The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-10-17
BATTLE SCENES RECALLED.
SYKES'S REGULARS.
Their Part in the Fight at Little Round
Top, July q, 1663

In recent number OF the National Tribune
Comrade Samuel r. Hazen, Go. O, 140th N.
y, says in the concluding paragraph that
"the lighting on Little Round Top (Gettys-
burg was done July 2, 1868, by vincents
Brigade, and the 140th N. Y, OF Weeds
Brigade.
He seems to forget that sykess Regulars
were there, aud had hand in the fight on
that day.
The Second Division. Fifth Corps, was
composed Of II regiments, 10 Of Regulars and
four OF volunteers, divided into three brgades.
as follows First Brigade, Col. Hannibal
Day composed OF the 81, 4th, 9th, 18th, and
14th U. s.; Second Brigade, Col sidney Bur-
bank, composed OF the I'd. 7th, 10th, 1lth,
aud 18th L. s.; Third Brigade, Gen. s. II.
Weed, composed Of the 10th and 1iGth N
Y. and 9lst and 155th Pa.
The division left Hanover Junction about
p. m, July l. and arrived on the field at
dawn OF day on the I'd. They were halted at
or near where the Baltimore pike meets in a
junction with the Taneytown road Nearly
a mile to the right OF Round Top. plckets
were sent out to the front aud occupied the
ground very near where Picketts charge was
repulsed July 8.
In two OF three hours tho pickcts were
called In. and the division moved to the left
and formed Ia line to the east OF and near
Little Round Top.
The two regular brlgades took Into the
fight that afternoon n fraction over /, 300 men
and S3 officers. When the division reached
Little Round Top about noon, there was
neither man nor gun on the ridge at the
time except two men OF the Signal Corps.
Very early In the morning OF the I'd II be-
came evident to the rebels that Round Top
was the prize both armies were contending
for, so they began to move troops and guns
down TO their right. their movements being
screened from the division by piece OF
woods.
At o'clock in the afternoon they were
ready for action with about $4,000 men and
GO guns to cut the union army In two and oc-
cupy the heights. Meanwhile Gen. Warren
climbed to the summit OF Little Round Top.
Here the General says he suspected some
movement on the part OF the rebels. and di-
rected Lieut. Hazlett, Battery ID, 9Th U. s.
Art, to put shell into the woods at the edge
OF the Peach Orchard. Hazlett did so and
and sure enough tho rebels, as they moved to
look up mt the shell, the sun glistened on the
bright barrels OF their rifles, revealed TO War
ren their movements.
In an instant the truth flashed upon him.
He hnrried down the east face OF the hill,
where he fortunately met Gen. Barnes's First
Division, Fifth Corps, and started them on
the run for the extreme left and the summit.
He went farther and met Gen Weeds Third
Brigade and sent them In to support Battery
d, 9Th U. s. Art. Lleut Hazlett), which had
Dttu utuggtd 10 tnt summit In q leW mln-
utes Lieut.. Hazlett was killed and Lieut..
Eittenhouse assumed command Of the bat
terry.
About this time the rebels advanced and
made desperate onslaught on the Third
Corps Gen. Sickles), and with overwhelm-
Ing numbers were pressing 1t back. Tho
First Division, Fifth Corps, being on Round
Top, 1t left a gap between them and the left
OF the Third Corps. Ayres's Division OF the
Regulars was ordered into the gap. The ex-
ulting rebels were pushing by the left OF the
Third Corps and climbing into the ridge,
Sixty guns were turned upon the nights to
keep the Union line back The division OF
Regulars advanced TO the top OF the hill In
the face OF the terrible storm, the Second
Brigade being In front, with the I'd U.
on the right and the 18th Z. $. on the left
Never before In history were troops placed
In such terrible position. The field In
front swept by the fire Of go guns and long
gray line OF men more than three times their
number, climbing the ridge 80 yards below,
determined to capture orGrive the Yanks from
Little Round Top. Officers and men were
going down every instant. To remain on the
field would be simply to court gradual ami
hiation from the enemy's shells. Someone
gave the order to charge, and down they
plunged into the whirlpool of fire and smoke.
Then began one OF the most desperate
struggles known in the rebellion. Muskets
were clubbed, and In the frightful melee bayo-
nets, swords pistols, knives, and even stones,
were used All forms OF humanity were for
gotten, and the brute instinct in man pre-
dominated.
Such battle could not last long. The
gray line wavered and fell back; the grass
and rocks were crimson with the life blood
that howed from the manged bodies OF the
slain, and Plum Run was choked with the
fallen on both sides.
Across the run on slight rise OF ground
the division attempted to make a stand. IL
fnPiDO trffh
left OF the 18th U. $. in the Devils Den. The
battle then changed TO the right aud the
bowling rebels were swarming around our
right flank and getting in the rear
The brave old 2d U. y. was oyerpowered,
and doubled back on the left OF the brigade.
Hall Of its number were dead and wounded.
Every regiment In the division had suffered
In like manner The array of officers had
dwindled down to handful. Again the bat
tie changed to the left Hoods Texans and
Barksdales Mississippians charged and turn
ed the left flank. The llth and 18th Regu-
lars were doubled up a.d the whole Second
Brigade in disordered line with the First
Brigade, which had suffered In loss equal
with the Second. The division was new
completely surrounded. They had made a
desperate fight, but were overpowered by
numbers and every avenue OF escape cut of.
The Regulars had gained the object for
which they were sent, and they had held In
check superior iorre Of the enemy until the
line could be strengthened. The carnage had
been fearful. Nearly half Of the division
were dead and wounded.
But help was near. The famous Pennsyl.
vania Reserves and Bucktails Gen. Craw-
ford's Division) charged with the shattered
remains Of the Regular Division. and the
rebels were swept from that part OF the field,
and Little Round Top was saved. The worn
soldiers fell back to the cover OF the ridge,
and the battle OF July was over.
The roll was called. 1t was found that the
two Regular Brigades had lost 500 out of
fraction over 1900 that went into the fight.
The Regular Division covered the ground
with their dead from the west slope OF Little
Round Top across Plum Run and away up to
the fatal Peach Orchard. The total loss In
the 18th Regulars was only exceeded by two
regiments In the whole Fifth Corps, viz 4th
Mach. and 62d Pa. The loss In the Second
Brigade. Second Division, was more than
any other brigade In the Corps.
Had not Sykes's Regulars been there to be
sacrificed, perhaps the story of Gettysburg
might have been written differently. MATT.
+. kPPAx. 18th U. s. Arsenal, Columbia,