The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-03
70 Attack With His Whole Corps On the
Third Day al GSiIyShlrg.
DR.. ]. WILLIAM JONES' ARGUMENT
Conclusive Statements OF Col. walter Tay-
lor. Col. Charles :. vonable. and
Gen. A. l.. Long--Witnesscsn t
tho Conference with
General Ice.

view with him b. MIR. 4. j. Morgan-now
of the Atlanta Constitution. but former
IN OF Shermans army. and strong writ
err whose "nne hand" appears in Cen
eral Lonestr6cts book as woll as IN this
interyiow-the editor, after clearly show
ing the abslrdl,y of General Longstreet's
claim. says. I'VE think it can be demon
stratcd from the records that General
Leo did not expect him to put Hoods
ana McLaws' divisions INTO IickcttS
charge"
lily careful study Of the records has
brought me 10 an cAaSly opposite con-
clucsion. but the testimony OF Col. Wal
ter III. Taylor. and Col. Charles :. Ven
able. ana General y. l.. Long, Of Lees
staff Is 50 emphatic. clear, anu cohclu-
sive on this point as 10 leave no room
for further doubt or discussion.
WHAT COL. TAYLOR SAYS.
In his admirable book "tOul Years
With General Lee" which must be re-
glrded as high authority upon every
point upon which Il touches, Col. Taylor
says q. 1889. speaking Of arrangements
for ths attack on the Cd day: General
Lee then had a conference win Ten.
LCngsircet, and the mode of attack and
the troops TO make IL were thoroughly
debated. l was present and understood
the arrangement TO be that Gen. Long
street should endeavor 10 force the enc
my's lines la his front. That front was
\ held by the divisions Of Hood and Nc
Laws. To strengthen him for the undper-
taking. Il was decided 20 reinforce MIN
by such troops as could be drawn from
9ths centre.
Pockets division, of iongstreets corps.
fwas then up resh ana available
Ia, Con. Hill TO place
ueth's division and two brigades of Pen
der at Gen. Longstrcet's disposal and 10
be prepared TO give him further assist
unCc II requested.
The assault was 10 have beer made
with a column of not less than TWO di-
visions. and the remaining divisions page
100. were to have been moved forward
I'm support of those Ia advance. This
was the result Of tire conference ailud-
cd 10 as understood by me.
"Iieutenant- General a. Il. Hill appears
TO have had the same impression. Tor
he saws 81 his report of the operations
OF his corps at this time: i was directed
TO hold my line with Anderson's division
and the half Of Pender's, now command
ed by Gen Lane, and TO order Heth
division. commanded by Pettigrew, and
Lanes and Scales brigades. OF Penders
division. 10 report to Lieutenant-Genera1
Longstreet as a support to MS corps,
in the assault on the enemys lines.
After giving other details of the ar
rangements for the attack, and describ-
ing briefly but wildly that superb charge
which has passed into history as "one
of he worlds great deeds of arms Col.
ITO says Opp. lO7-lOS):
No more could be eXacted or expect
edNof those men of brave hearts ana
nerves Of steel: but where are the sup
q hgnpff of their heroic
efforts and gather the fruits Of VIC
tory so nOtly won? was that but Tor
iio.n hope on whose SUCCESS. not only IN
penetrating the cnemy's lines, tut IN
maintaining It's hold against their com
bined and united efforts 10 dislodge IT,
an entire army was 10 wait In quiet OBJ
servation? Was it designed to throw
these few Enthusiastically at most
but two divlsions-upon the fortified
stronghold of the enemy, while. full haf
q mile away, seven-ninths of the amy in
brcathless suspense, IN ardent admit
ration and fearful anxiety. watched, but
moved not? / maintain that such was not
the ~iesign or the commanding general.
Had the veteran divisions OF Hood ana
McLaws been moved forward, as was
planned in support Of those of Pickett
and Pettigrew, not only would the lat
ter division, IN al probability, have gam
ed the enemy > NOikcf dS ulA NlttAN Va
Pickett but these two would have been
enabled. with the aid of Hood and Nc
Laws. 10 resist al efforts Of the enemy
20 dslodge them. The enemy closing in
on Picketts brisades, concentrating upon
that small band Of heroes the fire OF
every gun that could Doe brought 10 bear
upon them. soon disintcgrated and over
powered them. Such as were not Killed,
disabled. and made captive, fell back
TO our lines"
HEARD HIM GIVE 1T.
Commenting on Coz. Taylor's statement
Of what would have been the result Of
the advance OF Hood and Mclaws Ci-
visions Cod. Charles =. Nenable Ohe
able and accomplished staff OF Lee and
so long the hOnored professor OF mathc-
MATES in the University Of Va, says In
a foot note tp. los OF -Four Years with
Leo "As they were ordered TO do by
General Lee, tor | heard him give the or
ders when arranging the fight, ant call
cd his attention to 1t long afterwards
when there was discussion about IL. lie
said. 1 know IT, / know it,
Col. Taylor also gives page lOO the
courteous correspondence between HIM
self and Gen. LOngstreet IN which ne
says: In regard 10 the third
days operations at Gettysburg. according
TO my recollection. Gen. Lee had con-
ference with you as 70 the attack 10 De
made that day. when ii was determined
that an assault should be made on your
front. by your corps, reinforced by Heth's
division and two brigades Of Penders
Ny recollection IS distinct that all Of
your divisions were TO take part IN the
assault. and | never did understand why
Hood and McLaws were never ordered
forward. Col. Nenablc agrees with ne
entirely In this particular"
General LOnesiyett. IN reply. simply
denies that Gen. Lee ordered that Nc
Laws and Hood should be placed in the
column OF attack that day.
GEN. LONG WAS PRESENT.
Gen. A. l.. Long. who was for long
time General Lees military secretary
and was both by nature and education
every inch a soldier. states in his Mem
oirs OF Robert T.. Lee page 2SS. that
he was present az the conference which
Lee had with Longstreet and a. +. Hill
about IN assault on the Sd. and that
the plan OF attack was discussed, and
AZ was decided that Gen. Pickett should
lead the assaultng column. 10 be sup
ported by the divisions OF McLaws and
Hood and such other force as A. Il. Hill
could spare from his command"
In describing the assault page 2SO,
Gen. Long says: The other
supports. Hoods and McIaws divisions,
which had been expected to a,yCnce
a