Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-07-07

corps was the extreme left 81 the Union
line than be felt inquisitive about what the
Confederates could do or would do in the
country adjacent. Birneys was the LEFT
division of Sickles' corps, and in front OF
his outpost lay a strip Of woods that
screened the regions beyond from view in
the Union camps. \ hundred OF Berdan's
FIRST regiment stole into the woods and
the steady crack Of their rifles announced
that the marssmen had their game 10
sight. Birney told Bertlan TO take another
100 men, with a regiment OF infantry to
back them up, and scour the country
farther 70 the left. Starting from the
Peach Orchard the scouts went along the
road westward 70 the Warfield house and
disappeared over the ridge Their steps
led into a broad valley that hugs the steep
mountain side opposite Little Round Top,
and very soon the familiar interval shots
gave warning that the enemy had been
sighted IN that quarter also. Willcox's
brigade, Of Anderson's division, the adj
vance guard Of Lees column, that was
marching stealthily around TO assault
Meade's left, had just reached that point.
Berslan's skirmishers took 70 the trees and
rocks each man having an oak trunk or a
huge bovlder for a citadel. and poured a
fire into Willcox's leading regiment that
surprised and staggered it. The Confeder-
ates were ambushed in certain sense, for
they were not looking for anything Of the
kind AT that time and place. Wilcox sent
a second regiment to aid the first and Ber-
dan called in his helpers. After twenty
minutes of this bushwhacking the Sharp
shooters beat retreat. and then Sickles
knew and Meade knew thar Lee was
edging along toward Round Top.
The bloody Peach Orchard battle opened
not long after Berdans plucky scout
ended and the First regiment took a place
Of honor in Siczles' front line. Tempting
targets they had, TOO, for awhile. when
l-ongstreet's deep and well closed ranks !
advanced boldly to the attack.
The Second regiment has meanwhile (
climbed mp among the bowlders on Little 1
Round Top TO turn their farsearching eyes
lpon the exposed places south and west. or
i.ill beyond and beyond Sickles' menaced
eft The enemy is seen sneaking up
1ehind the woodlands, ridges, farms and
tone cross fences, and the Sharpshooters 1
Hide down the mountain, through DEVILS
Den, into the wooded loop bordering the
Wheat Field. This has become Sickles' left
y sharp bend back from the Peach
orchard. The Sharpshooters crawl out
mong trees and bushes, well on 10 the
road plains where Longstreet's veterans.
I'd by the fiery Hood, are crouching low
nd creeping up TO make their mad plunge
Or Round Top. One Confederate battery
! silenced and a charging regiment breaks I
nree times in the face % the builseve =
bots Of Berdans rifemen. Then the 8
outs retire Indian fashion, stopping for
lex shots only, and the whirlpool Of battle :
sethes around the Wheat Field and Devii,s !,
Zen to the base Of Little Round Ton .
harpshooting is ended for the day on that
round, for the contestants are at arms
myth and brute force takes the place Of
III. z
AT the Wilderness, Spottsy lvania, Cold g
arhor and Petersburg tile regiments b
uSht together ia their unique roles. a
heir highest losses were az the Wilder Z.
- and Spottsglrania. IN the First feci-
ent si8 men showed ca the rolls and fs3
them were killed. THE wounded num-
rel IS add the casualties reached al =
erage Of 70 per cent. TIC death roll was /
er " per cent. The Second showed IaS
mes On the roll OF these rs were killed II
d 30 wounded. The percentages were
I same as in the First As a place Of /
iety The skirnish line is not to be recon-
.ndcil but this sad boast can * made
Bertisn' S men that they sold their lives !
tfiAs and perhaps sent mere Inufeller- /
: . dust than any other regiments IN I
E army. The First regiment lost its killed /
{ fFeIty-four separate battles. the Second !
Z Nent E-o1e- Both were engaged On sew /
y Ct1er fields. GEORGE l. kILAER Ill