The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-16
A NIGHT AT GETTYSBURG.
A HTGHLY REALISTIC ACCOUNT or
THE GREAT CONfLTCT.
How the Hardness Of An Army Corps Lost
the Battle 10 the Confedcraies.
Antwful Night.

sdeliy impressed upon my menofy-a
night OF blood, blunders and confusion.
General LOngstreet had orders 10 De az
Gettysburg by sun-up on July z, lSti. Cen
eral Lee expected him. At sun-up that
morning his corps was only eight nliies
away-a corps famous In the army ot
northern Virginia for speed ana endur-
ance. TO prove #, when the battle OF
Charlottesville began, Hoods division
Of Lonstreers corps was camped seven
miles south OF Richmond. We had just
returned from that never explained 'ba-
con RAID 10 suffolk I'm that "l0w ground
Of sorrow" I'm the Blackwater and Dismal
swamp country.
At reveille that morning We received
orders TO cook three days rations and be
ready TO move at once. Al 10 O'Clock We
passed through the city or Richmond.
and that night camped az Ashland, IN
the "Hanover slashes." the birthplace
OF Henry Clay thirty miles from our ola
camp south Of Richmond
At Second Manassas we covered twenty
miles I'm less than five hours and yet az
Gettysburg we were ten hours going go
ing eight miles. IL was not the fault Of
the rank and nlc they were there and
ready.
u was 1870 In the afternoon when we
iadtHtu lNt bdAAlNhAtNf A'Aitf N'iA "t'' IN
half hours behind time.
l don't know what those future histo-
rians- those fellows that are going TO set
everything right-that we have been look
ing FOR tho last thirty years. will say
about IL. but that delay lost the battle
OF Gettysburg to the Coufederatcs, as
Gr0uchy's failing TO go 10 Napoleon lost
the battle Of Waterloo 10 the French.
If. as John $ C.. Abbott says, the
battle OF Waterloo changed the map OF
Europe" who knows but the hardness
OF an army corps az Gettysburg caused
the map of this country TO remain as 1t
was?
A FATAL DELAY.
The loss Of those ten hours gave the
enemy ample time 90 occupy and fortfy
Cemetery Ridge and Little Round Top.
Little Round Top" was the key TO the
battlefield Of Gettysburg. and when we
failed TO occupy 10. as General Lee expect
ed US 10 do the battle was lost.
II was nearly five o'clock when We be-
gan the assault against an enemy strong
ly fortified behind logs and stones on
the crest OF a mountain, I'm many places
perpendicular. u was moro than half
mile from our starting point 10 the edge
OF the timber at the base OF the ridge,
comparatively open ground all the way.
We started off at quick time, the officers
keeping tho column I'm pretty good line
until we passed through the peach or
chard and reached the level ground be-
yond. We were now about 400 yards from
the timber and the fire from the enemy,
both artillery and musketry were fearful.
I'm making that long charge our brigade
got damned" Regiments leaped each
other and wnen we reached the woods ana
climbed the mountain rs far as we could
go. We were a badly mixed crowd.
Confusion reigned supreme everywhere.
Nearly all our field officers were gone.
Hood, our major general had been shot
from his horse. Robertson. our brigadicr.
had been carried from the field. Colonel
Powell. OF the Fifth Texas. was riddled
with bullets. Colonel Van Manning. Of the
Third Arkansas. was disabled, and Colo
mel Carter OF my regiment, lay dying nc
the foot OF the mountain.
The side Of the mountain was heavily
timbered and covered with great bowld-
ers that had tumblcl from the cliffs above
years before. which afforded great pro-
lection 10 the men.
Every tree. TocK and stump that gave
any protection from the rain OF mimic
balls that was poured down upon ms from
tho crest above us. were soon appropri1-
ted. John Griffith ana myself pre-empted
behind q mOss-covered old bOwdcr about
the size OF % 5o0-pound cotton bale.
by this time order and discipline were
gone. Every fellow was his own general
Private soldiers gave commands as loud
as the ofiicers-nobody paying any atten-
ton 10 either. TO add 20 this confusion
our artillery on the hin IN the rear was
cutting its fuse too short. Their shells
were bursting behind us, I'm the treetops
over our heads and all around us
Notheng demoralzes troops quicker
than TO be fired into by their friends.
I saw IL occur twice during the war. The
first time We ran. but at Gettysburg We
couldn't.
This mistake was soon corrected and
the shells burst ligh ON the mountain or
went over f.
CAPT. JOHN CUsSONS.
Major Rogers. then in command OF the
Fifth Texas regiment, mounted an old
log near my boWlder and began a Fourth
Of July speech. lie was n little ahead OF
time for that was about $50 o'clock on
the evening Of the I'd. or course nobody
was paying any attention 70 the Grafton
as he appealed 20 the men 70 stand fast
tic and Capt. Cussons, Of the Fourth
Alabama, were the only two men / saw
down behind rocks. logs and trees While
the speech was going on John Haggerty,
one Of Hoods cOuriers. then acting for
General Law. dashed up the side OF the
mountain, saluted the major. and said:
General Law prcstnts his compliments.
and says hold this place at all hazards.
The major checked up, glared down AT
Haggerty from his perch. and shouted.
compliments, hell, Who wants any COM
pliments in such q damned place az this'
Go back and ask General Law II he ex-
poets me to nold the world in check with
the Fifth Texas regiment.
The major evidently thought he had
his regiment with him, while i'm fact
these were men from every regiment in
the Teas brigade all around him.
Now that 1 have mentioned the name
OF John Haggerty 70 reminds me Of
circumstance that happened at Second
Manassas.
In those DAYS John was q regular "Hdr-
ry-recket scqDegrace' sort OF a fellow.
fun Of adventure. fearless and reckless.
ana as courier for General Hood went
pretty much where he pleased except
when on actual duty.
At Second Manassas he was proving
around inside the enemy's lines, when he
and Colonel Fletcher Webster. of a Mas
slchusetts regiment. met In the woods
face to face. Each one commanded the
othe- 10 surrender. Both were game and
both refused ana the duel began. Fortune
favored lie ggerty and the gallant Web
ST.. ' ent d 5xn. lie was son OF Daniel
Webster. the distinguished Massachusetts,
statesman.
When the war was over John Haggerty
returned to Texas. studied law, became
a ,,aeful cftfzop and man OF prominence.