The Princeton union., 1894-11-15

Confederates assaulted Hancock's SEQ
ond corps line between Sickles' position
and the crest where the Vermonters lay.
Hancock led forward some Of his own
men, but not enough to stay the rush
Of Confederates, and General Meade in
person rode to the First corps for help
Stannard's 8 fresh ranks met his eye, /
and calling them to follow he led the
way to the post Of danger. The Four
teenth was at the head Of the line and
responded with will, hurling back
brigade Of Confederates who were
charging a Union battery. The Six
teenth followed at double quick and
saved the next battery in nick o. time
When the Thirteenth reached the scene,
Hancock was himself returning along |
the ridge in search Of more aid to rescue |
Weir's regular battery from a regiment |
Of Georgians, who were almost upon the |
guns. "Can't you save that battery,
colonel?'' Hancock exclaimed to the |
commander Of the Thirteenth.
"We can try. Forward, boys!' was
the response The Vermonters drove the
Georgians out Of the battery and chased
them across the Emmittsburg road. Two
Confederate guns in the road then open
ed on the Thirteenth but they were
promptly charged upon and captured by
| the company nearest them.
At dark Stannard gathered up his
scattered regiments and stationed them
on the front line Of Cemetery Ridge be.
tween Gibbon S and CALDWELL g divisions
Of Hancock's corps In other words,
they halted at the first gap met within
the line which Meade and Hancock were
rearranging ON the ridge in anticipation
of the morrow, a mere accident, because
the rightful place Of the brigade! was in
the First corps line on Cemetery Hill,
farther north. And where it had acci-
dentally halted it remained for 26 hours,
or until the close of the battle
The Vermonters lay exposed to the
artillery fire which introduced Pickett's
charge Union batteries all around them
were demolished by their fearful hurri-
cane Of missiles, but not until their
guns had given response in kind, and
throughout that two hours terrific can
nonade those hardy, healthy, but phys
ically exhausted mountai1eers from the
classic green hills lay on their arms sound
asleep. Suddenly the pickets and wake
full outlooks, watching the mysterious
fringe Of woods beyond Codori's mead
ows and the Emmittsburg road, cried
out, "Boys, here they comet" Then all
sprang into line and stood idly and ST.
lently reviewing the magnificent spec
tacle, 5, 900 shimmering bayonets mark
ing the long gray lines advancing at
quick step. The right flank Of Pickett's
own division Of Virginians marched
squarely upon the Vermont brigade.
Stannard told his colonels to have the
) men hold their fire until the enemy was
close up, then give one volley and finish
it with the bayonet. AS the Fourteenth
, regiment, the first in line, arose to de-
, liver it's fire the Confederate ranks facet
left and marched obliquely across tht
: front of the brigade until they cleared
it, then fronted and rushed upon Han
. cocks brigades at the ''Bloody Angle,
. Copse of Trees and Stone Wall Mean
I while the Fourteenth opened fire, fol
lowed by the Sixteenth, which lay OF
its right flank, and was passed in turf
by the enemy's files. A long line o
n Confederate dead and wounded marke'
o the course Of the fated column on tn
t front of the Vermont brigade. True
t the Virginians avoided the Ver1nonters
1 bayonets, but Stannard was not to b
e defrauded Of opportunity. The instan
g he saw the front facing and forwar'
step of Pickett's men he ordered tn
q Thirteenth and Sixteenth regiments t.
: assail them squarely on the flank. Bot
d moved promptly in columns Of four
y then changed front forward, swingin
o into line at right angles with Pickett s
n which was several ranks deep and nc
above dozen rods from the muzzles c
the Vermont rifles.
At that deadly range the Thirteent
fred 10 or IL rounds to man, the Si1
teenth half the number. The effect wa
instantaneous and Pickett's marc
ceased. At first the men in gray DIRE,
off from the flank fire, crowding tc
gether until the once orderly ranks be
came a mob. Then hundreds threV
down their arms in surrender. Some {
the Virginians, who were Garnett'
men, faced to the right and stood a
bay, crossing bayonets with the Ve1
monters, while the front ranks, led b
Garnett on horseback, struggled fo1
ward to the stone wall But the su
preme blow had been given, and th
charge Of Pickett's own division was
thing Of the past.
Yet Stannard's work was not ove1
While he was directing the flank attac
by the Thirteenth and Sixteenth, Han
OF cock rode to the spot, and receiving
g wound which disabled him was helpe
70 from his horse by Stannard and one {
Ds his staff. Stannard cut the clothin