Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-04-03

DibTlOW - UTlSaH5 tNUt AIoN3 td Aoiu viz
cause of his disaster at charlottesville,
Barlow, he says, was his only reserve
and was taken away from him when
most needed, and had he been where he
!, orght 10 have bean tho Eleventh corps
1line' wrld not have, Eeen at the mercy
of sStonuwall Jackson. g." 49, =
With Hancock at it's Lead the Second
corps Jared well, and Barlow remained
with the Eleventh CORPS, leading divi-
sion ut Gettysburg. No amount of
genius or courage could have saved the
Eleventh corps from its sec0-d great
disaster, but Barlow threw his life into
the scale and nearly lost it trying TO
sweep back al ocean with a broom on
July /, 1868.
Howard sent tho Eleventh corps out
upon the plain north Of Gettysburg to
support the right flank Of tho First
corps, which was battling to hold the
ridge west of the town. BarlOw's dlvi-
sion held the right Of the limo, aud like
the brave Sickles next day he marched
beyond the basin lands to reach high
ground, where he could see something
and have coign of vantage worth cling
ing to- A knoll upon the west bank OF
Rock creek now bearing his nanc is an
imperishablo monument TO the hero who
drenched its soil with his blood. Ewell's
Confederate corps, headed by John B.
Gordon and moving as the wind moves
and as the waves move, the soldiers
dancing with joy at tho prospect OF
fight upon Yankee soil, fell with its
crushing weight upon Earlow's isolated
division.
The Barlow knoll is the highest point
of ground in that vast plain. There Bar
/ low stationed the gallant Wilkeson. tell
, ing him to sacrifice himself and his bat
terry to hold the ground, and Barlow
stood by to share the sacrifice. Gordon
saw that unless Wilkeson s battery could
be put out of the way his line of battle
was doomed: Hating the men, he order
ed two batteries to train their guns upon
Barlow and Wilkeson. Wilkeson's bat
terry was wiped ont, the leader was cut
down and met the fate only hero Of
more than mortal mold can attain. Bar
low fell with him upon that blood red
knoll. Then followed an episode pleas
ing to recall as relief from the terrible
pictures of war. Gordon found the bleed
ing Barlow, unconscious and apparently
dying. In his pocket was letter from
his wife, revealing his identity. Gordon
at once had him cared for by his own
surgeon and sent word. under flag OF
truce into the Union lines whom he had
as wounded prisoner. Barlow's wife
was at that time searching the battle
field for the body Of her missing nus
band. Under the guidance and safe con-
duct of Gordon 8 messengers she reached
the bedside of the hero in time to save
his life.
Barlow recovered from his wound to
enter upon the Wilderness campaign. AS
commander of one Of the old divisions
Of the reorganized Second corps he, for
the first time, came under Hancock.
During the Wilderness battle Barlow's
troops held the left of Hancock's line on
the Brock road. He was confronted by
Longstreet.
At Spottsylvania Barlow was conspic-
uous in the preliminary fighting, and on
May 10 was ordered to retreat while
actually engaged with the enemy.
At the assault Of the Bloody Angle,
May 10, Barlow's division was in the
front line The soldiers made their way
through a thicket more than mile
without guides to the place Of attack.
When Barlow learned that the COM
mander of the army had made no re-
connoissance Of the ground and the posi-.
ton to be assailed, and that it was pure
ly guess work, or a case of "go it
blind" with the lives of $4,000 men at
stake, he felt that he was called upon
to lead forlorn hope. Taking out the
valuables and keepsakes on his person,
he intrusted them to friend, with
last message to his faithful wife, who
was then adevoted nurse Of the soldiers
in the hospitals near by. The assault
was success, and his troops were the
first in the enemy g works.
In the memorable charge at Cold Har
Dor Barlow swung his cap in the air
MaR's: