The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-05-29

boys in blue withstand the coming shOck2
These were my thoughts rs / earnestly prayed
they would. At this juncture | saw large
cavalcadc coming up the road from the enemy s
rear. ] knew from the grave dignity, bearing
and commanding appearance of the man who
rode in front. and the respectful attention
shown him, that he was some prominent officer.
He halted in the shade OF the rock upon which
lay, AMI a rebel soldier handed him drink
from the stroamlet below
/ parted the bushes which Overhung a pro-
jecting ledge Of rock above me, and cautiously
peered down upon him. i had seen his por-
trait and he was the exact prototype. He was
indeed, Gen. Robert Edmund Lee, the Com
mandcr-in- Chief of the Armies Of the Southern
Cuntedoracy. Though calm his face het0kcnod
deep care and anxiety. | first thought HIM
austere in dcmcanor, but the thought was dis
PEELED by his kindly bearing toward his suhor-
diuates IL seemed he had reConnoitcrcd the
relative positions of the two armies from the
college cupoa, had determined upon point OF
assault, and had now come to witness the cul-
mination Of some desperate last resort
The officer in charge of the signal station
went below and handed the General some pen
ciled notes Of the battle as gathered from his
station. Another death.liEe stiffness seemed to
pervado the entire army. Tho enemy have
ceased firing he said. From other express
sions then made | got the impression that some
of LonEstrCcts Corps were going to make
combined assault, FOR the purpose of carrying
some part of our main lines. The General
beClNoned TO several members OF his stan, and
after directing the rest To remain where they
were, he with detachment of his staff, dashed
up TO the brow of a range of hills. Here they
all kept their field glasses TO their Dyes, eagerly
scanning the field TO the front and right. The
enemy had now opened out from every point,
especially on their right, with tho most ter
rifle cannOnade that IL was ever my fortune to
hear. | could see no sign of life or activity
anywhere along the Union lines. A projecting
piece of timber obscured my view 60 the enc
my's right. but j soon discovered long lines of
rebel infantry advancing across the open fields.
These lines We're followed 10y others until twenty
or thirty thousand men. in gray were marching
in solid phalanN in the direction of our center.
Still most distressing silence was maintained
along our lines. j had been flied with enthu-
siasm, but now was correspOndingy depressed.
Would not the devoted though terribly LAGER
ated lines Of blue make one more stand before
retreatiug from this great Gibraltar; or had
they already begun their flight from this great
gateway, before this advancing host of treason,
now on apparent victorious march to disastrous
invasion of the North?
But no. Our flag WAS still there So was
the grand Union army there in defense of il.
Their apparently lielcSs lines were one long
range of glamt-pOwdcr magazines sprung by
the lanyards of hundreds of cannon. The
charging mass of gray, though staggered, way
cred but moment, then closed up the broad
gaps made by our whitening storm of shot and
shell, and kept on IN the march OF death Over
the heads of the charging columns of gray ]
saw in the dim distance column of blue
marching down toward their right flank. Min
utcs seemed like hours before the final clash.
The Confederate columns seemed now 10 make
partial right wheel, as if to meet the charg.
ing lines of blue. The whole center of the
-, H. ,l..l.1 f..
and join in the carnival Of death.
Here the suTging, scething lines Of blue and
gray seemed 10 merge into one large and unin-
tell giDle mass OF mRddened humanity. The
smoke of the ciashiug musketry aud roaring
canton now partially enyeloped the scene, thus
hiding from our view Tie most bloody and revolt
ing part Of the battle. The struggling few who
lived 10 return TO tie woods from which they
a few minutes before emerged. followed by our
bursting shells. told the story more impress
lively than words possibly of their disas-
trous failure. Thus ended that which was
conceived by those Immediately around me-
the gigantic, mUmentgus and world renowned
Picketts charge. The scene upon the signal
station can be better imagined than described.
There stood four men wrought up to the high
csi pitch OF mental eXcitemcnt-two in blue
and two IN gray-two applauding and sympa-
thizing with the blue aud two appiauding aud
sympalh!zing with the gray.
All this time the great Confederate Chicltain
sat upon his horse, iinmOvable az the rock upon
which l stood. / confess the figure was grand
and inspiring as man and horse stood out in
bold relief, like equestrian statue against
tie blue sky. lie had witnessed the last scene
IN THIS great and bloody drama Of three days
and nights. The elimination OF his hopes had
ended IN disaster. Like Napoleon at Waterloo
his master mind grasped the situation. Turn
ing 10 hIs staff officers he held an earnest con-
vii fhgfu lnf.
meuts. Saluting him, they dashed away in
different directions. One Of them, whom ]
took 10 be his Chief ofStaf, galoped back 10
the signal station Here he hurriedly beck
Oned 10 him a number Of tie STAFF officers still
remaining there. Ia almost whispering accents
he gave 10 each one the specifict directions per-
tanning TO his Office, 70 be executed at once. All
were given AS emauating directly from and as
directed by Gen. Lee himself. Full directions
were s!Sen 70 the Chief Oi the Ambulance Corps
/ for his guidance IN removing aud caring for
/ their dead and wounded for the removing and
/ planting OF their heavy guns, and for the de-
] Tense OF their army along the different lines OF
/ their proposed retreat.
! The General, whom had lost sight Of for
moment, had now rejoined his staff lie looked
/ sadder than the hour before, and was certainly
/ wiser man. While maintaining his former
bearing 10 some extent, he looked the picture Of
/ grief-the pcrs0nifcation Of lost cause.
Like dethrODed monarch surrounded by his
| valiant COurilers, this group Of former proud
| aud defiant representatives Of Southern chig-
airy nov looked the very embodiment Of woe
! Their boosted ideal OF military prowcss and
perfection had already begun TO retreat from
! the front Of Union General who had com
mandcd his army less than a week 1t was
at this time that his impressive words were
/ spoken: Our position here Is not tenable.
Our army will be withdrawn and in full line
q retreat for the Potomac before midnight"
/ II not the exact words, this WAS the import OF
/ them.
He spoke Of the impregnable position Of our
| army aud the disastrous failure Of pickeLts
| charge. These were indeed mOmentous words,
/ though simple. They were spoken by II mo-
/ nentOus man at a mOmentCus time, place aud
occasion. They decided the fate Of that battle,
I aud, a. / believe, the fate Of our Nation, and,
/ in corresponding degree, shaped the policy
I and destlnics Of other nations aud Kingdoms
who were watching the result of this great CON
hict. Not that be spoke to make 10 50, bat be-
/ cause the almost unknown but matches Meade
and bis patriotic army, AS the instruments Of Il
just God, compelled him 10 do 50. by fellow
prisoner and J we're the first and only ones oil
the anxious millions in d patriotic North TO
hear the welcome words.
Tie next morning The world knew Of it. A
loyal Nation WAS ablaze with patriotic enthu-
sIasIn, and It's natal day was indeed one Of Joy
! aud Thanksgiving, as il echoed back the cheer
ing Of It's victorious armies al Gettysburg aud
| Vicksburg
The shrill blast Of bugle called the Union