Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-23

or the Confederacy we may never know.
But from the dissatisfaction OF the mass
% tne northern people with the conduct
oi the war up TO that time. with their
VhaSrn at McClcllans defeat, and their
want OF sympathy with further expendi-
,ure or money and blood, we can easily
Deheve they would have been glad to
END the contest on any honorable terms.
h9d not good fortune attended Mcclellan
with his bleeding and beaten battalions
| IN their last desperate extremity and
guided him IN his retreat 10 Harrlson's
Landing. on the James, under cover Of
the Federal eunboats.
From in front OF Richmond we marched
/ 20 Second Manassas. where Iongstreet's
corps arrived through Thoroughfare Gap
IN such oDpcrtune time and with our
whole army laughing at Pope's order from
headquarters in the saddle" buriesqued
by our boys, In consequence of his mar
row escape. into hind quarters In the
saddle"
From Manassas we crossed the Poto-
mac TO engage in the battle of Sharps-
burg, where, among other great losses.
no Drawer nor truer soldier sealed his
devotion 10 our cause than noble Captain
william George Pollard. of our regiment
From this Maryland campaign. march
ing over roads now become familiar. back
through the Valley TO Fredericksburg.
Armistead's Brigade OF Picketts Divis-
ion-composed of Nirginia's noblest sons
as part Of Longstreets COrps-followed
IT'S line of duty. along with thousands
of others. without tents or shelter of any
Kind, 20 do whatever that master Of the
art of war, Robert Z. Lee. directed
Finally the supreme trial came. when.
after having lost thousands at Chancel-
louisville and the Wilderness. and. as
General Lee aptly said, "lost our right
arm in the death Of that great and mi
mitable Christian soldier Stonewall
jackson. and after many small battles
small only in comparison with larger
engagements-we crossed once more the
Potomac and took up our line Of march
for the fat pastures Of Pennsylvania.
Our especial command Pickett's Divis-
ion. was engaged in the destruction of
railroad near Chambersburg by pillng
up the wooden ties and kindling them
into huge fires, on which the iron rails
were heated and bent. when, on the % Of
July we received orders to prepare three
days rations. and I'm few hours there
after were on the road for Gettysburg,
where we arrived about daybreak, after
a hard march of twenty-eight miles, and
took our place in line on the verge of the
battlefield on the morning OF that memo
rable 81 of July, 1863.
These two mighty armies. after rapidly
concentrating their forces during the
heavy fighting which had lasted for two
days with laundering cannon, charge of
infantry, and onset Of cavalry, with vary
ing fortune for advantage and position,
and so far without any decisive result,
now plumed their banners, reformed their
lines, and confronted each other on this
arena for the greatest battle of modern
times-Lee with G5,O00, Meade with 117.OO0,
trained and tried veterans of two years
hard service. Thus, on this lovely mid
summer day, when all nature I'm her luxu-
RANT garb seemed wooing peace, was
fought the battle which made the whole
world stand aghast. Absolute chaos
seemed 10 reign-the resounding boom
of 800 pieces Of cannon. the incessant
whirl of bombs, the deafenng explosion
Of whole caissOns of ammunition, the
whiz Of canister and shrapnel. followed
by the first sharp crack and then steady
roar Of musketry, as regiments. brigades,
and divisions would come to close quar-
ters. forgetful of everything but this
grand carnival Of Mars.
THE ARTILLERY FIRE.
Some idea may be gained Of the concen-
tration and intensity Of the artillery fire. |
when, within thirty minutes after the
opening guns announced the battle COM |
menced, the stretcher and ambulance |
corps had TO be doubled TO take off the |
wounded and dying. As the heavy artil- |
lery fire. kept up for hours, gradually |
ceased, it proved only a prelude TO the |
general advance of our infantry all along |
the line When, after advancing about a |
yards under a whitening fire |
from both infantry and artillery in front |
and a CALLING fire from several batteries |
stationed on Little Round Top mountain, |
on our right flank. with unbroken rank. |
save to close the gaps as men fell to the |
right and left, our decimated ranks press
ed forward, delivering their fire In the
very faces Of the brave Federals. who de-
Tended their guns with great GOODNESS and
sheer desperation. but could not with
stand our impetuous charge with the
bayonet. over we went into the Federal
rihe-pits and over the re-enforced stone
fence Called now the Bloody Angle, be-
hind which the foe was entrenched.
There, In a hand-tO-hand engagement, |
where bayonet ann pistol and butt Of
musket were literally used, we captured
all who were not killed or had not fled,
cOnquering and holding for a
time the strongest position Of the Fede-
raj line Of battle on Cemetery Ridge. the
very centre and key OF the Federal de-
fence. General ArmiStead claimed the
day as ours, and, standing by one Of the
captured pieces of artillery. where the
brave Federal Captain Gushing had fallen,
with his dead men ana horses almost
covering the ground, called on us to load
md use the captured cannon on the
ieeing foe.
lust then Hancock's command came for
yard with full ranks and fresh for the
struggle attacking US with great i'm
,etuosity and delivering against our
much decimated ranks at close range at
east fifty bullets TO our five. General
4 rmistead was laid low by three wounds
IL their first fire; Genesal Kemper had
llready fallen in the charge desperately
Wounded; General Garnett had been
killed. and three fourths Of our field and
ompany officers were either killed or
wounded. The writer was shot through
he thigh, and Colonel Martin, our gal
ant regimental leader, received a shot
through the hip which almost proved