The Portland daily press., 1899-09-14

a1uos aouhulet cAuo irom our Doyat
you aren't going Go capture us all alone
are your" He came In. Many incidents
could be related, which have never been
told OF this afternoons battle.
The shades OF night gathered. Only a
lew scattered shots could be heard which
with the groans Of the wounded, the cries
for water, and the hum Of the thousands
n ow lying on their arms es each related
lis experiences of the day made a con trnst
TO the fury OF On hour before that was
almost painful, and the reaction and the
relaxation Of the tense nerves was pros
trating.
We threw ourselves upon the ground
we'll wrapped up in a half blanket as
protection from the cold dew, with oan-
teen for pillow. We soon lost in peace
full slumber all remem branoe Of the per-
ilous movements, and the exciting details
Of the struggle which has been so imper-
fectly described.
Night glided by and another perfect day
dawned. Shortly after day break, passing
along the westerly face Of Little Round
Top, we moved TO position in front of
the ravine or gorge. that separates the two
Round Tops
IL was wild, rocky and savage. Lying
down among the large boulderk that
everywhere abounded, piling up rocks,
and making ourselve IS thin as possible
we awaited development Of the days
events.
Az ptOSHu u D. .lul OF tnrlkHDgt hair-
breadth escapes We were TO the east Of
or directly In front Of the DEVILS Den. /"
so intent had we besn In Watching the
maesing Of the rebel columns IN the GEN.
ire, for the final grand charge by Pockets
Division, that we had not noticsd the
sharp shooters gathering among the
gigantic boulders, which make up tie
surroundings OF this impregnable posi-
ton.
The artillery opened; shells, shrapnel
and canister, tore Thorough the cedars and
scrub oak; shrieked, buzzed and grated
among the rocks, and bounded over our
prostrate lius-now fiat on the ground,
ssprsad ont thin," aud covering every
inch of person possible. The sharpshoo: :
ers also began their deadly work and the
sharp zip-pi-n-g g-g-of the spiteful rifle
ball. more dangerous than its larger
brother. added TO our Derils. Under al
most perfect cover they became SO persis-
tently annoying and dangerous that we
could not show finger, without warn
Ing in the shape of bullet.
Our dead md wounded were lying In
full view, the latter by hundreds, within
hailing distance. Taeir cries and en-
treaties for water ana assistance would
the wounded were hit again. Many died
from fright and nlssion. by loss Of
blood, etc., that could have been saved.
In vain did we try to succor them. Some
crawled out on their hands and knees
and held water to their dying lips, Others
crept out and threw oanteens. We hailed
the sharpshootsrs, explaining our object.
lt was OF no avail, every man was shot
at, and after a sergeant and others had
been wounded in the attempt it was given
up.
Lookouts were stationed among the
large rocks to warn us when the rebels
were Roingto fire. AZ this moment all
would rise up and pour in lively .v1lIey
upon their position-whieh was concealed
--detsrmined TO surprise ana XIII
them OF II possible. But they proved
vigilant, were not to be- caught mapping,
and finally played the old Yankee trick Of
displaying caps upon hammers. Both
regiments OF Berdan's sharpshouters were
sent out, crawling ovoS our prostrate
forms. TO the |, fG and front. ana securing
cover. they tried to dislodge these imper-
turbable Confederaues.
The cannoneers of Hazletts Battery
CD. 9th United States Artillery, on
Little Round Top were picked of ana the
guns almost silenced by their skill. Much
lead WIS waited ail along che limo tn tho
effort TO move or silenoa these Inuruerous
fellows, and it was not unit just before
sunset that portion of Crawford's divis-
ion, advancing from our right and max
ing left wheel, succeeded In dislcdging
and capturing them. They proved to be of
the 3rd Arkansas, Hood sDivision, Robert
sons brigade, and were as ragged, un-
kempt and tough looking body If men
as IL was ever our fortune to see in the
Army of Northern Virginia. They were
all dead shots, aud mostly armed with
squirrel rifles carrying small Yea bail,
that sounded spitefnlly murderous as they
sharply sung among the cedars, and fiat
tened with a dull and ominous thud
against the Undiscovered boulders, that
composed our fortincations.
of the charge on the afternoon of July
Bird we saw but little from our position
the smoke hiding the movement from
view. General Lees plan on this day
twas a forlorn hope, directly opposed to
General Longstreet 1t WAS to form q
column Of assault under cover of a heavy
al tillery fire, and moving with q rush
through the Union centre-thus separaL-
ing our two wiDgs-then to attack the
wings, especially the left kwell was to
Second, while stuart watched for an OPP
portunity to cooperate by penstratir g
our lines from the rear near Cress Run
and Rummel's Farm.
There was not ghost of q chance fer
this poorly conceived and badly executed
plan column of from l5. 600 60 5000
men moving upon troops In selected
position, behind natural and artificial
barricades, simply Invited the same disas-
ter that befell our own movement at the
BATTLE of Fredericksburg, although it was
not nearly SO strong position to carry
by assault as the latter. The fighting
was short, desperate and decisive. Those
that were not killed or captured, fed in a
route out of range.
Any historian vi no may, In the future,
claim even a partial success for this
charge, viii only subject himself to ridi-
Guile SO long as a soldier is alive who was
In the battle.
only about two hundred men with
Armistead dribbled over the stone wall in
the face of Cushing's Battery, and they
were either made prisoners or killed In a
few moments. This is what some writers
call "piercing the CENTRE" gaining the
works. etc. Behind this centre and but
a short distance away lay en- masse the
entire Sixth Corps which had been douh-
lie quioked to this position when the
charge was seen coming for that point.
They numbered 20 600 meu; most of whom
had not pressed trigger.
This practically ended the battle of GET
tyshurg. The Twelfth Corps recovered by
stubborn lighting. their own position on
Culp's Hill From our position at the
foot Of Little Round Top the roar of