The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-05
Potomac. That made victory for our army
at Gettysburg. and that victory sealed the
fate of the Confederacy.

at gettysburg, and that VlctoEy scaieu WIG
late OF the Confederacy.
A visitor to this battlefield, finding
himself standing at the point known as
the "Bloody Angle" against which Pick
ett's great charge was made, and where
General Armistead fell inside the Union
lines waving his hat upon his sword. Is
surprised to note that Seminary Ridge
iust here is not ridge at all, viewed from
the front I had always supposed unii
my first visit to the field that Ptckett
doomed 400 men not only marcneo
across an open plain to the assault but
that they had been compelled to climb the
rocky sides of most rugged natural ae-
Tense. To tell the truth, that charge was
delivered across a comparatively lever
plain against troops who had scarcely any
advantage in the matter of ground, bar
ring the trivial stone wall which fringea
the 'front.' Looking at the held from
this standpoint any one can understand
how General Longstreet might Wen nave
opposed Lees determination to assault the
Federal center, and can imagine now sicA
his heart must have been when he saw
those three brigades of Virginians march :
ing to certain death and destruction. But
Lee had fought two detached corps OF the
ARMY of the Potomac on the LIST, ana hau
failed to crush them; he had assaulted
desperately both TANKS on the "a ana hao
failed, and on the third there was left ior
him only the Napoleonic tactics OF preak,
ing the center. That awful charge would
never have been made, presume, II Lee
had not believed that his terrible two
hours cannonade had silenced the bat
teries along the Federal front. Had 1t been
supported as it shonld have been it might,
perhaps, have succeeded, but all that was
vital and forceful in Lees armies marched
n. 81 foe afx,l Oh,
Freemantle, the English officer OF the
Guards who had accompanied Lee In MS
invasion of Virginia, sat on the fence on
Seminary Ridge when Pickett came down
the slope and moved against the Federal
center with the precision OF parade, ana
when the thin and broken ranks had al.
most reached the famous Bloody Angie
he swung his cap in the air and shouted:
1T will succeed; it is the grandest charge
the world ever sawr' But General Long
street saws that he knew that the effort
had failed; first, because no body OF men
on earth could stand such storm OF ieaden
and iron hail as Pickett's men endured,
and, second, because there was absolutely
no support on flank or in rear for the brave
men who had been blindly sent to destruc-
ton.
There is one sad and pathetic picture Of
this battle which has always touched me,
but which the field guides seem to have
overlooked. On the last days battle,
when General Lee was preparing to huri
himself against the federal center, cav
airy charge was made on his right wing,
lying around the Round Tops and the
DEVILS Den. which for absolute futility.
fatality and absurdity has not been
equaled since the famous Six Hundred
rode against the batteries OF Balaklava.
Clusters cavalry was lowering on the ex-
treme left when it entered into the head OF
General Farnsworth to make diversion
by charging headiong into the midst of
the Confederate troops at that time not
actively engaged. He had just been pro-
NOTED to a brigadier generalship a few
DAYS before and had borrowed pair OF
generals shoulder straps from one of his
brother officers. These he had stitched
upon linen coat, and, proud of himself
and his opportunity, he was ANXIOUS to
put his finger marks upon the great battle.
Sword in hand he galloped down with his
little body of brave followers upon the
Hoods division. He was treated to a
terrible infantry fire, and at least two bat
teries opened upon him with grape and
canister. He rode around in a circle, and
as he rode the guns of the batteries we're
turned upon him until it seemed as if not
one of this foolhardy band would return
alive. General Farnsworth was MORALLY
wounded, and his command was abso-
lutely cut to pieces. Colonel Oates, of the
Fifteenth Alabama, told me some time
ago that he was satisfied that Farnsworth
shot himself with his own pistol when
he found that he was seriously
wounded, lest he should be made pris-
oner. He said that one of his Ala
bama soldiers came to him on the field
nf Ell WI oh ho
said be had cut from the coat of Yankee
major, who, he said. had just been killed.
Colonel Oates recognized the insignia of
the brigadier general, and knew by the
color that cavalry officer had been slain.
He was taken to where General Farms
worth's body was lying. and upon examin-
ing some papers was able to identity him.
He said that Farnsworth had several
wounds upon his body, any of which
might have proved fatal, and that he held
in his hand his pistol, and that the shot in
his head had evidently been self-infiicted.
Be this as it may, no Drawer nor nobler Of
ficer ever laid down his life on the battle
field than this gallant son of Illinois.
That his ambitious charge was i'll advised
no one doubts, for even in that day
mounted cavairymen with sabres had no
more chance at close quarters with infan-
try and artillery than at this time-which
is absolutely nil.
One of the most interesting citizens oil
Gettysburg that l met during my visit was
Mr.. ID. McConaughy, a venerable lawyer
who was born in the heart of the town and
who has lived there every day of his life.
He is now burgess. an Office equivalent to
that of mayor. He makes it his business
to look after visitors to the battlefield, and
his courtesy and graciousness is very much
appreciated. / had from him number OF
interesting stories in relation to the great
contest. Mr.. McConaughy was one OF
the first burgher5 of Gettysburg to recog.
nize the Importance of the battlefield from
commercial and historic standpoint, and
he organized the movement which resulted
in the purchase of Little Round Top with
in a week or two after the battle.
When General Buford first reached
Gettysburg Mr.. McConaughy met him
and gave him lot of valuable informa
ton touching the movements of Lees
army to the west of the town. This in.
formation had been brought to him b,
young men of the neighborhood who had
been acting as voluntary scouts and mes
sengers. The old gentleman was in Gettsy-
huro town duripp tho aptira thraa Jo,-a