The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-25
FRIDAY AUGUST Is, 1899.
AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT FALSE.
HOODS as TO THE THIRD DAY

Having formerly written several
times of North Carolina at Gettysburg
on the Third day, we shall not go into
it so deliberately now as we could do
by the help of Professor D. H. Hills
excellent paper, from which we copied
lately, and SO freely as to the First and
Second days fights. The battle on the
Third day has beensso grossly and in
excusably misrepresented that it has
become the duty of North Carolinians
to straighten it out and expose the ig-
norances and erros of statement.
Not many months ago we called at
tention to the map Of the charge on the
third day made by a United States Of
ficer of the engineers. 1t is very plain.
A peripatic liar of constitutional bias
could not possibly blunde- as to
the real deeds Of that day, and what
was accomplished and by whom accom-
plished, with that map before him.
That map-lately issued-and the well
known map by Colonel Batchelder of
the federal army prepared years ago
and with utmost care, do settle the
question and put the falsifiers in a
hole.
Now let us turn to Professor Hills
lucid, convincing paper. He puts the
case Well at the start. We quote a
long passage that corrects plumbers and
deepens the hole of the slanderers. He
says:
General Lees report continues:
The general plan was unchanged.
Longstreet, reinforced by Pickett's
three brigades were ordered to attack
the next morning, and General Ewell
was directed to assail the enemy's right
at the same time General Longstreet,
however found that he needed some OF
his troops, hence a change in the plan
of assault became necessary. 1t was
finally decided that Picketts division
from Longstreet's corps and Heths d.
vision from Hills corps should consti-
tute the column of assault, and that
this column should be properly sup
ported by a second line. 1t has been
often asserted, and there are still people
ignorant enough to believe the asser-
ton that to Heth's division.
ed that day by General PettlgreW, was
assigned the duty of supporting PICK
ett's division. Others have been found
ignorant enough of their countrys MIS-
tory to assert that Pickett's attack
rallied because it was mot supported py
Pettigrew. General Lees Official re-
port ought forever to dispose or tnese
errors. He accurately sets fortn tne
true relations of all the attacking
forces when he says: Genera Long.
street ordered forward the column OF
attack, consisting OF Plcketts anu
Heth's divisions, in two INES flckelt
on the right. Wilcoxs Drlgaoe marcn,
cd I'M rear OF Pickett's right, to guard
the flank, and Heth's was supporter Wy
Lanes and Scales's br1gades unoer
General Trimble.' Here then Is given
the front line-Pickett and Hem: the
second or supporting l1ne-WlVc
Lane and Scales. PettlgreW was no
more supporting Pickett than was
Ewell, a mile or more away-all three
were ordered to make colncldenI ac-
tacks as General Lee states, and felIl-
~row o. ordered to dress his line on
Pickett. Pickett's assault 1aileu ~, -
.ama reason that Pettigrew's failed
%aca,,se the men making it were flesh
and blood. Had they been uiseil-
Nodded spirits they could possibly nave
survived the artillery anu "ushe'i'
fire from those heights
Read that again that you may
~ ~ rtotement or miSunder-
stand the facts and the real case. IN
the fateful and splendid charge there
were forty-seven confederate regiments
engaged" OF these nineteen were OF
Virginia and fifteen of North Caroilna,
and three Of Tennessee, and seven Oh
Alabama, and two of Mississippi. he
member that, and that Picketts men
were not the only men in the charge.
Do not forget. BY the way, was PICK
att himself in the charge? Are you
unite sure he was? We have stated on
the authority of a distinguished living
Virginian that he was not. A federai
authority also says he was not In the
much lauded charge. Professor HILL
writes:
.sThe North Carolina regiments were
distributed as follows: five IN Genera,
ScaIes's brigade commanded by Coione'
Lowrance, five in General Lanes bri-
eade. O in General Pettlgrews pr,'
gade and one in General Davlss Ori
gade.
"To prepare the way for the assauls:
ing column, lis confederate guns MAJ
been massed in front Of the left centr'
Of the federal position. These were IL :,
piled to by 80 federal guns masseW II
front of the point of attack
The charge was made as given aDoV'
Pockets men and Pettigrew's me-
in front. General Pettigrew certaln!
led his own men. Professor Hill give
a we'll wrought account of the charge
We copy a part:
"Brockenbrough's brigade is born