Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-16
Armistcad at Gettysburg.

IEtk POSI- pf ItIs va
To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
| read In the issue OF the Dispatch or
the aih instant communication from
&c. T.. NJ" calling on me, among Others
for recollcctions Of the bate OF fettys-
burg. Such incidents as ! can recah at
this late day are cheorfully given. II
was my fortune on that eventful Gay 10
have command OF the color company OF
the Flfty-third Virginia Regiment
ArmIstoads Brigade. / remember lylns
on the ground under the awful cannona-
ding before being ordered forward. when
ordered TO move forward General
Armistead, who was in front of the colors'
turned 10 Sergeant Blackburn asking MIN
If "he would plant the colOrs, which he
bore on the onemys guns" Blackburn
replied: II Will do my best" We then
moved forward. General Arnistead mold
ing his hat on the top Of his sword above
his head, shouting TO his men 10 follow
him.
What happened in this forward move
ment. ! can give bat n vague account or.
Which of the color guard was shot hrst'
or who had them last. ! can not tell. for
/ do not know Where so many were
shot IL Is impossible 10 tell. When we
reached the store fence General
Armis;ead called to his men 70 help
him turn the guns, and was reaching Tor
the wheel Of the sun-csUiaga when he
fell morta ly wounded. | must speak OF
the gallant conduct of our lieutenant.
Colonel r. W. Martin of Chatham Pitt
sylyania county. Va. lie had led his reSi-
ment 10 the stone fence. and then. walk
ing backwards. shouted 10 his men: over
the fence men; Owe? tho fence. lie
must have been shot then and there for
| never saw him again. The gallant fell
low MIS- manned for life.
think / recognize 90. T. NJ OF
Laurenceville. Va. as g. +. Michacls. VINO
was assigned to Company II. Fifty-thira
Virginia Regiment, with the entire
brunswick Guard" II was my good for
tune to command those men, and better
lot Of men no officer ever had-to a man
always willing and prompt to do any
thing they were called on TO do. | must
tcll of Richard Lewis. Of that old com
pany. He and / were together, after our
general had been wounded. re was in the
act Of ramming 4 cartridge home. when
the enemy swarmed over the fence and
all around US. ordering us 10 lay down our
guns lie very quietly turned to me and
asked. what must ] do, Captain" as
quietly as If no guns were pointed at
him.
Adjutant Coalter. OF the Fifty-third Viz
ginia Regiment. whom "G +. NJ" calls
on for information, has been d al several
years.
Perhaps Colonel y. l.. Farnholt, who
commanded Company +. Fifty-thrd Viz
ginia Regiment. who was always one of
the coolest men in hattie, and was with
US In the charge. could give some infor-
nation Of what occurred on that memora-
bic occasion. |, at least, would Ike 10
hear from him.
When ! think Of the bloody field Of
Gettysburg and the great sacrifice Of life
there, my heart. even at this distant day.
throbs as II il would burst; but We must
yield to the fate that has befalen US.
hoping that it was all for some wise pur-
pose. which our finite minds cannot grasp.
JOHN J.. LATANE.
Captain Company II. Flfty-third Regi-
ment. Virginia Volunteers. Armistead's
Brigade. Pickett's Division. Army OF
Northern virginia