The National tribune., 1894-03-22

front and crowded into every available space
There is hardly room for half of the guns
Strange to say, no battery, regiment, ol
troops is sent TO occupy the important anc
strong position, the Round Tops, less the
signal men with their flags. This is an over
sigh that comes near being the ruin OF the
grand old Army of the Potomac
The Southern army, commanded by Gen
r T. Lee, with between sixty and seventy
thousand men, is trying to encircle an army
of greater size in a stronger position. Lees
army is placed as follows: LoHgstreet's Corps
ison the right, with Hoods Division opposite
the Round Tops; McLaws's Division is op-
posite Sickles and the Third Corps while
Hills three large divisions cover the long
center extending along Seminary Ridge
from McLaws to Rodes; Rodes is mainly in
Gettysburg; Early and Johnston from the
town of Gettysburg to Rock Creek.
The Southern army have one point IN
their favor: on this long line they use all
their batteries to good advantage and their
Chief of Artillery. Pendleton, is good match
for our Chief of Artillery, Hunt.
MEADE AWAITS ATTACK,
but the forepart of the day passes in eyeing
each other before an aggressive move is made,
beyond the set-to of Early and Johnston
early in the morning at Culp's Hill. 1t is
near 2 o'clock in the afternoon before the
Southern commander decides where to strike
the first great blow; but when the blow
comes il comes hard and strong, bloody, and
nearly sweeps the Union soldiers from the
field This is about the way it happened:
Gen. Meade, as it seems has been of the
opinion that the attack in force will come
on his right-the northern face of Cemetery
Ridge and Culp's Hill; but, instead of this,
Lee moves troops so as to reach around the
Union left, with the intention, no doubt, of
seizing the Round Tops and making the at
tack from the south, while Hill, his Lieu
tenant, is to hold things steady in the center,
and Ewell to keep the troops in his front
busy enough to prevent their slipping off to
assist the corps of Ger. Sickles, on whom the
brunt Cf the hard attack falls.
To L1ngstreet is confded the arrangement
Of this assault on the Union left. Longstreet,
as it looks is in no great hurry in getting
ready. Just north of the Tops and south of
the well-defined portion of Cemetery Ridge,
occupied by Haneocks Second Corps, the
ground 1atters out, the Ridge is lost in the
undUlations; whereas, out in the valley |
proper, beyond the Wheatfield and some half |
mile from Little Round Top, there is slight |
ridge, along which runs the Emmitsburg |
pike.
sICKLEs MOVES OUT
there with his whole corps, placing Hum
phreys's Division on the pike, and Graham's |
Brigade on its left as far as the Peach Or |
chard, with the rest of Birney's Division |
refused, and stretching back through low |
and scantily-wooded ground toward the
Round Tops. In this formation of his line
he forms an elbow squarely in the face of |
LOngstreets position, showing two lines,
either of which can be raked by the Southern
artillery. The Peach Orchard is at the
elbow, not more than half mile from the
ranks of the gray-clad infantry lying prone
among the trees of Seminary Ridge.
Sckles moves out and takes this position
at about 2 o'clock p. m. 1t is nearly o'clock
when LoDgstreet's batteries open terrific
FIRE on the devoted lines of Humphreys and
Birney. Meade is not now far from the
Round Tops. He came up from Gen. Han
cocks position, and now he sends back to
the plateau in all haste for bis old Fifth
Corps to back up Siekles in this struggle.
Now come the rebel soldiery to the as
ssult, not in front, not facing east upon
Humphreys and Graham, but from the woods
to the south. Hoods whole division, in long
gray lines is charging with savage yell upon |.
the refused brigades Of De Trobriand and
Ward.
on THEY COME,
two solid brigades of Georgians, with an
other in support; and away off to the south
east, tapping far around the left of gallant
Biney's line. never halting to fire, not utter
ing a sound, paying no attention to any
thing TO the right or to left, but in eager
column, with desperate purpose, arms at a
right-shoulder, mounted officers at the trot,
line officers and the sturdy rank and file at
double-gnick, while another brigade is dash
ing straight for Little Round Top-the key
point TO the whole position.
Should the rebels gain it and hold il. it
would enable Lee 10 drive the Northern
army from its stronghold; there it stands
defeDseless, while Hood with his daring
Texans charges, and Law with his Alabama
boys are nearing it at every Jump. Is there
no one 10 see IT? No one 10 meet this
mortal thrust and turn it back? The signal
men are about to leave it. Out to the front
all is now excitement, for Longstreet has put
IN his whole command, and McLaws is ham
meriDg at Humphreys aud charging Gra-
ham at the Peach Orchard
Meade, with anxiety for the Third Corps.
sees nothing but what is going On just around
him. The gallant old Filth Corps is pushing
hastily out TO the front Barnes's Division
Is hurrying forward down the slope. Every
man rs full Of eagerness to go and help
blckles. Ten minutes more and all will
have been up with the Union for that day
at least, but for one man, Warren. He
forces his painting horse up among the rocks
and bowlders, and reaches the crest and sees
scarce 500 yards away, those dense columns
Of gray-clad infantry sWarming at him up
the glen.
WHAT SIGHT!
Quick as a fash, quick almost as his own
thought, he wheels his horse tears down the
slope TO the north, and gallops to the flank
Of The Filth Corps, now rapidly filing by.
This way, this way, Yincent!" he shouts
TO the brigade commander nearest him. "Up