gen. Sykes
got orders to move two of his divis-
ions that we know of; and these orders
were promptly sent by one of Gen. Sykes's
Orderlies, requesting Gems. Barnes and Ayres
10 move to our left flank; and that both of
these divisions did move promptly, and that the
Third Division did not move with them; and
that the Third Division was the only division
that had the pleasure Of being escorted across
lots to Round Top by one of Gen. Meade's staff,
and that they did not get to Round Top in
time to fire a gun in its defense against the
Texas and Alabama (Confederate) Brigades
(See Meade, Z" In Conduct of the War; VOL l.
page 1872. See S. w. Crawford, same volume,
page 1851
Ii this be true, the question may be properly
asked To whom does the honor belong Z?
Anticipating the question, L may be pardoned
if l answer now, and give them in order as l
understand they should be placed. As there
are many claims, I can give but few My first
choice is God Almighty, with Gen. Sickles as
his agent; second, Gen. George Sykes; third,
Gen. Vincent; fourth, Col. James c. Rice, 44th
n. Y; fifth, Col. 0'Rourke, 140th n Y; sixth,
Charles z. Hazlett, 9th U. S. Art; seventh,
Milo Starks. 140th " Y. The balance, who are
many, will have to share equal honors, in my
mind. Further information on the subject can
be given by the writer.-LIEUT E. BENNETT.
Co. a, 44th n. Y, Waseca, Mimi.
GEORGE WILL som