The Lamar register., 1890-10-04
The GREAT MISTAKE ArcEr1ysnu,c
Vigorous Pursuit. Would Have Anu
tho Rebel Army

street comes to mind, SAYS writer IN
the st. Louis Globe Democrat IL was
had while sitting upon the gallery nj
another summer hotel of the Blue
Ridge. but hundreds of miles 10 the
south-at Gainesville. Ga. The time
was two years ago. The General talked
OF gettysburg, of the Picket charge on
the third day. and of the hasty retreat
through these PENNSYLVANIA and MARY.
land valleys. This remark was offered
by way of Interrogation:
''General. it is said Grant upon one
occasion started TO intimate friends
that of all the mistakes made by the
Union side the greatest was at Getty,.
burg"
1T was" the response came from
l.ongstreet without moments hesita.
lion.
You mean that the mistake was
IN no, following up the yietory?"
The day after the fighting ccasedpn
NO. On The third day OF the battle
Meade shouldn't have waited until the
next day; he shouldn't have waited ten
seconds. PicSctt's division had been
kuoeked all TO pieccs-almost wiped
out. The same was the case with A.
!. Hilfs corps, or at least two divisions
OF IL There were three divisions
gone They let a break In our line of
ovcr 4 mile. Meade shouldn't have
waited at all. but should have thrown
his army right in between us"
thiug7n
Probably. OF course we would
have tried TO get together. and
fought the best We wcru able. but that
was what Meade should have done.
Grant was right. ! think The great
est mistake OF tho war on tho Union
aide was IN Meade not making the
move have Indicated the third DAY Of
the fightiug."
Longstrcct told how Lee insisted
that the charge should be made. Three
times he tried 10 persuade Lee that the
thing TO do was 10 get between Meade
Hnl Washington. aud force Meade to
make the attack.
'-No. Ice said. Il am going TO take
them where they are on Cemetery Hill.
! want You 10 take Picketi's division
aud make the attack. | will reinforce
you with two divisions Of the Third
Corps.n
/
viii give me 1900 men. have been
a soldier. may say. from the ranks
| up % the position l now hold. / have
bceu Ia pretty much all kinds Of skir-
mishcs, from those Of two or three
soldiers up 10 those Of an army corps,
sud think can safely say there never
Uas body Of 1900 meu who could
make that attack successfully"
n n I
Lnugsfrect, Lut tho latter arranged the
troops, aud at tho appointed time he
set them on that Wild. f0rlorn-hope
| charge. Tie followed the movement
with bis glasses lie saw Kcnpcr go
down wounded aud Garrett fall dead.
lie traced the progress Of Armistead
sad the head Of Tie column into the
/ Federal liuc. He saw the Federal
bTigades swing out aud close 10 on
both sides uf the assaulIing force. Two
Thousand men Jas dead or wounded on
tue ground aud I 500 we're prisoners
Il was al over In thirty minutes
IS the fragments came back. Long
street said be fully expected TO see
Meade ride TO tho fr0ni aud lead his
force 10 tremendous eouRtor-charge.
sending my staff officers TO assist in
! souucc;ins the fragments OF my COM
uagd. ] rode TO my line Of batteries.
showing they were ail had In front
5f tho impending attack, resolved to
drive them back or sacrifice my last
/ qua aud man. The FedcFals were adj
| gauciug line Of skirnishers which |
thought was the advance OF their
charge. A. soou as the line OF slsir-
nishurs came within the reach o! our
guns the bEIterie, opcnal again, and
/ lhrir irc seemed 10 check At once the
/ hrcItcucil advance, After keeping
ltup a few miuulcs tue line Of sSir-
ulshers disappeared, aud my mind
vas relieved OF the apprehension that
Meade was going 10 follow rs. Gen.
| Lee came mp as cur troops were lsil-
| ing back ard encouraged them as well
IS he could; begged them 10 reform
their ranks aud rcorsagiEc their iorce--
Is was then be used the expression;
1T wns all my fault; get together and
let us do the best we can toward saw
/ lag that which j. left ~.
'Iour troops carried tie rear o. ths
retreat from Gettysburg. %cncTa'
Yes"
rs II true that YOUR ammunition was
reduced to three rounds. aud that
| vigorous pursuit Woula HANc uSSL1. "
Lees army before IL got 10 The foto-
niae2'' -,
.NTc hal more ammunition than
I that: We had considerable ammuni-
| lion. Nv idea j. that when Meade
/ failed 10 throw his army 10 between
our forces. when Pickctfs division was
crushed, the great opportunity was
lost
Care OF The Hair.