The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-03-17

Peach Orchard, on Emmttsburg pike.
July2 1863 In fact, the One Hundred and
Forty first WAS the angle itself 1t mum
bered at 8 o'clock that day 200 men all
told. After some maneuvering to get into
the best position to meet the daring rs
SaultS Of Longstreet ; Confedcratts, com
ing from two directions against the angle,
Col Madill found his regiment alone,
facing whitening fire from artillery and
musketry on both fronts. When a whole
Confederate division emerged from 4 shcl
tering wood and dashed for the Peach Or
chard one of the captains Of he regiments
said to the colonel, "IIadn'' me better get
out of this?"
81 have no orders to get out II | had
my old regiment could whip all Of them,
was the response. In twenty minutes.
however the brave colonel foInd that he
must 60 or leave his last man in the fatal
angle. At the first Confederate voIlcy
30 fell In IA few minutes % lay dead
within sight Of the colonel The major
and the adjutant were killed, an'. all
the color guards and both color bearers
were killed or wounded \ wouu'!ed man
saw he bearer OF the state flag shot down
and took the staff from his hands In q
few minutes the bearer Of the stars and
caught up the falling flag and carried it
until relieved of it 10y the colonel With
nineteen unwounded men and his g. Z intact
Col. Madill marched back before the wave
OF enemies pressing up OF AL sides
Graham had been wUuidet! and captured
and the line at the angle was destroyed
Gen. Sickles, surprised aud overcome by
the sudden and awful disaster, Was hasten
ing forward into the very Jaws Of death TO
try and save something Bat il was too
late. Where an hour before two lines of his
troops had shown bold fronts west and
south, the Confederutes were III possession
and were following up their successes by
pushing boldly and with all the ardOr u
triumphant soldiers toward Little Round
Top, the key to Gettysburg Seeing Col
Madiil moving off with lis bclEarly hand
ful the general pleaded, "ColuHei. for God =
sake, can't you hold on
The leader Of the once proud One Hun
dred and Fprty-iirat east an cle along Ie
ground behind his few followers, a. though
measuring ghoetly ranks flied 10y his fallen
heroes, and with Il hu4..y voice exclaimed,
where are my mem,
Could he have held On with 70 soldiers
against l0,GJO, He would have tried
had It been 20 ordered but in an in
stant Sickles cut down hy a EIri.ket
ball and resistance ut the Peach Orchard
and the Wheatfield, in fact everywhere iD
front Of Little Round Top, WAS ended
The One Hundred and Forty first lost lfg
Killed and wounded. The killed and NOR
tally hurt numbered -. Out Of officers 6
were killed or wounded The loss amount
ed TO over - per cent. # those engaged
and was exceeded only once on the Union
side in the war-namely. the First Mime
sofa, which lost - per cent
Yet the regiment WAS not wiped out. 1t
was transferred 10 the Second corps in the
spring of 1854, and took part in all the
bloody charges led by Hancock from the
WILDERNESS 10 Petersburg Lieut.. Col
Watkins. having recovered from his Chau-
c-iiorsyiile wound and returned fTpil cap
riyifv. was in command. In the assaults
at Petersburg. June u. 1874. the regiment
atpruIed the Confederate IHtrencAments,
and there Col Watkiis tisct his doom He
was shot through the isf~iy while leading
IIis men in the heat ot battle aud died on
tie field He had rct.-en:ed his pledge.
GEORGE l.. KILMER.