Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-08-14
Story Of Picketts
ar1ous Charge
At Gettysburg

Pickett's charge at the battle Of
gettysburg was one of the most splen-
did examples OF heroism On the battle
field which is furnished by American
history. 1t did not need success to
dignity it. Friend and foe alike wit
Messing the fortitude and unfaltering
courage OF the assault of the brigade
upon the union forces in the face of
discriminating fire, were moved to the
liveliest admiration and their hearts
went out spontaneously to the survi-
vors OF the brave band who were fore
ed to surrender after penetrating by
their courage alone through the union
lines.
The story, though familiar to almost
every student OF history, particularly
to lovers of the history Of our country,
is well worth another recital. Here it
- as told by the Count Of Paris in his
personal history of the civil war At
ter reciting the movements of the two
armies IN the first two days Of the
battle, he tells OF the determination of
Lee to attack the Federal lines and
spend his all in one glorious, final ef-
1Ort. tie then proceeds as follows:
Lee had designated Pickett and his
gallant Vlrginians to sustain the prin-
clpal charge, but had not settled the
order In which the rest of the army
was to take part in the combat. He
seems to have relied first upon Hoods
and McLaWS' divisions 10 sustain
Plcketts, but no order was given to
Hills troops, which alone could ac-
compllsh this task. In order that Hood
and McLaws might be able to cooper
ate in this attack they would be oblig-
ed to abandon the position conquered
with SO much difficulty On the right,
ana leave the ground free to the ex-
IRENE left Of the Federal army.
THE sounds of the battle in which
Robertson and Anderson are engaged
near the Emmettsburg road reach
Lees ears to remind him Of the danger
which menaces him on that side. FL
naliy, LOngstret has since asserted that
the two divisions led by him the day
Dcfore had suffered too much to again
undertake a decisive effort. They
might, at all events, have assigned to
them a very useful and less perilous
TASK than the assault of Zieglers Grove
NY causing portion o. those two
DIVISIONS TO make strong demonstra-
eionS against the left wing of the enc
my. me nature of the ground would
nave enabled the troops relatively few
IN numDer to draw Meade'S attention
WltEout compromising themselves, and
thuS 10 turn aside a portion of his
FORCES from the point designated to
P.issstt. r
All the troops Of the Third Corps
destined to participate in the attack
are placed under Longstreets COM
mand, and the latter is authorized. if
he deems it necessary, to push Perry's
and Wright's brigades forward. He
directs Pickett to designate to each
oiticer the exact place that has been
assigned to him. This concentration
on doubt Weakens, but does not en-
tirely strip, the defensive lire which
the general-in-chief is obliged to pre-
serve in case of a reverse; the posi-
lions which Pickett and Wilcox are
about to abandon are covered with a
powerful artillery. Anderson drawn
up in line of battle behind Heth. and
the two brigades Of Trimble, is ready
to I'LL the space which the latter will
leave. This line has, from one wing
to the other, a development of at
least live miles; it is, therefore, weak
at all points, and if the projected as
sault does not succeed there is no re-
serve left to prevent a cOunter-attack.
n Y rCc4
thing is ready; his orders are awaited
to open the fire which is to precede
the assault. He has placed Colonel
Alexander at the entrance of the wood
near Warfields to watch the effects
of the cannonade and to apprise Pick
EFT when the moment for making the
charge arrives; but having no faith
in the success Of the attack, he writes
to Alexander, advising him not to
give the order unless the enemy is
driven from his positions, or unless he
deems the latter sufficiently disorgan-
lied to secure the success of the at
tack.
1.-TWO cannon shots fired on the right
by the Washington artillery at inter
1 yals Of one minute suddenly break the
6liSuCt Which, WAS pI6NdlluS over lnS
battlefield. 1t means Be on your
guard which is we'll understood by
both armies. The solitary smoke of
these shots has not yet been dispersed
when the whole Confederate line is
one blaze. To the seventy-fve pieces
of cannon of the First Corps are added
sixty-three of the Third Corps, which
Hill has placed in line, and which,
with the exception of Poague's bat
terry, ranged within the line of the
former, are posted along the prolonga
ton CT Seminary Hill at distance of
about thirteen hundred yards from the
Federals. One hundred and thirty
eight pieces Of cannon, therefore, obey
Longstreets signal.
The Federals are not at all sur
t:ised at this abrupt prelude. They
have had time to recover from the
shock of the previous day, and have
made good use of it. Meade, assisted
by Hancock. and his several corps
commanders, has spent all the morning
in rectifying the line; the general dis
position is not changed, but the whole
portion OF the front which the enemy
seems to be menacing is occupied by
a stronger force. General Hunt is eX-
aiming and rectifying with untiring
1no1 thp 0OsitiCn Of his batteries.