Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-01-12

sG&.>GSSSs.5 Ne, and three months
\sis'-,.. %s1''-' and thirty day
80 --7"~-- militia. On to
the front; yes. and although they didn't
dream of it, 10 save the day at Gettysburg
In the thrcng of hustling New England
boys marched n company Of Massachusetts,
light artillery, the Ninth Independent bat
tpry, led by Capt. BiGclow The men had
enlisted for nine months. thinking, per
haps. that It would take that long to give
the Coulederatcs a drubbing that would
teach them TO stay at home south of the
Potomac forcvcraftcr; perhaps, thai glory
worth carrying home could not be WOO i'll
a shorter time.
On July the battery lay with the artl-
lerv reserve of Meade's army behind Gem
etery Ridge when Longstrcct'S $4,000 vet
Grams were crawling through hcllows.
among woodlands and fences and farm
buildings TO pounce upon Sickles' unfor-
tunate line between the Peach Orchard and
Round Top \ scattering fire, beginning
MS the afternoon advanced. warned the
Union generals of what was coming-a sun
down assault in fOrCe-eud then, no, for
the rcserves Rigelow'S gums Galupcd
down the old, half hidden road along the
rear of Sckles' line of battle toward the
angle, the men with fresh curiosity spyinl,
here gap, there an exposed site; here Il
fleet staff officer carrying orders, there a
handful Of men going somewhere at double
quick; here n row of iron Threats in posi-
ton. there u regiment of infantrymen lying
fiat on the ground, only with necks GRAINED
to know what the hurry was about
On to the front, he men heedlessly beat
ing the very ground where their battery was
soon to be annihlated and wondering at
the moment whether it was not false
alarm-a battlefield scare. The pieces
were unlimbercd where the converging
fire of a score of Longstreet's guns made a
network of falling shot and shell, and zip
ping bullets speeding as the wind and as
thick as snowfakes drove Sickles' infantry
back to be caught in that fiery net behind
them as fish are SHARED in IA seine A ser
geant killed, n gunner wounded before a
shot could he fired and the Massachusetts
boys were baptized soldiers of the veteran
Army Of the Potomac. 1t was no scare.
That grass grown, rail fenced, cross coun-
try road from Round Top to the Peach
Orchard, along the edge Of Devils Den and
the wheat field across Plum Run, was {;
road tothe mouth of hell.
The battery opened fire upon those Con
federate guns that eniiladed the Peach
Orch ard. The pieces were handled Will
the GOODNESS of veterans. The Confederate
caunoueers showed punishment Some of
their caissons exploded under Bigelow' ,
shots, and they quit firing. Bigelow and
his boys thought that this meant victory
but it was not 50. Those Confederate shots
were prelude to something more. They
ceased, and three interval shots in success
sion gave Il signal for Longstreet's infantry
assault. Directly in front of Bigelow TIA,
1 = i
stone wall that had screened them, halted
coolly for alignment. then dashed forward
TO sweep M the debris of Sickles line
SHARED Ly the shot and shell. like the sec
ond ball in play at tenpins
kershaY's line started at n point 4G{
wards distant in an oblioue direction and
marched under Biaclow's fire until it wa
directly in his front. 200 wards away. Til,
, range was easy. and with double char9
of canister the runs pluycd upon the solo
ranks until they melted into a mob OF fee
ing men. The Confederates saw that their
supnorts could never PASS that battery. AND
n band of sharnshoot or, was detached from
the charging column to move by the FAM.
and disable it. Like bloodhounds on d
trail, they hung to the work and were not
to he shaken of, for artillery is no mattel
against skulking rifiemcn. SemmcS' blI
gade followed kcrshaws ana shared til
same fate from the double charges of can
lister. Semmes was killed.
. While this was going on Barksdale''
Mississippi brigade. taking an inner track
had captured the Peach Orchard and wa
forging its way down the line on the lapl
, and rear Of Bioelow's nosjtion The chic
of artillery warned Bipplow of his DANCE
, from arkesdalc's men and ordered him I,
, Withdraw tn. Guns. But Bi.elow saw Tn,
, uearer danger the sbornshooters on hi,
, front. who. the moment the puns ccnse,
r their hail would find the coast clea
to RIM nm and shoot down his drivers an,
horses leaving the cannoneers helples
with the guns. The only hone was 10 re
: tire firing. so as to hold Kershaw's men il
= front at distance and DISCOURAGE tn
= march of Barksdale's on the flank, I'll
I Hmbers of the battery. with their team
= harnessed in, were aligned in rear of tn
/ guns and attached to the trails of tn
A pirces by long ropes. At each discharge O