Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-19
GETTYSBURG CHARGE
INTERESTING PAPER ON THIS
EVENT IN OUR HISTORY.
Pfckett's Brave Men Made q Magnf-
Acent Charge, and Would Have
Won the Day Had They Been sup
ported-Troops and Their Positions

Appended Is the interesting paper on
the Gettysburg charge" read before
Pickett Camp last Monday night by
Captain Nj. W. Lakewood:
The third days battle Of Gettysburg
more Familiarity spoken Of as "Picketts
charge" has been so often treated III
books and essays that Il would seem al
most useless to write on the subject al
this late day. In defence OF the COM
mand;ng general. whose conduct has been
unwittingly impeached by superhciai
writer's in search OF scapegoat Tor the
untoward results OF this fateful battle
and In Justice 70 the troops engaged IL
will hardly be regarded as out OF pisce
10, cite some facts which have not ofui-
narily attracted attention.
On the morning Of the Cd OF July the
Federal line was complete, and occupied
Ali the hills and ridges from Cups Hlii
10 Round Top mountain, without break
while Kilpatrick's cavalry enveloped inc
Confederate right, where McLaws ana
Hood. with about 5000 men, were con-
fronted by the Fifth and sixth army
corps occupying an impregnaole POSITION
These facts il would seem. decided Gene
raj Lee TO form a column OF attack vi,
the selnt where Wrights Brigaoe hau
pouetra ted the Federal line on the pre-
vious evening.
AN INTERVIEW WITH LEE.
On the night Of July Sd, General I'M
boden states that In response 10 Hies,
sage be had an interview with Generai
Lee. during which the latter IN voice
tremulous with emotion, sald'
,iticentlv than Pickett's division of VIZ
rinians ala to-day in that grand charge
mon the enemy. And II they had been
unmarried as they were TO have oeeh-
but for some reason not yet fuily eA-
plained to me. were Motive wouiu naVe
held the position and the day wouia nave
been ours. IL. ..o,.
This remark OF the commanding gene
raj has been almost universally cohstrueu
as a censure of Heth's and Pehder >
,roons. but this is as unjustifiable as IL
g. ,n,,ne General Lees official report
vas forwarded to the War Department
Ianuarv %. 1864 more than six months
ofter the battle. and there is not WORD
in that report which reflects on THESE
troops.
General Lee gives the order Of line oi
battle as follows:
"General Iongstreet ordered forward
a. column of attack consisting or PICK
et,.s and Heth's divisions, in two lines
pickett's on the right. Wilcox's Brigaoe
marched ia rear of Picketts right 10
guard that flank, and Heth's was sup
norted by Lanes and Scaiess brlsaoes'
under General Trimble.
General Longstreet in his report gays
.pickett's Division was arranged TWO
brigades in the front line, suppofleu DS
his third brigade. and WILCOX ) bIlsaus
was ordered TO move in. rear OF 'lis i,s".
Aank. TO protect 1t from any FORCE 'hat
tbe enemy might attempt 10 hio.e
against il. Heth's Division, uhder 'ne
command OF Brigadier General Petugre"'
was arranged in two hhes, anu ~
slpported by part of Major-Iehera' en-
as division. under Major-General Trim
~ -. About 2 p NJ. General Pick
80, ,vbo had been charged with the duty
90 arranging the lines behind our bate
Si.s renorted that the troops were IN
order" .., r,,,.,s,o,,
I, win thus be seen that Heth's DIVISION
,,as a mart of the column of attack. ana
,rust not be regarded as a mere support
TO Pickett Amt, Ao..o-
General Lee further says: "The bate
rios were directed to be pushed 1orWatu
as the infantry progressed, protect men :,
tanks. and support their attacks Closely
These excerpts enable us to give
a,aeram of the column OF attack as II
sbould have appeared in accordance WIN
',ha foregoing orders, when II adNahceu'
a. which IL added AndersOn's three DIT
gades which, as will appear further on,
was 10 be a part OF the supporting