Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-07-17

session of the heights. History tells how
the struggle ended. This is story Of the
encounter and of the men engaged. Some
band of northmen stood in the imminent
breach that day and hour of destiny. The
Twentieth Maine claims that honor.
In an address delivered on Round Top at
the dedication of tho monument marking
tho position Of the Twentieth Maine Cap
tain Howard L. Prince Of that regiment
told the story from which quote portions
describing the fight. After treating of the
movements of Vincent's brigade, which
included the Twentieth Maine, to gain the
crest of Little Round Top, Captain Prince
said:
The two right regiments (the sixtee nth
Michigan and Forty fourth New York; were
placed somewhat below the brow Sf the hill,
facing DEVILS Den and the gorge of Plum Run,
while the Eighty-third Pennsylvania filled the
emicircular bend of the escarpment as it
doubles back to face the loftier summit Of
Round Top. Tho Twentieth prolonged this
line, facing generally toward the higher noun
tain and looking down into the comparatively
open and smooth depression between the sum-
mits. On this line Colonel Chamberlain
brought our regiment into place con the right
by file into line" in order that the flank near
est the enemy might DO most firmly planted,
and received from Colonel Vincent his last
orders, being to "hold this ground at all haz-
ards" Then that gallant soldier departed
forever from the sight of the soldiers of the
Twentieth Maine, to fall within short hour,
in the very moment Of victory. Each regiment
threw out slzrmishers, Company BYCaptain
Morrill,, being ordered to extend the left flank
of the Twentieth across the low ground and
cover the front and exposed flank against di-
rect attack, it being known that the command
ut that time held the extreme left of the army.
The Confederate brigadcs which marched
eastward from the Emmittsburg road to
assail the Round Tops went into action in
detachments at DEVILS Den and on the
slopes of Little Round Top leaving on the
extreme right only two regiments to ascend
the high Round Top mountain. These
were the Fifteenth Alabama, under Colo
mel Oates, and the Forty seventh. Having
marched "a miles that day the Alabamians
were exhausted by the rugged climbing to
the crest, and reaching there halted for
breath. The Fifteenth regiment and the
right companies of the Forty seventh
squarely confronted the Twentieth Maine.
For a moment the antagonists, as 1t were,
glared into each others faces. The Twen-
tieth Maine mustered 30S men in line, so,
under Captain Morrill,, being absent Skin
mishing on the hillside opposite.
Colonel Oates regiment numbered $50
men in line. The Forty seventh Alabama,
on the left of Colonel Oates, was thrown
into confusion by the fire of the Federals
confronting it, and in order to relieve his
comrades Colonel Oates wheeled the Fiji
tenth into position to cnfllade the men of
Maine. The battle was opened. OF the at
tack by Colonel Oates, Captain Prince said:
His great superiority in numbers enabled
him easily to cover our entire front and to
bring most deadly crossfire on the salient at
our color company. He made his first advance
from this new direction with great vigor and
weight hoping to drive us from our position,
but was met by q fire from our left companies
that surpassed in its deadly effects that expe-
rienced on the right, which had caused him Sc
we're loss. His line wavered before 1t like men
trying to walk before a strong wind, and 1t
was compelled to give way. Again and again
this mad rush was repeated, each time to be
beaten off by the ever thinning line that chung
desperately to its ledge Of rock, refusing to
yield excepting rs it involuntarily shrunk
pace or two at time from the storm of lead
which swept its front. Colonel Oates advanced
himself at the head Of his men. and at times
the hostile forces were at hand to hand dis
lance. Twice tho Alabamians were followed
down the slope so sharply that they were
obliged to Use the bayonct. and in places small
squads of their men, in their charges, reached
our actual front. The lines surged backward
and forward like q wave. At times our dead
and wounded were in front Of our line. and
then, by q superhuman effort, our gallant lads
would carry the combat forward beyond their
PROSTATE forms. Continually the gray lines
crept up by squads. under protecting trees and
powders, and the fire became at closer and
closer range And even the enemy g line essayed
to reach around the then front OF blue that.
stretched out In places to a single rank. could
not go much farther without breaking. 30