The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-23
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I! 81
l smitten unto death by a bullet through
| the neck and being unable 20 speak,
| drew from his pocket Il slip of paper,
| and in the darkness traced on 1t with
dying fingers. Maj. Tate tell father
| that died with my face to the enemy
The lighting over the guns was 'ill-
usually fierce. In reference to one OF
| the captured batteries. Major Tate, i'll Il
letter To Governor Vance, dated July
=. 1863. says: "Seventy-iive North
| CaroIinians Of the Sixth regiment and
twelve Louisianians of Hays brigade
scaled the wall and planted the colors
of the Sixth North Carolina regiment
and Ninth Louisiana on the guns. he
enemy stood with a tenacity never be-
fore displayed. but with bayonet, club
| bed mllsket, sword, and pistol and rocks
from tine wan, we cleared the heights
and silenced the guns" Their bravery
was to 90 unrewarded however. No
supports came to relieve their struggles
| for the guns and for the hill. Not only
| Carroll. but also a Pennsylvania regi-
| ment and Il force from Seizures division
| Joined their enemies and finding that
| they were about to- be overwhelmed,
they retleatcd. The Judgement here eff
fected would have. if followed up
| promptly. turned the whole Federal
line.
THE THIRD DAY.
The result of the second days battle
induced the belief" says Gem Lee in
his official report that we should Ill
timately succeed, and it was accord
ingly determined to continue the at
tack" Gen. Lees report continues
1.-The general plan was unchanged.
| Longstreet. re-enforced by Picketts
three brigades was ordered to attack
the next morning. and Gen. Ewell
was directed to aSsail the enemy's right
at the same time Gen. Longstreet,
l however, found that he needed some OF
his troops, hence a change in the plan
of assault became necessary. 1t was
finally decided that Pickett's division
from Longstreet's corps and Heth's di-
vision from Hills corps should consti-
tute the column of assault, and THAT
this column should be properly support
ed by second line. 1t has been often
asserted, and there are still people IL
norant enough to believe the assertion
that to Heths division, commanded
that day by Gen. Pettigrew. was assign
ed the duty of supporting Picketts di-
vision Others have been found ignor-
ant enough Of their country's history to
assert that pickett's attack failed be-
cause it was not supported by Petit
grew. Gen. Lees official report ought
forever to dispose of these errors. He
| accurately sets forth THE true relations
of all the attacking forces when he
says: Gen. Longstreet ordered for
ward the column of attack, consisting
of Pickett's and Heth's divisions, i'll two
lines, Pickett on the right. WilcoX's
brigade marched in rear of Iickett's
right, to guard the flank. and Heth's
Twas supported by Lanes and Scales's
brigades under Gen. Trimble." Her,
then is given the front line-Pickett
and Heth; the second on supporting
line Wilcox, Lane and Scales. Petit
grew was no more supporting Pickett
than was Ewell. a mile or more away
all three were ordered to make coinci-
dent attacks as Gen. Lee states, and
| Pettigrew was ordered to dress his line
ON Pickett. Pickett's assault failed
for the same reason that Pettigrew'
| failed-because the men making it Were
flesh and blood. Had they been disem-
bodied spirits they could possibly have
survived the artillery and musketry fire
from those heights.
| In the memorable charge of the last
day at Gettysburg there We're forty
| seven Confederate regiments engaged.
| Nineteen of these We're from Virginia
Il IA, yutf' Itx.,,s IL
| four i'm Heth's; fifteen regiments wer,
from North Carolina; three from Ten
nessee: seven from Alabama: and tive
from Mississippi. The North Carolina
regiments were distributed as follows:
five i'll Gen. Scales's brigade commanded
by Col. Lowrance. five in Gen. Lane
brigade, four in Gen. Pettigrew's bri-
gade and one in Gen. Daviss brigade.
| To prepare the way for the assaulting
column, 1l5 Confederate gums had been
massed in front of the left centre OF
the Federal position. These were re-
piled to by so Federal guns massed in
front of the point of attack. The roar
of these guns as they burst into deadly
action fairly shook the rocky hills and
was heard, it is said, fifty miles away.
Strong battle was in the air. and the
veterans of both sides sweled their
breasts to gather nerve and strength
to meet it,"
The Federals had strengthened their
formidable position on the ridge and con
centrated their lines for the stern con
ilict that they saw impending. Ham
cock held the portion of their line that
was to receive the severest shock.
Webb's brigade was behind a stone wall
and breastwork. Hall and Smyth Were
ON his left and right, respectively. Will
lard to Smyth's right. Stannard was
ready to fall ON the flank of the Confed-
crate right. The second line was post
ed behind Il crest. Howards corps held
its former place, and Doubleday's men
to Gibbons left All lay In readiness.
screening themselves as best they could
from the fire of The artillery that was
soon To eense from want of ammunition
1--WE lay behind a slight rise of ground
says an occupant OF the second line,
Just sufficient Ia hide us from the view
of the rebels. II was nwfully hot, and
we We're 81 close to the ground that not
n breath Of mir could reach u.s. row
of gums uniyered expectantly between
| the two lines,