The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1892-06-09
st.aa.rd., o.,,y.batr.

The recent dedication Of the high va
ter" monument q, Gttiy,burs b. brought
oui some iniere, ting facts concerning the
battle. IL is quite scbeplly believed that
Gen Hancock ordered Gen. Stsnnsrds
Vermont brigade 10 mske the hink attack
90 Picksu's charge, which ended The bat.
tie. bot the following statement made by
Gen. Slshnsrd iew days before bis death
shows, cot only that the movement was
made st afst without the knowledge Of
Gen. Hancock, but that siter be learned OF
IL be strongly disapproyed Of it. The state
ment Is ss follows
was standing almost alone when Pick.
elts division crossed the Emmitsburg road
coming 10 the dirsctlop.oi my front. The
l6th wss immediately recalled from the
skirmnh line in front Of me, aud placed IN
close column by division 10 my imme dia'e
resr. The enemy apparently vetripg OF
to my right. directed the 18th and l4th
regiments to pour al obliqne IRE into
their Advancing columns The 18th chan
eed front forward on first company; the
10th, after deployine, Performed the same.
and formed on the left OF the 18th, al figbt
angles to the main line Of our army, bring
ing them in line OF battle upon the flank
OF the charging division Of the enemy, and
-
i'm med lately opened n destructive nfe al
short range. Uuable to return the bre,
many surrendered. While wss In the act
Of throwing the 18th aud 10th at right sn
giles to the regular line Of battle, Hancock
rode np to me aud wanted to know what
was going to do When | told him, be
said would leave gap in our line oil
battle for a column on the right OF Pickett
to (, rec it's way into and break our line OF
battle. / assured him could resume my
position in the regular line OF battle beiore
support to Pickett on bis right could
advance, as there was none 10 sight. HAM
cock still insisted that | was making q
great mistake, but | knew l could handle
my regiments with agility enough to put
them back on the line OF battle before q
body OF troops could march q mile 80
declined to resind my order. He was
soon wounded near me, but he was not
borne from the held until he saw that my
movement was a complete success, and he
aftefward promised me to correct bis 70
mort. in which be took the credit OF giving
me the order to throw my regiments
on Pickett's right flank, but he died before
he made the correction. Not only did be
not give me the order, but at the time was
bitterly opposed, to it, for the reason that
be feared that q column OF the enemy
would be able to wedge itself in there bei
lore / could make counter movement,
and bring my regiments back into line.
When the charge OF Pickett's had failed.
and his men were retreating was about
10 order the regiments back into their for
mer position, when | saw another rebel
column charging Immediately upon our
left. | directed the 10Th to attack its
flank, while | ordered Lent. Col Ross OF
the l4th to advance four companies on the
left OF the 10th. and pour in an entiisding
FIRE, while the six companies OF the l4th
checked its advance with deadly fire
from the front. This column. which PROV
ed to be the brigades Of Perry and Wilcox
soon gave way. The 10Th captured the
colors Of the 2ud Florida aud the colors OF
two other regiments. That virtually eni
ded the Battle Of Gettysburg.
received no advice or suggestion from
any one with reference to those two flank
movemel t.. and. rs 1t was vigorously OPP
osed knew If failed to hold my position
10 the line Of battle, and prevent its being
pierced there, | would be court msriialed
had no fear e the result, as | could
easily mspoeuvre my troops in the face OF
the enemy, for had been eble to do that
for two days under sew re fire.