The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-03-07
.Gen Meade has sent for us" After a

just then the muskets OF our Plckeu
rattle sharply in front, and we heal
the order: Battalion, right face I'm
double files l-On the left, take dis
tance of an arms length-March .
What does all this mean2
Gen. Meade, finding himself hard
pressed on the left, and deeming an at
tack on the other wing unlikely, had, al
6 O'clock, called for the Twelfth Corps
Seemingly by mere afterthought, he
was prompted within five minutes to send
second order that one brigade be left
That order saved the army. Was 1t,
then, only an afterthought? Was il
not, rather, thst God, in his watchful,
superintenaing Providence, seeing the
peril to the cause of our country, OF
Freedom and of Humanity, bowed from
his throne in high heaven and touched
with suggestive finger the mind Of our
Commanding General? Our brigade
being on the extreme left of the corps,
and hence in the most convenient posi-
ton. was detailed to remain.
At the great Reunion there on the
30th anniversary of the battle, in '93,
the human side Of this providential
event was rehearsed IN our ears on the
spot. Gen. Slocum told US that be
FASTENED TO Gen. Meade and urged that
The corps be not taken out at all, and
not gaining that, he tried TO get permis-
sion to keep one division, and this being
denied, he then asked for brigade, and
finally that was granted him. Thus is
Il made plain that Greene, with his
bfeastworks, and Slocum, with his sue
eesful urgency in keeping him there,
together
WROUGHT TO SAVE THE DAY
OF. that part of the field.
simultaneously with the receipt Of the
second order by our brigade commander
word was brought from the officer in
charge of Our pickets that the enemy
was advancing in heavy force in line
oi.battle. With all possible celerity
such dispositions as the case admitted of
were made. The brigade was strung out
into thin line of separate men as far
along the breastwork as it would reach.
Night thickens. 1t is 7:l5 O'Clock.
Closer and yet closer fash the muskets.
Down in the hollow there at the foot of
Che slope we catch a glimpse now and
then by the blaze Of the powder of our
brave boys as they spring from tree to
tree and send back leaden defiance to
the advancing foe. With desperation
they cling to each covering. For half
hour they have obstructed the enemy's
spproach.
THEY REFUSE TO YIELD,
except before overwhelming numbers
Back, back, the enemy press them.
Closer, closer, CLEAN the flashes. Our
hearts cry out, Why don't they come
In on the run, and let us have at
the graybacks How can we wait !
Some over-eager ones begin to fire.
@Cease fringl" shout the officers.
You VIII shoot your own men!" The
men restrain their nervous fingers. The
hostile guns fame out against us not Is
yards in front Our men are tumblng
over the breastworks.
One just little to my right throws
himself lengthwise on the top to come
over. Z-z-z-t, line of sound cuts
through the air see it with nv
ear-and ends in that body, which !
rolls back and is silent. A breath !
those behind the breastwork wait. All
bur comrades are in. Then out into the
murky night Like chain-lightning leaps
the zie1zng line of fire. In one instant,
ss If done by one act, a Thousand tongues
Of franc thrust themselves into the dark
pese, slant toward the foe, and winged
death misses through the rebel ranks.
The men show themselves worthy COM
peers of the heroes Of the left Inspired
by the importance and necessity Of the
occasion, every man multiplies himself, |
working as if his life depended on the
effort.
Now is the value Of the breastworks
apparent Protected by these, few of
cur men were bit, and they, experienc-
ing thereby a sense of security, work |
with their utmost energy, whereas with
out them our line would have been |
swept away in an instant by the hail
storm Of bullets and the food of men.
Not another foot did the rebel masses
gain. Back from the jaws of death,
from The whitening cross-fre into which |
tbey he'd rushed, they fed like a
fock of sheep" as one of our pickets
said, Ele was wounded, and staid there
until il was all over.
Down in the valley there by the
greek they reform. We cannot see
them it is too dark. They move To-
ward our right, and we hear them shout |
Hthey charge anew.
OUR aUsKETRY REDoUBLEs.
Efery man does the work of two. We
have no supports To be driven would |
be destruction. The battle, the country,
freedom, al we hold dear, rests upon the |
men in that one thin line, and they
know IL; and right nobly do they bear the |
responsibility. As at first, so now again |
the rebels assault in vain, and are driven
back in confusion. Yet with an aban-
don Of iieroism they reform again, move
stih further 10 our right, and advance a
third time 10 the assault. A third time