The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-09-09
him appear before court martial.

some time ago expressed the wish to
see. For the whole battle the fifteen
Virginia regiments ON the right had in
killed and wounded 1850. Amongst
those on the lett, we're the five North
Carolina and three Mississippi regi-
ments, which constituted Pettlgrew's
and Davis brigades, and their loss in
killed and wounded was 1902.
What part of this latter loss was in
CURED on the third day Will never be
accurately known but we know from
the federals that the artillery fire was
largely concentrated upon these two
brlgades, and we also know from the
testimony of federal officers, one OF
whom was Colonel Morgan, General
Hancock's chief of staff, that the dead
lay thicker on the ground over which
these troops had passed than upon any
other part of the field, and If we did
not know these two facts the case OF
one regiment furnishes key to the
percentage of killed and wounded in its
own brigade and that of the one I'M
mediately on Its right. This regiment,
the Eleventh Mississippi, did no fight
ing on the first day, as it was on de-
tached service and consequently met
with all Its loss in the fight of the
third. We know how many it carried
in, and DIR. Guilds report informs us OF
the loss and, knowing these numbers.
we know that its percentage OF killed
and wounded was Ga percentage so
high that not one Virginia regiment
ever made 1t, and not great many
others. This, and its companion regl-
Second Mississippi-were
old troops-veterans in fact as we'll as
fought often and always
we'll. By referring to the Sharpsburg
Series l, vol. xix. of the re-
cords, comparison can be readily
drawn between the conduct of these
two regiments in this campaign and
that of several which were afterwards
at Gettysburg with Pickett. A COM
parison which, we're it not SO pitiful,
would be amusing.
If Pickett's troops carried in no more
than claimed, their percentage of killed
and wounded was 70. But in order
that their percentage might appear as
high as possible, it is probable their
we're always represented as
smaller than they were. Their fifteen
regiments probably averaged 400. If
they did not. they should have done
20, for they did not often have any
body hurt-that is, compared with the
other troops in the army. In the period
from the close of the Richmond fight
ing to Gettysburg-one year-twelve
battles we're fought by the whole or
part of the army, and in these battles
Archer's Tennessee, Lanes North Car
DINA and Scales North Carolina had
1910 killed and wounded. Kemper's,
and Garnett's had IT, We
can understand why these people were
handled so tenderly, for were they not
made of better clay than the fighters OF
the army? Fine porcelain from the
province OF Quang Tong we're they
things of beauty, but fragile.
In the assault, Davis brigade had
about 81 per cent. killed and wounded.
1t is probable that Pettigrew's brigade
had even higher percentage, as they
were somewhat longer under fire. It
Is possible that Plckett's was 25. But
whatever 1t was, after all, their pretty
wheellngs and lovely drum majors
airs, that the enemy should have been
20 ungrateful as to shoot at them, so
wounded their feelings that they had
to he sent out of the army and they
did not rejoin 1t for nearly year after
warde.
Ii line of good soldiers can be
formed in rushing distance, almost
anything can be carried. But if a
wide and open field has to be passed
and there Is loss from Is to 70 per
cent. and the consequent disorganiza-
ton, nothing but useless bloodshed can
be expected. This would appear to be
a truth SO self evident that the merest
tyro could comprehend it. But vet
Burnside and Hancock (till too late) do
not appear to haye done SO at Fred
General Lee did not at
and, in ignorance of this
law, the gallant Schobelef sacrificed the
best division of the Russian army at
Plevna.
Bodies In motion, by their momen-
tum, advance in the direction of least
resistance. A body of soldiers making
an attack form no exception to this
law of physics. When the Phila-
delphia brigade, of Gibbons division,
which had been roughly handled the
day before. gave way as our men got in
charging distance, this point of least
resistance was filled nv confederafaa-