Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-07-08
THE GUNS OF oeTTYssuRo,
The sIost Terrifie cannonads In All the
Annals OF Civilized Warfare.


burg knew that Lee would attach
that day. BY 10 o'clock Ia the fore.
noon everyone knew where the blow
would fall, says tho Chicago Times
The topography Of the field, he
bloody struggles on the wings, the
movements OF troops and batteries
there we're dozen signs TO indicate
what was coming.
From daylight to o'clock there
was a splutter OF musketry along the
front as the sharpshOoters and sklr.
mishers fred at long range. From
TO 10 the cavalry on the wings had
/ the fight all TO themselves. From 10
10 IL gun here and there shellsd
+ the confederate skirmirhers Out o.
I the bitches In which they were hid.
/ ing, but there seemed 10 be no light
| ing anywhere. From II 20 ~ lee
was masslng 20 field pieces ia front
Of Longstreet and Hill 20 open on
/ Hancock Meade posted 100 guns 70
reply. but the orders were 20 drs
/ slowly.
Al noon IA iew courlers were r.diag
/ luriously in different directions IN
not a gun was being hred. The mea
In line ate from their haversacks. and
the artillery horses Ei0blea az ths
grass a. they were unchecked b.
their drivers. Scores u men had
pocket telescopes These were passed
from hand TO hand. and every gun ca
the confederate side Vas located,
They are going 70 batter us uith
shot and she'll and then charge lie
close TO the ground. The shot vii
fall short or 20 over Us"
SO came the word along the lines.
Il was aisc precAntiou Bat FOR the
caution no one could tell what would
have happened Prom 1880 30
o'clock seemed an age At o'clock
sharp tho boom 81 a singie gah
echoed over the battlefield. and
she'll came screaming over our heads
and exploded 300 feet IA the rear
That vas sthe signal Before ona
could have counted twenty there uAs
roar which can b. com pared 70
nothing one has ever heard II $50
minutes the earth was trembling.
The stones lu the wal, Ia front 81 us
grittcd together Mud had b@en
used a. plaster, and pieces ~ u fell
out with climbing Uuc would have
/ said that nothing e0ulG add 10 that
: awful roar. bat thc federal guns
opened la reply. and then mon tyiug
i down gaspcd a. they hreAthed ard
! clutchcd sod % stone a. Il p~rchcd
! on some dizzy helgA, aHd afraid Of
( falling
i For che frst tyo minutes che roar
q shut out al sOunds--swa.I0wed them
. up a. the great ocean would swallow
. another gill u water Thousands Uf
men closed their eyes ard ollnched
= their teeth Oricors Nho had t.eea
!. standing up disappeared to hug tho
q earth. Nov tho roar = spill, and
y slashed and penetrated IS tho mlas lca
). from the Confederate gaua They
= aro throwing round shots. stocl bolts.
;. fuse shells. percussion every form
h % missile which portable guns can
4 take In and brlch out again They
shrek and scream and Whir They
4 come from Ia front and from tho
i right and left Some iall short ard
T. exploding in the dry su!l' throw q
cloud Of dust heaycbward 90 eff
! down on our backs OTHERS sail high
boyc us and carry death into tho
= ranks Of the reserve. whila now aud
! then one bursts just right 10 wound
/, or kill one In our owr ranks
No living man will ever hcarken 70
more terrific eAunonhdo No battle
field Of the future will hold mon for
! two long hours under sach croaudrc.
The smoke rose up and hung a dead
a cloud In the air until ono thought
that night was coming down. Fiery
/, serpents dhrtcd 10 every direction.
Exploding shells created sudden Frrat
flames. a. II kegs 81 powder had been
tossed up 20 destroy tho heavens
There was no lull=uo interval Only
those who became uuuerved sat up to
look around them. Here and there
a one rose up and ran away lie was
not n coward--he waE simply unnoryed
! by the situation Sometimes he csmn
creeping back, white faced and weep
ing. and sometimes he was struck
down az he CROPPED about IN tho semi
darkness 70 find shelter from the rain
OF death
, . w A""i = AAtA HittIHhIu tAANs
We. lying there. made no note ~ IN o
passage OF time. II was a nightmare.
aud yet VIC did not sleep Death
rode all along our tront-he ieaped
over ushe raced his spectar steed
along the fences and highways and
fields far In our rear. Tho cannonade
, died away slowly, The last few guns
seemed to give up grudgingly. The
very last sent scroachinp shell
I which fell among the wounded and
, stopped the grOans and cries Of iivo
or six forever.
up. monl They are coming Fall
in--fall inln
Yes. they we're coming, with
Pickett's NirRinians in tho van and.
breaking along like a huge wave. IL
was a relief 10 know they were com
ing, 10 was grim satisfaction 10.